[REQUEST] EmberZNet 6.8 and 6.9 NCP application firmware for EFR32 MG2 (Silicon Labs Mighty Gecko Series 2)

[Hedda]

@grobasoz OK to request or suggest that release precompiled EmberZNet 6.8 NCP application firmware as optional downloads?

Silicon Labs EmberZNet SDK version 6.8.0 (6.8.0.2) was released this summer so it is new but not quite cutting-edge any more.

Update 1! EmberZNet SDK 6.8.2.0 GA (General Availability) is officially available to the public since October 14, 2020.

https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/release-notes/emberznet-release-notes-6.8.2.0.pdf

Update 2! EmberZNet SDK 6.9.0.0 GA (6.9 General Availability) is officially available to the public since December 9, 2020.

https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/release-notes/emberznet-release-notes-6.9.0.0.pdf

Mostly interesting in testing this on the Sonoff ZBBridge (Sonoff Zigbee Bridge) by ITead with Tasmota zbbridge as it is versatile.

Preferably also as a Sonoff key signed firmware in an OTA image format as well that can be flashed with Tasmota itself:

https://github.com/arendst/Tasmota/tree/development/tools/fw_zbbridge

Sonoff ZBBridge when flashed with Tasmota zbbridge and custom EmberZNet firmware can be used in two ways:

Zigbee2Tasmota (Z2T) is Tasmota's own native Zigbee to MQTT solution which is lightweight but not very user-friendly:

https://tasmota.github.io/docs/Zigbee/

Sonoff ZBBridge as a remote pass-through WiFi bridge adapter to be used by other software like Home Assistant ZHA:

https://www.digiblur.com/2020/07/how-to-use-sonoff-zigbee-bridge-with.html

Note! Sonoff ZBBridge is no longer recommended remote pass-through as WiFi is not stable enough for the EZSP protocol.

Additional notes

Please note that release notes say that EmberZNet PRO stack version 6.8.x requires latest Simplicity Studio 5 (SSv5) which is new.

Might be nice for developers and users to have the option to upgrade to the latest and greatest firmware available from SiLabs ;)

https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/release-notes/emberznet-release-notes-6.8.0.2.pdf

https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/quick-start-guides/qsg106-efr32-zigbee-pro.pdf

Major new Zigbee feature in EmberZNet 6.8 and later is support for concurrent multiple PANs (multi-PAN) on one coordinator:

https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/application-notes/an724-multi-network.pdf

There is also support for "Dynamic Multiprotocol Development with Bluetooth and Zigbee" which might not be as interesting.

https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/application-notes/an1133-dynamic-multiprotocol-bluetooth-zigbee.pdf

Keywords: Silabs NCP EZSP Ember ZNet 6.8 Stack EFR32 EFR32MG EFR32MG1 EFR32MG2 EFR32MG21 Sonoff ZBBridge IKEA icc-a-1

[Hedda]

FYI, Silicon Labs has now also released Zigbee EmberZNet 6.9.0.0 SDK / firmware as well:

https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/release-notes/emberznet-release-notes-6.9.0.0.pdf

Note! Sonoff ZBBridge is no longer recommended remote pass-through as WiFi is not stable enough for the EZSP protocol.

PS: By the way, EmberZNet 6.9.0.0 removes support for EM35x devices based devices.

Zigbee EmberZNet SDK 6.9.0.0 6 Removed Items

Removed in release 6.9.0.0 All support for EM35x devices is removed. Additionally, Lightweight IP and Low-Voltage Shutdown plugins are removed.

And:

5 Deprecated Items Advanced Notice Zigbee support – The upcoming Zigbee R23 specification will not be supported on any devices matching the following criteria: • All EM35x devices • Any devices with 256 kB flash or less [All wireless MCU families]

So the "Golden Version" for EM35x is being 6.8.X.X then the bug and security fixes is integrated.

[grobasoz]

@Hedda - Thanks for the request and information. At this stage I am not 100% happy with the operation of the NCP code in later stack releases. I haven't managed to get a reliable NCP working on the Sonoff ZBBridge product with either 6.8.x or 6.9.0. News about EM35x not being supported is also a little "disconcerting" as I still have customers with many thousands of EM35x devices installed (as well as EM250 - unsupported for many years now). Simplicity Studio 5 is also a little "buggy" (I have a few support issues posted with Silabs) so at this stage any of my development code/systems are based on Simplicity Studio 4 and EmberZNet 6.7.6. Regards, Gary.

[MattWestb]

I think Silabs is going making the 6.7.X.X as one "golden release" of EZSP after implanting more bug fixes for EM35X and first gen EFR32 (with 256kb flash and lesser). The last releases is having very serious bug fixes that is not implanted in 6.8 and 6.9. For all hardware above the 6.7 is and going to being the main brache and the multi pan and so on is making no sense for "normal" NCP user cases.

One better solution would having being implanting "sniffing" on the same channel at the same time the coordinator is running (not possible doing sniffing then the is running) and skipping the multi pan thighs.

Edit: The last is all EFR32 first gen with 512 kb or less is flagged desperate but not at this date the 1024 and 768 kb versions but i think its dont coming any useful for them after the 6.7.x.

[Hedda]

at this stage any of my development code/systems are based on Simplicity Studio 4 and EmberZNet 6.7.6

@grobasoz FYI, apparently there is a very critical bug fixed in EmberZNet 6.7.7 and higher from SiLabs so suggest that you upgrade:

https://community.openhab.org/t/zigbee-ikea-and-other-efr32mg1p-based-products-occasionally-crashing/109296/6

I also learned that the upcoming EFR32MG21 USB stick from ITead will come pre-flashed with EmberZNet 6.7.8 version firmware.

https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/release-notes/emberznet-release-notes-6.7.8.0.pdf

Zigbee EmberZNet SDK 6.7.8.0 GA released October 28, 2020

[MattWestb]

@Hedda The bug can crashing all IKEA routers (very likely ols ZLL and new ZB3 ones but perhaps not the the new LED drive and CWS3 that is have the OTA firmware released for 2 days ago) and new Philips HUE tuya and so on that is using silabs chips.

The pinpointing of it done and verifying in deCONZ git by the ZHA devs (no named ones but some on . . ) with sending parent announcement from bellows and crashing the zigbee stack in the routers. https://github.com/dresden-elektronik/deconz-rest-plugin/issues/1261#issuecomment-739313960

I recommending using 6.7.8.0 is its possible then its around 10 nasty bugs fixes in the 6.7.X for both router, end devices and coordinators is all systems then is possible. Sadly we cant forcing manufacturers upgrading there firmware but some is shure doing it after seeing its helping the system stability and not getting negative PR.

I think Gary can pointing out most of the fixed bugs as hi have "personal experience of them" and is very happy seeing them on silabs fixed list.

[grobasoz]

@Hedda - I have added ZBBridge V6.7.8 and 6.9.0 to the repository. I have tested the NCP section but not the Tasmota interface as I'm concentrating on EFR32 - Zigbee2MQTT development. Regards, Gary.

[MattWestb]

Thanks Gary I have pinged Stephan so hi can testing it on his "open" bridge. The i hope hi can getting one signed file from the factory for the more normal users.

[Hedda]

I'm concentrating on EFR32 - Zigbee2MQTT development.

Have you found any Zigbee2MQTT developers of willing to work on EZSP adapter and driver support for zigbee-herdsman yet?

https://github.com/Koenkk/zigbee-herdsman/blob/master/src/adapter/adapter.ts

https://github.com/Koenkk/zigbee-herdsman/tree/master/src/adapter

[grobasoz]

Have you found any Zigbee2MQTT developers ...

No - I developed my own Zigbee2MQTT driver some time ago for my Home Assistant installation but never really got it ready for production - side tracked with Ethernet development ;) I am currently working on the Zigbee Green Power integration at the moment. My Green Power Devices (see GFR_PDT_Switch) and Philips Hue Switch work OK with my Coordinator but for some reason my GP devices don't message Zigbee2MQTT correctly as Zigbee2MQTT uses Group based messaging. I'll figure it out eventually :)

[MattWestb]

By the way "someone" have cooking one nice "Tube0013 Zigbee Bridge ESP32 PRO Pure Black" !! and running ESPHome on it :-))

[Hedda]

@grobasoz Might also be nice idea to offer a Zigbee router firmware as an option, similar to request in https://github.com/tube0013/zb_ebyte_eth/issues/1

It would be very nice to have a few EFR32MG21 based Zigbee routers as Zigbee network mesh extender (a.ka. Zigbee signal repeater)

That would be an excuse for some of us to buy several devices too ;)

[grobasoz]

@Hedda - It's on my list 😎 Actually just a USB-Zigbee in Router mode! But right now I have to work on Thread based firmware for a customer 😒

[Hedda]

EDIT: Moved the Zigbee Router firmware discussion/question/request to new issue https://github.com/grobasoz/zigbee-firmware/issues/8