cync2mqtt
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juanboro
KeyError: 'bulbs'
Hi! I followed the guides for both venv and docker, and both lead me to the same error. Any idea what's up?
kevin@ha:~$ ~/venv/cync2mqtt/bin/cync2mqtt ~/cync_mesh.yaml
Process Process-1:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3.9/multiprocessing/process.py", line 315, in _bootstrap
self.run()
File "/usr/lib/python3.9/multiprocessing/process.py", line 108, in run
self._target(*self._args, **self._kwargs)
File "/home/kevin/venv/cync2mqtt/bin/cync2mqtt", line 378, in run_in_subprocess
asyncio.run(cm.run_mqtt(),debug=(args.log_level.upper()=='DEBUG'))
File "/usr/lib/python3.9/asyncio/runners.py", line 44, in run
return loop.run_until_complete(main)
File "/usr/lib/python3.9/asyncio/base_events.py", line 642, in run_until_complete
return future.result()
File "/home/kevin/venv/cync2mqtt/bin/cync2mqtt", line 288, in run_mqtt
self.meshnetworks.populate_from_configdict(self.configdict)
File "/home/kevin/venv/cync2mqtt/lib/python3.9/site-packages/acync/__init__.py", line 140, in populate_from_configdict
for bulb in mesh['bulbs'].values():
KeyError: 'bulbs'
I appreciate any help!
Can you send the content of cync_mesh.yaml (with the MAC addresses/and keys XX out)?
I'll take a look.
Here is is:
meshconfig:
1226357509:
access_key: 777
mac: XXXXXXX
name: XXXXXXX
1286718809:
access_key: 777
mac: XXXXXXX
name: XXXXXXX
1333061485:
access_key: 777
mac: XXXXXXX
name: XXXXXXX
1409876883:
access_key: 777
mac: XXXXXXX
name: XXXXXXX
1601122146:
access_key: 777
mac: XXXXXXX
name: XXXXXXX
1613912743:
access_key: XXXXXXX
bulbs:
1:
mac: XXXXXXX
name: Bathroom Light North East
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
2:
mac: XXXXXXX
name: Basement Light Stairs
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
3:
mac: XXXXXXX
name: Basement Light 3
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
4:
mac: XXXXXXX
name: Basement Light Sout East
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
5:
mac: XXXXXXX
name: Kitchen Floodlight 2
supports_temperature: true
6:
mac: XXXXXXX
name: Kitchen Floodlight 1
supports_temperature: true
7:
mac:XXXXXXX
name: Basement Light 5
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
mac: XXXXXXX
name: Home
1808127672:
access_key: 777
mac: XXXXXXX
name: XXXXXXX
1912083427:
access_key: 777
mac: XXXXXXX
name: XXXXXXX
mqtt_url: mqtt://kevin:[email protected]:1883/
Thanks again!
I edited out the stuff that doesn't look like anything your example, and then got a different message - simply, unable to connect to mesh.
acync.mesh - INFO - Unable to connect to mesh mac:
Bummer.
The updated config:
meshconfig:
1613912743:
access_key: XXXXXXX
bulbs:
1:
mac: XXXXXXX
name: Bathroom Light North East
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
2:
mac: XXXXXXX
name: Basement Light Stairs
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
3:
mac: XXXXXXX
name: Basement Light 3
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
4:
mac: XXXXXXX
name: Basement Light Sout East
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
5:
mac: XXXXXXX
name: Kitchen Floodlight 2
supports_temperature: true
6:
mac: XXXXXXX
name: Kitchen Floodlight 1
supports_temperature: true
7:
mac:XXXXXXX
name: Basement Light 5
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
mac: XXXXXXX
name: Home
mqtt_url: mqtt://kevin:[email protected]:1883/
Yeah - that seems like it should have worked. I plan to do a bunch of updates hopefully soon to add more robust connection options. One thing to try is see if adding usebtlib: bluepy to the yaml makes a difference.
I did try bluepy, it doesn't seem to make a difference. I ordered an outdated G by CE bulb from ebay - hoping that'll make connecting to the mesh a bit easier. Will let you know how it goes!
I got the old bulb, still can't connect. I wonder if my bluetooth dongle is the issue.
I'm getting the same error, here is my yaml, seems pretty identical. I'm using Intel BT if that helps at all!
meshconfig:
316356668:
access_key: XXXXX
mac: XXXXX
name: XXXXX
441483036:
access_key: XXXXX
mac: XXXXX
name: XXXXX
1364391871:
access_key: XXXXX
bulbs:
1:
mac: XXXXX
name: Ceiling Fan 1
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
2:
mac: XXXXX
name: Ceiling Fan 2
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
3:
mac: XXXXX
name: Ceiling Fan 3
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
mac: XXXXX
name: Home
1882501669:
access_key: XXXXX
mac: XXXXX
name: XXXXX
mqtt_url: mqtt://127.0.0.1:1883/
Adding usebtlib: bluepy didn't help also, definitely a strange error.
If it helps, I'm using a "Full Color Direct Connect Smart Bulb (A19)" on firmware version 1.0.372
I'm going to try to explore some alternatives this week for these issues. Only one other thing I can think of for the above issues is to try is to set the --log-level switch to DEBUG and see more what is going on (or you could try the cloud/lan based alternatives: https://community.home-assistant.io/t/cync-integration/428815).
For cync-BLE... I'm going to try to aim for implementing an alternative hardware solution with really cheap hardware and a more reliable BLE stack. As it is - my current set it and forget it setup is running on pretty cheap hardware reliably --- just a raspberry pi-zero 2w connected to my router in the basement via usb (actually - it isn't quite as cheap anymore :-( --- but it was when I bought it at microcenter a few years ago). Unfortunately, I don't have many Cync devices to work with --- I build my new home mainly around tuya lights (most of which hopefully i can get around to custom flash the firmware for all of them at some point).
Turns out you just have to increase the connection timeout for the Bluetooth mesh... After reformatting the YAML file to match what the code was expecting, increasing the connection timeout to 30 seconds lets it actually connect to the mesh. https://github.com/juanboro/cync2mqtt/commit/fb589d3eb514ea5488c029bfae760c5875bc15b1
Though, this still sometimes fails... just seems to increase the chances of it actually connecting to something. It took a few devices to connect here:
340198845:
access_key: XXX
mac: 786DEBB842D8
name: 786DEBB842D8
391722853:
access_key: XXX
mac: 786DEBBB0C72
name: 786DEBBB0C72
523955445:
access_key: XXX
mac: 786DEBBD22AA
name: 786DEBBD22AA
1299658474:
access_key: XXXXXX
bulbs:
1:
is_plug: true
mac: 78:6D:EB:07:61:19
name: IR Blaster
2:
mac: 88:D0:39:5C:81:39
name: Remote
3:
mac: F4:BC:DA:73:64:12
name: Roof Light 2
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
4:
mac: 78:6D:EB:B8:42:EC
name: Nightstand Lamp
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
5:
mac: F4:BC:DA:74:63:AB
name: Dresser Lamp
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
6:
mac: F4:BC:DA:74:72:CF
name: Roof Light 1
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
7:
mac: F4:BC:DA:70:1B:27
name: Light strip
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
8:
mac: 30:C0:1B:28:EA:C0
name: Dimmer
9:
mac: 78:6D:EB:BB:0C:8A
name: Bathroom Light 1
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
10:
mac: 78:6D:EB:BA:9B:39
name: Bathroom Light 2
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
11:
mac: 78:6D:EB:BD:22:BE
name: Bathroom Light 3
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
12:
mac: F4:BC:DA:30:1B:CF
name: Bathroom Switch
mac: CDFC0CCB42DF
name: Home
1322836220:
access_key: XXX
mac: 786DEBBA9B2F
name: 786DEBBA9B2F
mqtt_url: mqtt://cynclights:[email protected]:1883/
Was reformatted to
1299658474:
usebtlib: bluepy
access_key: XXXXXX
bulbs:
1:
is_plug: true
mac: 78:6D:EB:07:61:19
name: IR Blaster
2:
mac: 88:D0:39:5C:81:39
name: Remote
3:
mac: F4:BC:DA:73:64:12
name: Roof Light 2
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
4:
mac: 78:6D:EB:B8:42:EC
name: Nightstand Lamp
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
5:
mac: F4:BC:DA:74:63:AB
name: Dresser Lamp
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
6:
mac: F4:BC:DA:74:72:CF
name: Roof Light 1
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
7:
mac: F4:BC:DA:70:1B:27
name: Light strip
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
8:
mac: 30:C0:1B:28:EA:C0
name: Dimmer
9:
mac: 78:6D:EB:BB:0C:8A
name: Bathroom Light 1
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
10:
mac: 78:6D:EB:BA:9B:39
name: Bathroom Light 2
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
11:
mac: 78:6D:EB:BD:22:BE
name: Bathroom Light 3
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
12:
mac: F4:BC:DA:30:1B:CF
name: Bathroom Switch
mac: CDFC0CCB42DF
name: Home
mqtt_url: mqtt://cynclights:[email protected]:1883/
I might make a pull so the code ignores entities without the 'bulbs' field
Thought I'd try this out again, see what I get. I'm running this on Bazzite, from within a podman container. I think I got the settings right - but it's an additional potential complication.
04:44:30 bazzite@iktomi-bazzite cync2mqtt ±|main|→ podman start -ai cync2mqtt
2025-05-31 20:44:41,743 - acync.mesh - INFO - Attempting to connect to mesh mac: 78:6D:EB:77:46:B8
2025-05-31 20:45:12,117 - acync.mesh - INFO - Unable to connect to mesh mac: 78:6D:EB:77:46:B8, Error:
2025-05-31 20:45:12,218 - acync.mesh - INFO - Attempting to connect to mesh mac: 78:6D:EB:C5:67:DB
2025-05-31 20:45:12,458 - acync.mesh - INFO - Unable to connect to mesh mac: 78:6D:EB:C5:67:DB, Error: device 'dev_78_6D_EB_C5_67_DB' not found
2025-05-31 20:45:12,558 - acync.mesh - INFO - Attempting to connect to mesh mac: 78:6D:EB:6B:D6:6D
2025-05-31 20:45:12,629 - acync.mesh - INFO - Unable to connect to mesh mac: 78:6D:EB:6B:D6:6D, Error: device 'dev_78_6D_EB_6B_D6_6D' not found
2025-05-31 20:45:12,730 - acync.mesh - INFO - Attempting to connect to mesh mac: 78:6D:EB:C4:74:CA
2025-05-31 20:45:15,999 - acync.mesh - INFO - Unable to connect to mesh mac for notify: 78:6D:EB:C4:74:CA - [org.bluez.Error.NotPermitted] Write not permitted
2025-05-31 20:45:17,775 - acync.mesh - INFO - Attempting to connect to mesh mac: 78:6D:EB:12:0B:F2
2025-05-31 20:45:51,496 - acync.mesh - INFO - Unable to connect to mesh mac for notify: 78:6D:EB:12:0B:F2 - [org.bluez.Error.Failed] Operation failed with ATT error: 0x0e (Unlikely Error)
2025-05-31 20:45:53,667 - acync.mesh - INFO - Attempting to connect to mesh mac: 78:6D:EB:13:A0:B7
2025-05-31 20:46:29,074 - acync.mesh - INFO - Unable to connect to mesh mac for notify: 78:6D:EB:13:A0:B7 - [org.bluez.Error.Failed] Operation failed with ATT error: 0x0e (Unlikely Error)
2025-05-31 20:46:31,167 - acync.mesh - INFO - Attempting to connect to mesh mac: 78:6D:EB:71:AB:4B
2025-05-31 20:47:01,676 - acync.mesh - INFO - Unable to connect to mesh mac: 78:6D:EB:71:AB:4B, Error:
2025-05-31 20:47:01,777 - acync.mesh - INFO - Attempting to connect to mesh mac: 78:6D:EB:29:2F:7C
2025-05-31 20:47:31,818 - acync.mesh - INFO - Unable to connect to mesh mac: 78:6D:EB:29:2F:7C, Error: Device with address 78:6D:EB:29:2F:7C was not found.
2025-05-31 20:47:31,919 - acync.mesh - INFO - Attempting to connect to mesh mac: 78:6D:EB:C4:74:CA
2025-05-31 20:47:32,034 - acync.mesh - INFO - Unable to connect to mesh mac: 78:6D:EB:C4:74:CA, Error: device 'dev_78_6D_EB_C4_74_CA' not found
2025-05-31 20:47:32,135 - acync.mesh - INFO - Attempting to connect to mesh mac: 78:6D:EB:12:0B:F2
Only thing I can think of right now is to maybe reduce it just down to the closest bulbs to the bluetooth adapter by setting the others to priority: -1 in the mesh config. Those write not permitted errors seem like I remember my direct connect bulbs doing without using bluepy. Bluez/bluetooth on linux just seems flaky in general with this stuff - alot of interdependencies. The best luck I've had with the limited cync bulbs I have left right now has been with my Pi Zero 2W connected directly to me home router (and pretty much the only thing it does now is run this).
I finally figured out how to get this running in a local HA add-on (easy to do, hard to figure out lol). Sadly, I get the same error:
2025-09-30 17:04:55,225 - acync.mesh - INFO - Attempting to connect to mesh mac: 78:6D:EB:6B:D6:6D
2025-09-30 17:05:02,981 - acync.mesh - INFO - Unable to connect to mesh mac for notify: 78:6D:EB:6B:D6:6D - [org.bluez.Error.NotPermitted] Write not permitted
I'm happy to share how I did get that working, if anyone is interested. I basically had ChatGPT tell me how to do it. It also suggested a few possible reasons for it, including that the mesh is already bound to something else. I'm going to try again later though - I have one of those old pre-direct-connect bulbs in my mesh, I just have to remember which mac it is, and see if I can directly pair to that with bluetoothctrl. Will keep you posted!
@CaptainN Would you mind sharing? Getting it running entirely local on one device would be amazing.
I actually just used ChatGPT to guide me through it - but it's essentially a local add-on, with the files I need (the cync configs) transfered over SAMBA, and CLI access through proxmox's root access. (You can alternatively use one of the SSH add-ons, if you are using HAOS).
Here is a summary that I had ChatGPT create:
Here’s a recap of the whole flow that got your Cync2MQTT integration running inside Home Assistant OS (HAOS) as a local add-on, even though HAOS normally hides Docker:
🧩 1 | Set up a local add-on skeleton
Inside your HA Samba share you created the directory
\\<HA_IP>\addons\local\cync2mqtt\ (which maps to /root/addons/local/cync2mqtt in HAOS).
That folder ended up containing:
addons/
└── local/
└── cync2mqtt/
├── Dockerfile
├── config.yaml
├── run.sh
├── pyproject.toml
└── uv.lock (optional)
⚙️ 2 | Dockerfile — a Python venv image built with uv
We built our own container on top of the HA base image:
ARG BUILD_FROM=ghcr.io/home-assistant/amd64-base:latest
FROM ${BUILD_FROM}
RUN apk add --no-cache \
python3 python3-dev musl-dev git curl ca-certificates jq \
bluez bluez-dev glib glib-dev build-base linux-headers pkgconf
RUN curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh
ENV PATH="/root/.local/bin:${PATH}"
WORKDIR /app
COPY . /app/
RUN uv venv
RUN test -f uv.lock || uv lock \
--index https://pypi.org/simple \
--extra-index-url https://wheels.home-assistant.io/musllinux-index/ \
--index-strategy unsafe-best-match
RUN uv sync --frozen --no-cache
ENV PATH="/app/.venv/bin:${PATH}"
CMD ["/run.sh"]
This installs BlueZ + GLib dev libs (for bluepy), creates a uv virtual env, and installs the upstream juanboro/cync2mqtt package.
🧾 3 | Add-on metadata and permissions
config.yaml:
name: "Cync2MQTT"
slug: "local_cync2mqtt"
description: "Connects Cync BLE mesh lights to MQTT"
version: "0.1.0"
startup: services
host_dbus: true
udev: true
arch:
- amd64
options: {}
schema: {}
Those flags (host_dbus: true, udev: true) let the container use HAOS’s Bluetooth adapter through BlueZ D-Bus.
📦 4 | Deploy and build through the Add-on Store
In HA → Settings → Add-ons → Add-on Store → Local add-ons, you saw Cync2MQTT appear and clicked Rebuild / Install.
📁 5 | Provide your mesh configuration
You used the official Cync2MQTT container on another computer to generate cync_mesh.yaml, then copied it via Samba to:
\\<HA_IP>\config\cync2mqtt\cync_mesh.yaml
(i.e. /config/cync2mqtt/cync_mesh.yaml inside HA.)
Your final YAML only kept the real mesh section:
mqtt_url: mqtt://USER:PASS@core-mosquitto:1883
bluetooth_adapter: hci0
meshconfig:
1613912743:
access_key: XXXXXX
mac: 4E9512C41499A689
name: Home
bulbs:
- mac: 78:6D:EB:77:46:B8
name: Bathroom Light NE
supports_rgb: true
supports_temperature: true
# …more bulbs…
▶️ 6 | Restart and monitor logs
You controlled the add-on through the HA CLI (or Proxmox console):
ha addons restart local_cync2mqtt
ha addons logs local_cync2mqtt --follow
The container launched, connected to BlueZ via D-Bus, and attempted to connect to each bulb.
🔧 7 | Bluetooth debugging and pairing
Because BlueZ sometimes denied writes (org.bluez.Error.NotPermitted), you:
-
Logged into the HAOS host (
ha > login) -
Used
bluetoothctltopower on scan on connect <bulb-mac> pair <bulb-mac> trust <bulb-mac> disconnect <bulb-mac> -
Restarted the add-on, confirming encrypted writes worked.
✅ 8 | Result
You now have:
- A fully self-built Home Assistant add-on running
cync2mqttin Docker. - Your Bluetooth dongle shared from HAOS into the container via D-Bus.
- Your mesh configuration file (
cync_mesh.yaml) stored under/config/. - Logs and control through normal HA CLI (
ha addons …).
This setup mirrors an external docker-compose deployment but stays 100 % inside HAOS, no extra VM or host Docker needed.
There's remnants of a bluetoothctl bit of sleuthing I did to try and force it to connect to my mesh. It says, "Because BlueZ sometimes denied writes (org.bluez.Error.NotPermitted)" - but actually, that is ALWAYS the case, not sometimes. I'm able to get it to connect to single bluetooth devices (pair) but I'm not yet able to access the proprietary cync mesh. Based on that - I actually wonder if it's the BTLE switch I have in the mesh that is keeping it from working.
Nice! I used to run cync2mqtt on the same machine as HA Supervised (until they decided to deprecate Supervised). Now, I can try a 100% local installation again. Thanks!
Here's some issues I ran into with a Supervised installation that might be useful for those attempting a local add-on:
- If Bluetooth isn't required for anything else besides Cync lights, disable HA's Bluetooth integration so that Cync has exclusive access to the bluetooth device. If nothing else, it will save quite a few CPU cycles because the Bluetooth integration is a pig.
- Use 'Priority' in cync_mesh.yaml to disable Wire-Free switches/remotes (-1) because they are offline 99.99% of the time and to prioritize scanning (0-99):
3:
# Device Type: 0x70
# Wire-Free Dimmer Switch
# fw Version: 2.3.054
mac: 88:D0:39:xx:xx:xx
name: Desk Lamps Dimmer
priority: -1
4:
# Device Type: 0x09
# Soft White Smart Bulb (A19)
# fw Version: 3.8
mac: A4:C1:38:xx:xx:xx
name: Night Light
priority: 0
5:
# Device Type: 0x80
# Soft White Direct Connect Smart Bulb (A19)
# fw Version: 1.0.276
# wifi mac: 78:6D:EB:xx:xx:xx
mac: 78:6D:EB:xx:xx:xx
name: Closet Light
priority: 1
2025-09-30 17:05:02,981 - acync.mesh - INFO - Unable to connect to mesh mac for notify: 78:6D:EB:6B:D6:6D - [org.bluez.Error.NotPermitted] Write not permitted
I'm still looking into if there's anything I can do for this... bluepy completely broke in my current setup and won't connect to anything... and bluez still is pretty picky with what it will connect with.
@CaptainN Sorry for the trouble, but do you mind making a quick repo with all the files in it, as the GPT summary seems to be missing a few...
Looks really promising, though
Yeah, it didn't get a few things right - I had to figure them out. I'll try to get something more repeatable when I get a chance. (First I have to remember how it works, heh.)