[REQUEST] EmberZNet 7.4.x.x Zigbee Router device firmware image for Sonoff Zigbee 3.0 USB Dongle Plus V2 (model “ZBDongle-E”) by ITead?

[Hedda]

@Daniel-zhan-itead @liangjia2019 @guozi7788 I like to suggest that ITead also releasing a new official Zigbee Router device firmware mage based on latest EmberZNet NCP 7.4.x.0 version for your Silicon Labs EFR32MG21 based “Sonoff Zigbee 3.0 USB Dongle Plus V2” (model “ZBDongle-E”, a.k.a. "Dongle-E”) as an optional firmware:

https://github.com/itead/Sonoff_Zigbee_Dongle_Firmware/tree/master/Dongle-E/Router

Note that the current Zigbee Router firmware based on EmberZNet 6.10.3.0 is working great and is already much appriciacted, it is just that it would be nice if the was an optional updated Zigbee Router firmware version that can be tested (as experimental at first before it can recommended).

EmberZNet 6.10.3.0 version is going on in age and even trough it works great a newer version should hopefully provide bug-fixes, etc..

https://github.com/SiliconLabs/gecko_sdk/releases

[Hedda]

FYI, Silabs Zigbee EmberZNet 8.0.0.0 will soon be released but that is probably a little too cutting-edge, however, it would still be nice if you could provide both pre-release Zigbee Router 7.4.3.0 and experimental 8.0.0.0 Zigbee Router firmware for testing:

https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/release-notes/emberznet-release-notes-8.0.0.0.pdf

https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/release-notes/emberznet-release-notes-7.4.3.0.pdf

Note! Warning and be aware that Zigbee EmberZNet 8.0.0.0 and new SDK could potentially contain several breaking changes to build commands/scripts,
but should hopefully not affect Zigbee Router device functions.

[brussene]

+1 on the EmberZNet 7.4.x.x Zigbee Router device firmware.

I am using ZBDongle-E with firmware 7.4.3.0 as a coordinator in Home Assistant with ZHA, which is working great. I tried adding another ZBDongle-E with router firmware 6.10.3.0 to get better Zigbee coverage, which unfortunately does not work. (it won't accept any device bondings or mesh with the Zigbee network).

So hoping an updated router firmware will fix that.

[jorisvervuurt]

Same, I would greatly appreciate a new router firmware build based on 7.4. The current router firmware is over 2 years old. @liangjia2019

[liangjia2019]

Same, I would greatly appreciate a new router firmware build based on 7.4. The current router firmware is over 2 years old. @liangjia2019

It has been put on the agenda, and I will push the team to push the process. You will see his update in the near future

[Hedda]

FYI, zha/zigpy and Zigbee2MQTT/zigbee-herdsman community developers puddly, darkxst, and Nerivec are now working together on adding a standardized way to build Zigbee Router firmware with Nabu Casa’s silabs-firmware-builder:

NabuCasa/silabs-firmware-builder#85

Nerivec Is still experimenting with this so you can test his unofficial builds from his fork:

• Zigbee Router: Feedback wanted! Nerivec/silabs-firmware-builder#16

For reference, they intend to enable use ZAP tooling in combination with ways to manipulate custom configuration of that in silabs-firmware-builder to allow building Zigbee Router and other custom firmware for different Silicon Labs based radio adapters:

• Add zap tooling to Docker container NabuCasa/silabs-firmware-builder#84

Implement a new protocol for communicating with the builtin CLI on Silabs router firmware and integrate through out. This will allow to probe and flash router firmware

Router firmware must implement a custom CLI command bootloader reboot that calls the bootloader_rebootAndInstall api.

This has been tested both standalone and integrated with sl-web-tools.

Probe of CPC 115200 is fixed in NabuCasa/universal-silabs-flasher#86, but also requires router firmware built with SL_CLI_LOCAL_ECHO: 0

PS: "ZAP" in this case refers to the ”ZCL Advanced Platform” (i.e. ZAP) tool/format which is already a tool that is being used by the official Matter project (a.k.a. Project CHIP) for configuring Matter devices in a standardized way:

• https://github.com/project-chip/zap

• https://docs.silabs.com/matter/2.2.2/matter-references/matter-zap

• https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ncs-latest/page/nrf/protocols/matter/getting_started/tools.html

[Hedda]

FYI, puddly, darkxst, and Nerivec have together been working on adding the ability for build Zigbee Router firmware with NabuCasa’s silabs-firmware-builder:

NabuCasa/silabs-firmware-builder#85

@liangjia2019 a good way to prepare would be to start using NabuCasa’s silabs-firmware-builder tool to build other firmware images to get used to that process and allow building firmware images more regularly. See more details about that in this other issue discussion:

• [REQUEST] Utilize new common "Silicon Labs firmware builder" automated build system from Home Assistant / Nabu Casa developers to create reproducible builds of EmberZNet Zigbee NCP and OpenThread (Thread) firmware images #17

[liangjia2019]

Same, I would greatly appreciate a new router firmware build based on 7.4. The current router firmware is over 2 years old. @liangjia2019

@jorisvervuurt
Latest update: Our team is currently testing the latest 7.4.x version of the Router firmware. If you're interested, we can send it to you for early experience via email.

[Hedda]

@liangjia2019 as mentioned above, before you put too much effort into test router firmware based on EmberZNet 7.4.x you should note that Nerivec have published (unofficial) EmberZet 8.0.0.x Zigbee Router for Sonoff and other USB dongles:

• Zigbee Router: Feedback wanted! Nerivec/silabs-firmware-builder#16

While 7.4 has proven stable as Zigbee Coordinator firmware it might now be a good idea if you skip 7.x and instead target EmberZNet 8.x version for the Zigbee Router firmware.

[jorisvervuurt]

Yes, I have now moved to SMLight SLZB-07MG24 dongles with Nerivec's latest firmware builds (both coordinator and router). Works great!

[liangjia2019]

@liangjia2019 as mentioned above, before you put too much effort into test router firmware based on EmberZNet 7.4.x you should note that Nerivec have published (unofficial) EmberZet 8.0.0.x Zigbee Router for Sonoff and other USB dongles:

• Zigbee Router: Feedback wanted! Nerivec/silabs-firmware-builder#16

While 7.4 has proven stable as Zigbee Coordinator firmware it might now be a good idea if you skip 7.x and instead target EmberZNet 8.x version for the Zigbee Router firmware.

Thank you for your suggestion. We have also evaluated internally whether to skip the 7.x version and directly release the 8.x version of the firmware. The final decision is to provide both versions, giving users the option to choose.