Sonoff Zigbee

Hi, I would know if there Is a way to update the Sonoff Zigbee R3 firmware (with smartthings hub V3) because I cannot find a way to Do It, or atleast to see what firmware version It use. Thanks.

You can’t do it yourself. ST has to include the device firmware with their hub firmware updates. The other option would be to get another hub that can do it, update the device and then move it back to ST.

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So there Is no way to see what Is the firmware version of the Sonoff Zigbee V3 right? I should link the Sonoff ti another hub, update the firmware and then link It to ST again?

ST will tell you the firmware version when you look in the IDE, but you can’t update it unless ST makes the next version available.

Only if you really need to because the updated firmware fixes something that’s broken or enables new features.

Ok, there Is a way to know which Is the latest firmware version of this switch?

Probably through Sonoff’s support website.

There is a new version of the Sonoff Zigbee firmware? I can’t seem to find any info about it on the iTead website.

Is there new firmware available from ITead for the SONOFF BASICZBR3 or have you built your own firmware?

I know from NotEnoughTech teardown blog articles of it that the BASIC ZBR3 model is based on Texas Instruments CC2530 module.

FYI, Zigbee2mqtt (open source Zigbee gateway software) can perform OTA firmware updates of third-party devices it has been paired with but they need to get the firmware first (so need to provide firmware URL and add support for that specific device to the OTA updates source code for Zigbee2mqtt).

Alternatively, could flash TI CC2530 chip firmware manually via JTAG from Raspberry Pi GPIO, Arduino, or ESP8266/ESP32, however that would require opening it and probably solder pins for JTAG

Ok how can I get the firmware version Number of my Sonoff Zigbee?

In data 15 Maggio 2020 12:33:25 Andreas Setterlind via SmartThings Community smartthings@discoursemail.com ha scritto:

It doesn’t matter because there is no new firmware for the device. So, unless you are writing your own, it’s a moot point.

Ok so how can you Say than there Is no firmware for this device if isnt possible to know which Is the firmware version?

In data 15 Maggio 2020 21:49:43 Ryan780 via SmartThings Community smartthings@discoursemail.com ha scritto:

What?!? There is firmware on the device. But there is no NEW firmware for you to flash to the device. You get the firmware that comes with the device. That’s it. Why are you trying to make it more complicated? You know this isn’t like an ESP based Sonoff device, right? You’re not going to be able to hack it and add a whole bunch of stuff to it. it doesn’t work that way.

Ok no matter.

In data 16 Maggio 2020 05:06:51 Ryan780 via SmartThings Community smartthings@discoursemail.com ha scritto:

FYI, ptvo (ptvoinfo on GitHub) has tools that allow you to relatively easy modify CC2530 Zigbee router firmware yourself:

Zigbee Switch Configurable Firmware for Texas Instruments Z-Stack Home 1.2

@Ryan780 Why would we want to hack the firmware or do any of this you ask? Because we can, hacker philosophy FTW!

Do you say when someone asks why you want to automate anything with SmartThings? Others may say because we can!

Recommend you check out the Hackaday website, that’s a whole “because we can” site, maybe start with this old article:

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The first question I ask is “What can I accomplish by doing this?” Hacking the firmware on a Sonoff zigbee accomplishes nothing. So, I ask again, why bother?

See ptvo (ptvoinfo on GitHub) Zigbee Switch Configurable Firmware tool for Texas Instruments Z-Stack Home 1.2 for a good summery of what you can do.

Check out its features summary page:

Again first read

and also read

This firmware allows you to create a Zigbee switch device with a flexible configuration of inputs and outputs.

You can, for example, change basic things like:

  • Remember state – If the firmware should save the output state to NVRAM and restores it after power off/on or not.
  • Link – The input immediately controls the state of the corresponding output. The device sends the on/off state of the output to a coordinator. Otherwise, the input is independent.
  • Long – The firmware detects and reports to the coordinator a long click (2000 ms).
  • Double – The firmware detects and reports a double-click (max 500 ms between clicks).
  • Triple – The firmware detects and reports triple-click (max 500 ms between clicks).
  • Long - The firmware detects and reports long-click
  • Status LED indicator changes

Then you could technically also use its more advanced functions, it does, for example, have an I2C interface so you could, in theory, connect external sensors (such environmental temperature and humidity sensors, like DS18B20, BMP280, BME280, DHT11, DHT12, DHT22, AM2301, Sonoff SI7021, MHZ19, SenseAir S8), but some such functions like external sensors might also require hardware modifications like electrical isolation for electrical safety. Again much more info in the linked pages for ptvo firmware tool.

FYI, superhouse.tv has blog post with pin layout if you want to hack it (a blog post which ptvo has by the way commented on)

also check out notenoughtech.com articles about its inside

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Yeah you should probably know what you are doing in regards to electrical safety if you want to connect an environmental sensor as at least the WiFi models of Sonoff Basic are well know to have live mains power (AC voltage) connected directly to the GPIO ground pin. And so does by the way also the Shelly 1 but they sell an electrical isolation addon device which makes to safe to connect environmental sensors, so you could buy or build such electrical isolation addon device yourself if you wanted:

I have not confirmed myself if live mains power (AC voltage) is connected directly to the GPIO ground pin is also the case with the new SONOFF BASIC ZB R3 (Zigbee Edition) device or not.

Anyway, if you are really interested in connecting external sensors, like the popular DHT11/DHT22 temperature and humidity sensor, then there are guides online on how to modify the WiFi version of Sonoff Basic for electrical isolation to make it electrically safe.

I am not saying that everyone has to add external sensors to the Sonoff Zigbee ZBR3, I just mentioned that it should possible as an additional node since you asked specifically asked: “What can I accomplish by doing this?”. I guess most people who interested in modifying the firmware would only change simple things, like changing LED status light, remember state, or activate long-click double-click and triple-click to be able to send more commands.

I do not agree that I am showing off since, I am trying to explain that you can modify and flash your own firmware on any CC2530 module, there is no secret that CC253x (CC2530, CC2531 and CC2538) Zigbee modules have been very popular in the DIY hacker community for many years since they are inexpensive and Texas Instruments provide free tools and good public documentation.

The hacker scene for CC253x Zigbee modules has gotten to the stage today that you do not have to be a “hacker” yourself to create a firmware and flash it as the tools have has a graphical user interface so it is not hard to modify your own firmware for CC2530. You do not have to search high and low for step-by-step instructions which are relatively easy to follow, and you do not have solder or write code.

Fact is that you can flash any CC2530 module with a firmware made with ptvo Zigbee Switch Configurable Firmware tool. Fact is also Sonoff Zigbee ZBR3 is based on a standard Texas Instruments CC2530 module. Fact is also plenty of available information you can find about flashing the firmware on CC2530 (and CC2531) modules via its JTAG / debug interface.

Probably the most popular DIY open source project that provides loads of hacking information about CC253x modules is Zigbee2mqtt -> https://www.zigbee2mqtt.io Again see https://www.zigbee2mqtt.io/information/alternative_flashing_methods.html and https://www.zigbee2mqtt.io/getting_started/flashing_the_cc2531.html

Summary; If you buy a CC debugger (Texas Instruments or China-clone) adapter then you can even flash it with Texas Instruments official SmartRF Flash programmer (v1, not V2 ) software via USB from a normal computer with Windows operating-system. If you don’t buy a CC Debugger adapter then you can use a Raspberry Pi (GPIO), Arduino, or ESP8266/ESP32 to connect via four wires with alligator-clips to bobby-pins and follow existing step-by-step instructions on what to commands to write.

Does it require ST to add support for the new firmware/features or it will work out of the box?