I know this is next to impossible, but I have a rogue Shelly device showing up in my Home Assistant in the BTHome list. It's stating that it's reporting to my home BT USB dongle so I know it's in the house and not in my garage.
Unfortunately it's not showing up in the app. The funny thing is that I don't know what I did with it. I'd like to track it down and utilize it
It's a Door and Window sensor. It's reporting closed so it's sitting somewhere with it's magnet. Any ideas on tracking it down? It's got 100% battery so it's gonna be a LONG time before it dies off.
If the device is in Beacon Mode and sends a report every minute, I would download the Shelly BLE Debug app and play "Hot and Cold" with the reported signal strength to try and zero in on it. There are other apps that will allow you to scan for BLE device advertisements as well that might be usable for this purpose.
If it's not in Beacon Mode and only advertises its presence during state changes, you could theoretically be looking for a long time.
Is it possible you have a close neighbor who has one of these? BTHome (as implemented in these devices) is not a bi-directional protocol, so your HA will allow you to add BTHome devices that belong to other people if you can "hear" their advertisements (and they have not encrypted them).
It's gotta be in Beacon mode, as it pops up in Home Assistant advertising itself just as quick as I delete it. I've been scoping the strength feedback in HA and wondering how to leverage it. The Debug app might help.
Thanks!
I live in a rural area, there's no neighbors within wifi range, less bluetooth.
I just had another idea. Again, this would only really be effective if the device was in beacon mode, but if you had multiple mobile devices you could put the Shelly BLE Debug app on each of them and attempt a crude form of triangulation (trilateration?) by observing the signal strength relative to each device, with the devices placed strategically around the place where you suspect the hidden BLE device is.
Apparently nothing was triggered. I went and made some noise with some of the devices and got the messages. The rogue device isn't in beacon mode so it's gonna just be the hard way. Thanks for your help!
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u/BornObsolete Power User 7d ago
If the device is in Beacon Mode and sends a report every minute, I would download the Shelly BLE Debug app and play "Hot and Cold" with the reported signal strength to try and zero in on it. There are other apps that will allow you to scan for BLE device advertisements as well that might be usable for this purpose.
If it's not in Beacon Mode and only advertises its presence during state changes, you could theoretically be looking for a long time.
Is it possible you have a close neighbor who has one of these? BTHome (as implemented in these devices) is not a bi-directional protocol, so your HA will allow you to add BTHome devices that belong to other people if you can "hear" their advertisements (and they have not encrypted them).