[REQUEST] Silabs Zigbee EmberZNet SDK 7.2 NCP experimental builds for testing?

[Hedda]

Missed this but Silicon Labs have on December 15, 2022 released Gecko SDK (GSDK) 4.2.0 with Zigbee EmberZNet SDK 7.2.0.0 GA:

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

https://github.com/SiliconLabs/gecko_sdk/releases/tag/v4.2.0

Any chance you consider releasing some experimental builds if zigpy and zigbee-herdsman developers want to test 7.2.x.x?

That is, EmberZNet 7.2.0.0 is probably not ready for general use yet but great if firmware images were available to test for issues.

It would be great if both developers/testers could have access to Zigbee EmberZNet 7.2.x.x NCP images for development/testing.

EmberZNet 7.2 looks to use EZSP v9 (EmberZNet Serial Protocol version 9) same as Zigbee EmberZNet 7.1 (or does it not?)?

https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/release-notes/emberznet-release-notes-7.2.0.0.pdf

New features in it are mostly related to Dynamic Multiprotocol and multi-PAN 802.15.4 in RCP mode:

• Secure key storage support for MG2x parts that support Secure Vault-High.
• Dynamic Multiprotocol Bluetooth and multi-PAN 802.15.4 in RCP mode.
• Dynamic Multiprotocol Zigbee-NCP + Bluetooth-NCP (experimental).
• Manufacturing Library (MfgLib) support for Concurrent Multiprotocol RCP.
• Zigbee + OpenThread Concurrent Lis-tening on MG24 parts (experimental).
• Zigbee on Host (ZigbeeD) support for 32 bit and 64 bit x86 architecture (experimental).
• MGM240S SiP Module Support.

They also added simultaneous Dual-Band and Dual-PHY for Zigbee Smart Energy on MG24/MG12:

• MG24+Si4468 Dual-PHY Zigbee Smart Energy support.
• MG12 Dual-Band 2.4GHz + Sub-GHz Zigbee Smart Energy support.

Deprecated in release 7.2.0.0:

• The Secure EZSP feature will be removed in a future release.

PS: Silicon Labs has also released Gecko SDK Version 4.1.4.0 as a stable bug-fix release containing Zigbee EmberZNet SDK 7.1.4.0:

https://github.com/SiliconLabs/gecko_sdk/releases/tag/v4.1.4

https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/release-notes/emberznet-release-notes-7.1.4.0.pdf

[xsp1989]

The new experimental version may take a while to be released, and you can also build it yourself. Currently, the latest version of GSDK can be installed and built directly without SN, or even logging in to the account of Simplicity Studio.

[ashimokawa]

I tried to build an ncp application firmware, but I did not get how to obtain the NCP UART SW example without SimplicityStudio. I downloaded and installed a working gcc/gecko_sdk/slc_cli combination, but, well, no examples that seems to fit.

"Silicon Labs recommends that you use either the NCP SPI, NCP UART (HW), or NCP UART SW example applications as a starting point for building a customized NCP application."

The gecko sdk only has ./protocol/zigbee/app/ncp/sample-app/ncp-uart-hw nothing with -sw

Is the firmware in this repo built from the vanilla sample app? If so which one? Is it accessible without SimplicityStudio?

I wonder if I could just change usartHwFlowControlCtsAndRts to usartHwFlowControlNone and use that ncp-uart-hw example ... hmm

[MattWestb]

Install Simplicity Studio 5 and use the example for for NCP UART for your chip / module and you can configuring all in the GUI an then building the firmware.

Edit: In the GUI you can setting software flow control if you like.

[ashimokawa]

@MattWestb

Thank you for your reply.

I installed SimplicityStudio 5 and I see the same examples as before, just in a GUI, I do not understand why Silicon Labs documents always refer to a "NCP UART SW" when there is only a HW example. I will try to figure it out but I have a hunch I am on the wrong path here.

I tried with the 4.1.4 and 4.2.0 sdk releases.

[MattWestb]

NCP have SW implanted but OT RCP is only having HW or non = bad. Easiest is pin tool and config pins for one comport and then clicking on the software component and setting the com parameters.

[ashimokawa]

@MattWestb

Thanks, got it. And built. I did not flash but at least now I understood that the newer SDKs just do not have the -sw example and I have to click my way through to switch it sw flow control.

[xsp1989]

@ashimokawa In the flow control setting, select CTS/RTS, and then select the corresponding GPIO in UART.

[ashimokawa]

@xsp1989

Thank you, this confirms what I already did.

For the other values (CTUNE, source routing tables), I edited header files, because I could not find them in the GUI.

[MattWestb]

I SS5 components: C-Tune: Services Device Initialization Device Init: HFXO CTUNE

Source routing: Zigbee Stack Source route Zigbee Source Route Library configuration

[xsp1989]

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14f8lY3HvRxh_B4Q4ZmVvLs5At1Qc1BZp This is the schematic diagram of ZB-GW04

ZB-GW04-V1.2.PDF

[MattWestb]

Thanks one more time !!

[xsp1989]

@Hedda https://github.com/xsp1989/zigbeeFirmware/blob/master/firmware/Zigbee3.0_Dongle-NoSigned/EZSP/ncp-uart-sw_7.2.0.0_115200.gbl 7.2.0.0 firmware for development has been released

[hitokiri8x]

I only tested the firmware for 1 day on ZBDongle-E 3.0 I can say that on my adapter is better than stock one, at least my aqara devices were still online and the application survived a reboot. ( on stock firmware they disconnect after some hours ). Sadly as I've already initiated the return procedure I'm done testing and returning the device, people with same device keep looking in this firmware, is promising

[Hedda]

FYI, latest bug-fix version is Silicon Labs Zigbee EmberZNet SDK 7.2.2.0 from Gecko SDK version 4.2.2 from March 10th of 2023:

https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/release-notes/emberznet-release-notes-7.2.2.0.pdf

https://github.com/SiliconLabs/gecko_sdk/releases/tag/v4.2.2

BTW, the "bellows" radio library for zigpy to interface Silicon Labs Zigbee EmberZNet EZSP has been updated to support EZSP v11:

• Zigbee Home Automation (ZHA) integration for Home Assistant (which as you might know depends on zigpy).
• Domoticz via the Zigbee for Domoticz Plugin (see Domoticz-Zigbee, which is also depends on zigpy).
• Jeedom via official Zigbee plugin for Jeedom (which is also depends zigpy as well).

zigbee-herdsman is not lagging far behind as has already been updated to EZSP v10 (and EZSP v11 soon as only a minor change):

• Zigbee2MQTT (that is depending on zigbee-herdsman).
• ioBroker (ioBroker adapter for Zigbee devices that also depends on zigbee-herdsman).

The only large project that was lagging behind is OpenHAB but its dependency was at least updated to EZSP v10 last month:

• OpenHAB via official OpenHAB ZigBee Binding (that depends on com.zsmartsystems.zigbee)
  • There are also a few other lesser-known projects that also depend on the [com.zsmartsystems.zigbee] library.

PS: The only well-known open-source project in the DIY home-automation community that is lagging behind those in support for newer EZSP versions is Zigbee2Tasmota (Zigbee to Tastmota) project and that is only because Tasmota lead Zigbee developer is currently fully focusing on getting initial support working for the new Matter standard in Tasmota, (which in turn might later also lead to a wish for him wanting to add Thread / OpenThread radio support in Tasmota in order to support Matter over Thread with native Thread Border Router / OpenThread Border Router firmware).