Request Support help in getting a firmware update for my SmartThings V2 Hub

Devices & Integrations Connected Things
1

Hello.

I am requesting assistance in updating up an older V2 SmartThings hub.

Why: I would like it to control ONE smart outlet that would then control the on/off function of a PC via a Logitech Remote with hub. (in the future, maybe geofencing would be nice… but one battle at a time.)

I understand that the V2 Hub will support Matter via a firmware upgrade. I am considering a low cost matter capable outlet from Cync.

So, al that should be good… however:

  1. I can power up the hub
  2. I can add it (and have added it) to the SmartThings app on my phone.
  3. I can see it on SmartThings Advanced, but it displays that the firmware is: 000.031.00004

Of course, it is not connecting to whatever server likely has the latest firmware as this device has missed likely many many firmware updates.

A request to change to auto update fails, a request to do a remote reboot fails. No MAC or IP address is shown in SmartThings advanced.

There is ONE blue light displayed on the front of the device.

Please let me know the specific next steps that I need to take to have you push a firmware update to this device, and I will execute them with great care.

Thank you,

Vincent

3

Tagging @nayelyz @iali firmware on their hub is 31.

4

Steps I am taking based on previous feedback provided by support to other users:

  1. Removed the hub from my SmartThings app.

  2. Attempt to disable disable UDP port 123 (NTP) on my home router … and I cannot as it is a Linksys Velop Mesh and it does not include custom outbound firewall rules or native toggles to selectively block individual outbound ports.

  3. Blocking NTP via access control doesn’t make enough sense to me as I am unsure what exactly I should block. There are MANY NTP server names listed at pool.ntp.org: NTP Servers in Global, pool.ntp.org

I am open to suggestions on how I might make that work.

One other thing to consider: My Velop home router is connected to a T-Mobile Router (5G wireless) that provides my internet connection. As that is a locked-down router, I have little control over what can be done on that device.

  1. I have tried the reset instruction provided by a different user, twice.

Thomas Train

Aug 2025

I’ve recovered three v2 hubs with the below procedure:

a) If you are able to factory reset it, remove the batteries, and Unplug Ethernet and leave it unplugged. Perform the factory reset (press and hold reset button while plugging in power, keep holding until flashing yellow LED goes yellow solid, then release the reset button)

b) Let the hub reboot and go through the motions and LED cycle allowing to boot and stay up for about 5 minutes (continue to keep Ethernet unplugged). You’ll see the led cycle red to magenta to flashing blue, etc.

c) after 5 minutes on flashing blue, power cycle the hub one more time by unplugging the hub and then plugging it back in (again, keep Ethernet unplugged) and allow the hub to boot.

d) then let it sit for 5 minutes without Ethernet. The LED will either be a flashing blue or solid blue at this point but after 5 minutes, now plug in Ethernet.

e) within about 1-2 minutes after finally plugging in Ethernet , you should see the LED go green and then it should pretty quickly go magenta to indicate it is download the firmware… don’t touch the hub at this point, just let it cook as it will do this cycle one more time before it finally gets upgraded to 57.x.

All seems to go well for steps a - d, but in step e the LED never goes green. so likely it is not accessing any firmware.

After all this, the light is solid blue.

I will leave it powered up, as there are comments that say it takes a while for update to happen.

I have added the hub back into the SmartThings app, and can see it again in Smartthings advanced.

However, still the same firmware version… and no MAC or IP address.

When I attempt to change the update to automatic in Smarttings Advanced, the response is: “Error changing Zigbee OTA updates to “Allow”. 408 Request timed out”

(opinion: this device not having a USB firmware update method is really surprising and disappointing)

I continue to wait for guidance in resolving this issue.

5

Might as well jump in here with a V2 hub that will onboard - visible on advanced view but with the firmware field empty. Maybe the recovery steps will be similar to @Zebraitis problem. Mine does have a MAC and IP on the advanced view though. This is one of those ebay “new old stock” STH-ETH-250 models. I don’t have any luck with ever seeing a yellow light when attempting a reset, only red on boot, then blue, then green when onboarded with the welcome code originally included. The reset button seems to only reboot the device. Trying to collect logs to a FAT32 formatted thumbdrive does not work either (upon hitting reset with drive attached - just reboots). Once onboarded, no radios are functional via the smartthings-cli output. I contacted Samsung Apps and Services and got a response from Wilmhar suggesting 1. to keep it attached in case support pushes firmware to it, 2. Perform a Long Hold power cycle (basically remove from all power for over 10 minutes and try the reset procedure this time holding the button in, plugging it in, holding it for 60 seconds no matter what the LED states are) - this did not reset anything for me since it just reconnected once booted up, and 3. check to see if there is a hardware version listed in the advanced web view. Mine has a hardware version of “000F”. It was suggested that if this isn’t shown there may be a hardware issue vs. just firmware.

So far nothing has worked to get the device factory reset - never see any yellow blinking or steady LED states. I am also capturing traffic from/to the device and it never sends any NTP queries when booting (or ever during 5 hours of capturing). I can block NTP via my router which is an Ubiquity EdgeX that has full firewall capabilities although this never has blocked any traffic since my box isn’t sending NTP queries (probably because I can’t actually factory reset it).

Seems that the only solution for a V2 hub that can’t be reset but can actually onboard is to have support push updated firmware to it. If this is not the case please let me know what other steps to try. Thanks!

6

Best advice - if you have a friend or family who has the ability to block ports - temporarily use their network so you can update the security certificate of your hub. While using that instance of leaving Ethernet disconnected - I recommend leaving Ethernet connected.

For v2 hub:

  • remove batteries
  • Leave Ethernet cable connected between hub and network.
  • Block port 123 udp
  • Remove power cord
  • Press reset slow and insert power cord.
  • Continue holding for 30 seconds until you see solid yellow and release
  • Onboard hub into app
  • if you see a file downloading, remove the block of the port
  • If it has a really old firmware version, be patient, it can take time as it needs to apply every single firmware version.

More details on how others were able to resolve the issue

7

Not a good sign. If the hub is unused and was never connected to any other user’s account…. There were changes made to the platform in 2018. Existing hubs received updates that allowed hubs to switch over to these changes. Hubs that were sitting in stock somewhere would not have received these updates. After a period of time, the old servers were shut down. Now, when users try to use them, they are basically useless and will never connect. Best advice advice, return it nd get your money back. If you do buy another v2 hub, do not look for new or unused - it basically means they will not connect.

ST staff can confirm if this is the case with your hub. With several things you mentioned indicates it is a possibility. @nayelyz @Itati

8

Maybe this info can help to tell if this is the case - when booting the device makes a DNS call to resolve “SmartThings” no doman associated - it does that 4 times. I assume this would be for some type of install where there are local servers (test or standalone maybe)? But from there it looks for dc.connect.smartthings.com which resolves as does the next DNS query for dc-na02-useast1.connect.smartthings.com. My hub is able to make a connection to the first server but eventually closes it and establishes a connection to the second server. I don’t see any other DNS queries, and it doesn’t attempt any TCP connections to an IP without a DNS query first. I would think I’d see unresolved DNS queries or TCP connections attempted to firmware-based IP addresses but I don’t. Is it possible that there were additional configuration steps for a user’s network to be able to resolve “SmartThings”? I could setup my DNS server to resolve that name to any address that would work if that’s the issue…

9

If it is old firmware. Even if you could point to to the current servers, it would not have the firmware to communicate with them. Wait until staff contacts you.

10

I did post a review on the hub on ebay explaining that a “New old stock” may not be a viable option and a recently used one would be much better whatever that is worth :slight_smile:

11

In that case, I’d just buy a V3 or V4 right away.