Failed to communicate with device 10.3.1.68:7000: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'encrypt'

[johannes-777]

Describe the bug
HA cannot connect to Gree ACs anymore.

To Reproduce
Version 3.3.2
Disable encryption.

Configuration

• No Autorecovery,
• fixed IPv4 for each AC,
• ping is OK

Platform:

• Home Assistant OS Core 2026.4.0
• Supervisor 2026.03.2
• Operating System 17.1
• Frontend 20260325.5

Logs
Logger: custom_components.gree.climate
Quelle: custom_components/gree/climate.py:562

[alex-volga]

Same issue with Cooper&Hunter CH-S09FTX (Gree OEM) - 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'encrypt'

I am experiencing the exact same issue with a Cooper&Hunter CH-S09FTX-NG (Gree OEM) . The device is reachable via ping and is visible in the local network, but the integration fails during the handshake/authentication phase.

To Reproduce
Version 3.4.2
HA 2026.4.2

Environment:
Hardware: Home Assistant in Docker/Host mode
Integration: Gree Climate (HACS version)

Diagnostic Steps Performed:
Network Check: Verified that UDP port 7000 is open.
Low-level Test: While nc (netcat) sometimes fails to capture the response due to timing, a raw Python socket script successfully receives the handshake pack from the device:

Python

Response received:

b'{"t":"pack","i":1,"uid":0,"cid":"502cc69ec7f8","tcid":"1081308fc449","pack":"..."}'
Logs: The integration consistently throws:
Failed to communicate with device 192.168.1.46:7000: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'encrypt'

[johannes-777]

I had to delete and recreate every AC so that they received new entity IDs. Consequently I had to adjust the entity IDs in the dashboards also.

[alex-volga]

Thanks for the suggestion, @johannes-777

I've tried deleting the integration and the device completely, then adding it manually (as it wasn't discovered automatically), but unfortunately, the issue persists.

In my case, it seems the problem occurs even before the entities are created in the database. The integration fails during the initial handshake. Even with a clean manual setup, I still get the same error:
'NoneType' object has no attribute 'encrypt'.