MmWave Distance Issues: Everything Presence One

Dec 5, 2025 by Admin 48 views

Hey everyone, let's dive into a head-scratcher I've been wrestling with: the mmWave detection range on my Everything Presence One. I'm using an SEN609 sensor, all hooked up via ESPHome in Home Assistant. The weird thing? No matter how much I tweak the mmWave Max Distance and mmWave Trigger Distance settings, nothing seems to change! I'm talking about a situation where those settings are seemingly ignored, which is super frustrating.

The Setup and the Struggle

First off, let's get the basics down. I've got the Everything Presence One, and I'm updating it to the latest firmware, which is 1.2.12 (hardware 1.2.3). I've got the SEN609 sensor connected, which I'm assuming is the hardware responsible for the mmWave capabilities. Everything is integrated smoothly with Home Assistant, thanks to ESPHome. I can see the sensor's data, and it generally works, but the range settings are giving me a headache. The main issue is that when I alter the mmWave Max Distance and mmWave Trigger Distance, the perceived detection range doesn't budge. I've tried everything. I've pressed the "Set Distance" and "Set Sensitivity" buttons every single time after making changes, just to make sure the settings were being applied. I've tried different distances. I've tried setting it to 3 meters, 2.5 meters, even down to a single meter. The practical effect is always the same: it reliably triggers when I'm a bit over 9 feet away, or about 3 meters. This suggests that the configuration options are either being ignored or are not working as I expect. It is possible that the sensor itself has a limited range. The problem is that the settings are not affecting the actual behavior of the device. This makes it difficult to get the presence detection working the way I want.

So, what's the deal? Am I missing something obvious? Or is there a more significant issue at play here?

This whole situation is driving me nuts. I wanted to make the presence detection more precise and only trigger when someone is really close. But now it seems as if I am forced to have the device detecting people far more than what I want it to. I am now forced to trigger the device, only because the sensitivity options do not work. I also do not want to be forced to reduce the overall sensitivity. I want to have a device that is as sensitive as possible. But the range of triggering is way too far.

I am not quite sure what is the best approach to debug the device. I can try to go through the logs, but it is going to be difficult to pinpoint the problem. Another thing I can try is to reset the device to its default settings. Then, I can try to configure the device again and see if it behaves differently. This is one of the most frustrating problems I have ever faced. I really hope that I can fix this issue and get the device to work as expected.

Digging Deeper: The Experimentation

So, here's what I've tried. I've been in the ESPHome configuration, tweaking the settings, and then hitting the appropriate "Set" buttons in Home Assistant. Let's break down the attempts:

3 Meters: Initially, I set the mmWave Max Distance and mmWave Trigger Distance to 3 meters. I expected the sensor to trigger within that range. Yet, the detection seemed to go beyond this, hitting more like the 3-meter mark. This was my baseline, where the settings are not working at all.
2.5 Meters: Thinking I could fine-tune it, I dialed it back to 2.5 meters. Still, the trigger range remained roughly the same – over 3 meters. I was clearly seeing that the mmWave detection was not following my instructions.
1 Meter: Just to see if it would snap into shape, I went even closer – setting the distances to 1 meter. No dice! The detection zone remained stubbornly at around 3 meters. This confirmed that something was off, and the device was not working as I wanted.

Each time, I made sure to save the settings in ESPHome and clicked the set buttons in Home Assistant, so I know I wasn't missing a step. The fact that all these tests yielded the same result points to an issue deeper than simple configuration errors.

Now, I am not a hardware expert, but I know that something isn't right here. This feels like the sensor is either not receiving or not interpreting the distance commands correctly. Or, maybe, the sensor has a fixed detection range that's overriding my settings. Either way, it's not behaving how I, or I'm assuming, anyone else would expect. I tried to look for other people who had the same issues as me. But I could not find anyone who had the same problem. This makes it even more frustrating since it is hard to find a solution to my problem. Maybe this is a hardware problem. There is no way to know without more information. One thing is certain: I need a solution.

Troubleshooting and Possible Causes

Alright, let's put on our detective hats and think about what might be causing this. Here are some of the potential culprits and a few troubleshooting steps I've considered:

Firmware Bug: This is one of the more plausible explanations. There could be a bug in the latest firmware version (1.2.12) that messes with the distance settings. Maybe the code that interprets those settings has a glitch, causing it to ignore the input.
- Action: I might try downgrading to an older firmware version to see if that fixes the issue. I am not thrilled about doing this, but if it solves the issue, then I would consider it. This is a common debugging technique. Since I am unable to revert the change easily, it is not the most effective strategy. Still, this is something I will consider if everything else fails.
Hardware Limitation: The SEN609 sensor itself might have a physical limitation. Maybe the sensor's maximum detection range is hardcoded or set by the hardware, overriding the software settings. This seems less likely, but it's something to keep in mind.
- Action: Researching the SEN609 sensor's specifications might shed some light on this. Finding the datasheet will give me more information about the capabilities of the device. This is a good way to determine if there are any limitations of the sensor.
ESPHome Integration Issue: There's a chance that the ESPHome integration has a bug. Maybe the integration isn't correctly passing the distance settings to the sensor, or the sensor isn't processing them properly. It's also possible that there is a problem between the sensor and ESPHome. I will need to look into it to make sure that the integration and sensor can communicate. I am quite familiar with ESPHome, so I do not think this is the case.
- Action: I could try to update the ESPHome add-on in Home Assistant. Also, I can check the ESPHome logs for any errors that might point to a problem. This might give me a clue of what is happening under the hood.
Sensor Placement/Environment: The way I've placed the sensor might be affecting the results. Maybe the environment has something to do with the issue. It's also possible that there are objects in the room that are interfering with the sensor. Although unlikely, it is worth looking into it.
- Action: Experimenting with the sensor's placement and the surrounding environment could help. It might be worth testing in a different room or at different angles. This might rule out the environmental factors, if this is even an issue.
Calibration Issues: The sensor may require some form of calibration to work correctly. Maybe it needs to be calibrated. I'm not sure how this works, but it could be a possibility. Some sensors require calibration to ensure they are working as expected.
- Action: Look for calibration procedures, if any. I am not sure if this is the case, but I have to make sure that I research it. I am not quite sure how calibration works, but I think that is a possibility.

It's a process of elimination, but I'm determined to get this figured out! All of this will help me to fix the problem.

Community Input Needed

So, I'm turning to you, the smart home gurus, for some guidance. Has anyone else experienced this issue with the Everything Presence One or similar mmWave sensors? Any tips, suggestions, or troubleshooting steps that I haven't considered? Have you dealt with this kind of issue before? I am open to any kind of feedback. Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

I'm hoping this isn't a widespread issue, and that there's a simple fix. But if not, maybe we can collectively brainstorm a solution. So, let's get the conversation started! Let me know what you think.

I would like to gather more information about what is going on with the mmWave sensor, so I can fix it.

What I've Already Tried:

Restarted Home Assistant and ESPHome.
Confirmed that I'm pressing the "Set Distance" and "Set Sensitivity" buttons after each change.
Experimented with various distance settings (3m, 2.5m, 1m).
Checked the ESPHome logs (no obvious errors). Nothing is showing up that would give me a hint about the issue.

What I Need Help With:

Any other troubleshooting steps I could take.
Any known issues with the firmware or sensor.
Any experiences from the community. Any input is welcome.

Thanks in advance for your help!