[REQUEST] Silabs Zigbee EmberZNet SDK 7.2 NCP experimental builds for testing? about zigbee-firmware

[grobasoz]

@Hedda - thanks - I have installed 4.2.3 now so will do some testing :)

[grobasoz]

Sure, can make a 7.2.0 version...

[MattWestb]

Very likely GSDK 4.2.1 is being released very soon then its need some critical bug fixes (for RCP / zigbeed) but i dont knowing if some EZSP / NCP fixes is planed in it.

[Hedda]

FYI, read someone spotted that EZSP protocol version has been incremented to EZSP v10 in Gecko SDK v4.2 / Zigbee EmberZNet v7.2 and that EZSP v10 was not mentioned in the latest UG100 (EZSP Reference Guide) documentation from Silicon Labs which SiLabs only updated for EZSP v9 and state that no additions was added between EmberZNet PRO Release 7.1.1 and 7.2.0:

https://github.com/SiliconLabs/gecko_sdk/blob/gsdk_4.2/protocol/zigbee/app/util/ezsp/ezsp-protocol.h

https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/user-guides/ug100-ezsp-reference-guide.pdf)

Gecko SDK v4.2:

• https://github.com/SiliconLabs/gecko_sdk/blob/gsdk_4.2/protocol/zigbee/app/util/ezsp/ezsp-protocol.h
• EZSP_PROTOCOL_VERSION = 10

Gecko SDK v4.1:

• https://github.com/SiliconLabs/gecko_sdk/blob/gsdk_4.1/protocol/zigbee/app/util/ezsp/ezsp-protocol.h
• EZSP_PROTOCOL_VERSION = 9

Gecko SDK v4.0:

• https://github.com/SiliconLabs/gecko_sdk/blob/gsdk_4.0/protocol/zigbee/app/util/ezsp/ezsp-protocol.h
• EZSP_PROTOCOL_VERSION = 8

For reference, Nabu Casa is already officially offering downloads for both "stable" EmberZNet 7.1.x.x (EZSP v9) firmware images as well as "beta" EmberZNet 7.2.x.x (EZSP v10) firmware image for their recently released Home Assistant SkyConnect adapter/dongle/stick:

https://www.home-assistant.io/skyconnect/

https://github.com/NabuCasa/silabs-firmware/tree/main/EmberZNet

https://github.com/NabuCasa/silabs-firmware/tree/main/EmberZNet/beta

xsp1989 is also offering EmberZNet 7.1.x.x (EZSP v9) and EmberZNet 7.2.x.x (EZSP v10) firmware image builds for his ZB-GW04 USB stick (a.k.a. "easyiot Zigbee dongle") that he designed based on "SM-011 V1.x" (ZYZBP008) radio module from CoolKit-Technologies (which in turn has an EFR32MG21 SoC).

https://github.com/xsp1989/zigbeeFirmware/tree/master/firmware/Zigbee3.0_Dongle-NoSigned/EZSP

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002791666029.html

PS: xsp1989 firmware images for easyiot ZB-GW04 are compatible with Sonoff ZBDongle-E by ITead (though not optimized for it!):

https://itead.cc/product/zigbee-3-0-usb-dongle/

https://github.com/xsp1989/zigbeeFirmware/tree/master/firmware/Zigbee3.0_Dongle-NoSigned/EZSP

[Hedda]

Very likely GSDK 4.2.1 is being released very soon then its need some critical bug fixes (for RCP / zigbeed) but i dont knowing if some EZSP / NCP fixes is planed in it.

FYI, latest bug-fix version is now Silicon Labs Zigbee EmberZNet SDK 7.2.2.0 from Gecko SDK version 4.2.2.0 from March 10, 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

PS: EZSP protocol version has once again been incremented to EZSP v11 in Gecko SDK v4.2.2.0 / Zigbee EmberZNet v7.2.2.0 and once again that EZSP v11 was not mentioned in the latest UG100 (EZSP Reference Guide) documentation from Silicon Labs which SiLabs still has only updated for EZSP v9 and state that no additions were added between EmberZNet PRO Release 7.1.1 or 7.2.2:

https://github.com/SiliconLabs/gecko_sdk/blob/gsdk_4.2/protocol/zigbee/app/util/ezsp/ezsp-protocol.h#L33

0x0B hexadecimal = 11 in decimal.

https://www.silabs.com/developers/zigbee-emberznet?tab=documentation

[grobasoz]

@Hedda - Not sure why this would be necessary. Seems like host side of development (Z2M, ZHA, Tasmota etc) is lagging behind EZSP versions?

[Hedda]

Seems like host side of development (Z2M, ZHA, Tasmota etc) is lagging behind EZSP versions?

That is not true any longer.

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 v11 last month:

• OpenHAB via official OpenHAB ZigBee Binding (that depends on the "com.zsmartsystems.zigbee" framework library)
  • FYI, there are also a few other lesser-known projects that also depend on the same "com.zsmartsystems.zigbee" library.

PS: Another well-known niche open-source project in the DIY home-automation community that is lagging behind those in EZSP versions support 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).

[Hedda]

FYI, Silabs Zigbee EmberZNet SDK 7.2.3.0 has now been released as part of Silicon Labs Gecko SDK (GSDK) Version 4.2.3.0

https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/release-notes/emberznet-release-notes-7.2.3.0.pdf

Silicon Labs Zigbee EmberZNet 7.2.3.0 release states that it is specifically targeting quality improvements and bug fixes.

https://github.com/SiliconLabs/gecko_sdk/releases/tag/v4.2.3