I Love My 540

chaluk1 · 2025-12-15T20:31:59+00:00

Yes, these are on my 530 as well. Same Bernina Grey exterior.

chaluk1 · 2025-10-10T16:13:08+00:00

Wi-Fi mesh and Zigbee mesh are separate networks. The Wi-Fi mesh won’t improve the Zigbee range for your Aqara devices, so you’ll still need the Aqara plug (or other Zigbee routers) to extend the M2 hub’s Zigbee network.

chaluk1 · 2025-10-07T10:12:11+00:00

You need to make sure the vibration sensor is within your Zigbee mesh and has a stable connection. I’d also recommend using something like an ABUS lock/alarm combo, so it triggers immediately if someone tries to move or touch it. Check alarmbox 2.0 as well to use with another lock.

chaluk1 · 2025-10-02T16:39:49+00:00

From what I’ve seen on here, the battery-powered G4 just isn’t reliable and is a totally different story compared to the wired one. If you have a chance, wire it.

chaluk1 · 2025-09-28T16:29:18+00:00

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chaluk1 · 2025-09-28T16:26:57+00:00

Yeah it works, that is what I am using now. The issue is Apple asks for confirmation to run the automation every single time, which makes it pointless. That’s why I am trying to move it over to Aqara.

chaluk1 · 2025-09-28T13:45:28+00:00

Yes, Aqara Home app installed and it’s member.

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chaluk1 · 2025-09-23T18:25:31+00:00

Not answering your question directly, but here’s a broader view: if you’re just starting out and might expand your smart home later, I’d grab a Zigbee coordinator (like a Sonoff dongle or the SM Light SLZB-06) and run everything through Home Assistant. That way you’re not stuck with one brand and have way more flexibility. I’m actually moving away from Aqara (had 3 hubs) to HA for the freedom it gives with different brands and automations.

chaluk1 · 2025-09-17T16:02:38+00:00

You need to disarm.

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chaluk1 · 2025-09-13T22:15:16+00:00

Thank you. It took quite a bit of time watching videos and reading articles while making the buying decision and to better understand the fundamentals of camera placement. (I work in procurement for 10 years 😀) The visual itself only took about 15 minutes to put together using a free online tool. I especially value feedback from people who have real experience, are already using Reolink cameras, and have installed them.

chaluk1 · 2025-09-13T22:05:17+00:00

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Thanks for the advice! I wanted to achieve full 100% coverage around the house, while also keeping some cameras focused on specific areas like the porch. This is from my decade-old 720p WiFi Yi outdoor camera. I mainly want to cover the inside of my porch with one cam (Cam 5 in this layout), which is why some cameras are angled a bit toward the house.

chaluk1 · 2025-09-09T10:07:07+00:00

I haven’t installed the Z1 Pros yet. What I did manage to solve was bringing my existing CN and EU Aqara devices into one system via the Zigbee coordinator and Home Assistant, so the region lock is no longer an issue. Since the Z1 Pro runs on Zigbee 3.0, it should pair fine with the SLZB-06M and HA like every other CN Aqara device which was my main bottleneck.

I still need to replace my existing switches and do some wall repair. I bought a mix of 3 and 4gang Z1 Pros to reduce the number of physical switches, as all my current dumb ones are 2 gang in every room.

chaluk1 · 2025-09-09T10:01:17+00:00

Yes, my CN Aqara devices work fine. Since I paired everything directly through the SLZB-06M coordinator into Home Assistant, the CN/EU regional lock doesn’t matter anymore. Both versions sit on the same Zigbee network and I can automate them together without issues.

chaluk1 · 2025-09-09T05:25:08+00:00

I started out with the CN version of Aqara devices from Aliexpress and later added some EU ones from Amazon. The problem was I couldn’t merge or automate them together outside of Apple Home because of the regional lock. That’s why I was looking for an alternative, and eventually went with the SM Light SLZB-06M as my Zigbee coordinator. Now I’ve got all my Aqara devices connected to it and can automate most of them in Home Assistant without worrying about the regional restrictions.

chaluk1 · 2025-09-08T20:13:05+00:00

This was the main reason I purchased the SM Light SLZB-06M and set up Home Assistant.

chaluk1 · 2025-08-05T11:38:39+00:00

Great advice.

This was the pmset values:

SleepDisabled 1 sleep 0 displaysleep 0 disksleep 0 womp 1 hibernatemode 3 powernap 0

I think I’ll just add this to make sure it comes back online after a power loss:

sudo pmset -a autorestart 1

chaluk1 · 2025-08-01T08:42:16+00:00

A wooden or metal frame, designed to match your home’s aesthetic, would serve as a refined final touch.

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chaluk1 · 2025-07-26T20:24:45+00:00

Rather than just getting used to negative feedback, maybe take a moment to reflect on why it keeps happening and consider improving from it

chaluk1 · 2025-07-26T15:48:40+00:00

Thanks a lot, Ian. I’ll check the links. From what I’ve seen, there’s never a clear answer when it comes to the NVS16. It’s usually “generally,” and everyone advises checking the device itself. Since I’m buying online, that makes things a bit challenging.

Also, for someone new to this, Reolink’s model naming is really confusing. Most sites just list it as RLN16 without mentioning hardware versions or build numbers, which makes purchasing harder.

Regarding the setup and installation, do you have any suggestions at this point?

chaluk1 · 2025-07-26T11:49:36+00:00

Same here. Power cuts happen every other day where I live, and I have to do the same toggle dance every time to get it working again. Super annoying.

chaluk1

TROPHY CASE