ITead’s “Sonoff Zigbee 3.0 USB Dongle Plus V2” (model "ZBDongle-E") based on Silicon Labs EFR32MG21 radio SoC/MCU

Configuration Zigbee
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@Arc8dium ,
did you able to recover from firmware 7.X.X?
also try to downgrade to 6.10.3,
but after firmware flush the device stop to respond,
try again to flush with the bootloader mode,
but nothing help.
with the ezsp utility getting this messege:

python3 Elelabs_EzspFwUtility.py probe -p /dev/ttyACM1

2022/10/27 10:39:26 Elelabs_EzspFwUtility:   Couldn't communicate with the adapter in Zigbee (EZSP) mode, Thread (Spinel) mode or bootloader mode
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Hello for everyone instruction to flash with extraputty:

  1. start extraputty
  2. plug in dongle E pressing the boot button (led falshs red)
  3. Connect with this settings:
    image
    image742×227 9.67 KB

    You have to check your COM Port here:
    image
  4. After that push enter then you will see a text in the console.
  5. Enter 1 then click “File transfer” at the top → Xmodem → send
    image
    It is important that you push 1 and then you will see: CCCCCCC
    While you see this you have to start the file transfer.
    After that extraputty uploads the firmware and after finishing you have to push 2 → it goes to paring mode.

have fun

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109

Yes i’m back at the original firmware because of the amazing work from XSP1989. See the forum thread here about this issue: please help with recovery - Issues Antenna

Basically you need to flash the nvm3_initfile.gbl file after flashing the 6.10.3 firmware and it will come back to life.

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110

Some questions from someone who is fairly new to the subject:

  1. Does Model E not support HomeAssistant by default? At least that’s what I read here in the table from Sonoff.
  2. Which model is more suitable if I want to equip HomeAssistant on my Raspi4 with Zigbee?
  3. I have heard that the Model E may have better support from the HomeAssistant developers because of the chipset. Is this true?

Thank you in advance.

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Hi all,
I’m trying to flash my two e dongles with the router firmware. I tried with SecureCRT and also ExtraPutty with parameters you told:
Serial: COM10 (for this example) and 115.200 bauds. Data bits to 8, parity None, stops bits 1 and flow control XON/XOFF
I can connect but I cannot send the firmware. SecureCRT says that receiver never responded to the start of transfer request.

I also tried booting the dongle pushing the boot button and also the reset one. Nothing worked.

Am I missing anything?

image
image

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Answers:

  1. Both are supported by HA’s ZHA integration → https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/zha
  2. Both work great with the ZHA integration, but you should always use them through a powered USB 2.0 hub (via a long USB extension cable) if you computer does not have USB 3.0 ports as using those directly will cause interference, read → https://github.com/zigpy/zigpy/wiki/Generic-best-practice-tips-on-improving-Zigbee-network-range-and-general-stability
  3. For now they work equally great with Home Assistant’s ZHA integration today, however, you could maybe speculate that support for Silicon Labs based adapters like the ZBDongle-E might perhaps indirectly become better integrated in the future if prioritized by Nabu Casa’s own developers only because it uses the same Silicon Labs EFR32MG21 SoC chip as the upcoming official Home Assistant SkyConnect USB Stick

Note ZBDongle-P is better supported in Zigbee2MQTT today if want to use that instead of Home Assistant’s ZHA integration, this is as Zigbee2MQTT’s zigbee-herdsman library’s support for EZSP adapters is experimental, for details see ongoing development there → https://github.com/Koenkk/zigbee-herdsman/issues/319

Also note that if you are using the ZHA integration today then it is now very easy to migrate back and forth between ZBDongle-E and ZBDongle-P (via ZHA integration’s built-in backup, restore, and migration features).

In addition, remember that you can always convert ZBDongle-E and ZBDongle-P adapters into dedicated Zigbee Router devices that can work as stand-alone Zigbee signal repeaters and range extenders if used in USB charger for power to achieve better coverage in large homes.

A tip is therefore to buy both a couple of ZBDongle-E adapters and a couple of ZBDongle-P adapters then reflash the one you are not using as a Zigbee Coordinator with Zigbee Router firmware and use those as dedicated stand-alone signal-repeater/range-extender if simply plug into a USB charger for power. This follows best practices → https://github.com/zigpy/zigpy/wiki/Generic-best-practice-tips-on-improving-Zigbee-network-range-and-general-stability

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113

One of THE best elaborations about the two Sonoff Zigbee 3.0 ZBDongles P/E! Thank you for that Hedda.

E.g. I have one ZBDongle-P flashed as Coordinator running in ZHA and one ZBDongle-E as Router in the same ZHA. Still fine tuning my Zigbee mesh network, but happy with both Sonoff ZBDongles. :sunglasses:

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How did you do that flash?. I mean, just a post before I shared my problems trying to flash a couple of them as routers.

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Any updates yet?

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Yes: ITead’s “Sonoff Zigbee 3.0 USB Dongle Plus V2” (model "ZBDongle-E") based on Silicon Labs EFR32MG21 +20dBm radio MCU now sold for $19.99 - #109 by Arc8dium

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Thanks. This helped me get past my issue which turned out to be PEBKAC :rofl:

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FYI, noticed puddly is developing a “Universal Silicon Labs Flasher” for Silabs OTW firmware update:

Not tested it myself but that firmware flash image updating tool should be compatible with ZBDongle-E.

Looks like will be used in a Home Assistant Add-on for automatically flashing SkyConnect / Yellow:

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119

Do anyone know the current status of zigbee2mqtt for the ZBDongle-E? I see that it is still in the experimental section, but would it be safe to take it in use now? I cannot seem to able to get hold of the “P” version any more.

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Should be safe to use, but don’t think Z2M support Zigbee network backup for ezsp adapter yet(?). See:

https://github.com/Koenkk/zigbee2mqtt/discussions/13373

https://github.com/Koenkk/zigbee2mqtt/issues?q=is%3Aissue+is%3Aopen+%22EZSP+adapter%22

https://github.com/Koenkk/zigbee-herdsman/issues/319

https://github.com/Koenkk/zigbee-herdsman/pulls?q=is%3Apr+ezsp

Hopefully, stability will improve as more people in the Zigbee2MQTT community start to use it and help with development or as testers to actively contribute with proper and constructive bug reports.

I believe that is due to the still ongoing global chip shortage and global supply chain crisis

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Thank you for the detailed reply @Hedda. I’ll give it a chance with the “E” dongle then and start replacing my deCONZ setup.

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Note that everyone here can also help the developers make this dongle more stable in Zigbee2MQTT.

If you stumble into issues that seem related to this or other Silicon Labs EFR32 based Zigbee dongles then try to help the developer of the ezsp adapter for Zigbee2MQTT’s zigbee-herdsman code by providing detailed descriptions of your problem and logs needed for troubleshooting and debugging. See → https://github.com/Koenkk/zigbee-herdsman/issues/319

Note! If feeling brave then also consider upgrading to the latest unofficial 7.1.x community firmware builds on the ZBDongle-E to help them with testing the updated EZSP v9 interface with Zigbee2MQTT.

Regardless be sure to follow these generic best practice guidelines which apply for all Zigbee Coordinator USB adapters regardless of Zigbee implementation (including Zigbee2MQTT and the ZHA integration) → https://github.com/zigpy/zigpy/wiki/Generic-best-practice-tips-on-improving-Zigbee-network-range-and-general-stability

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I’ve upgraded to this firmware on my dongle and it resolved the issues I was (ironically) having with pairing SONOFF contact and movement sensors. After the upgrade, they finally paired and finished the interview process. The older firmware would just fail to finish the interview.

Edited to add that I’m using the xsp1989 firmware and used the Elelabs Python script.

2 Likes
124

Thanks for the info. I already have it up and running and added a few devices…so far so good. I do have a small issue with a thermostat device though, but I don’t think it’s related to the ezsp adapter specifically. Where would I log an issue related to device configuration? (the issue is that the climate sensor shows the wrong temperature sensor used for temp control)

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Suggest first report Zigbee2MQTT issues to https://github.com/Koenkk/zigbee2mqtt/issues/ but can be they will referer that fix is needed in zigbee-herdsman-converters https://github.com/Koenkk/zigbee-herdsman-converters/issues as that is what Zibee2MQTT uses to parse messages to and from devices, read → https://www.zigbee2mqtt.io/advanced/support-new-devices/01_support_new_devices.html

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For anyone reading this, I managed to understand how to flash a newer firmware on the ZBDongle-E using SecureCRT.

Do not follow this guide since it is horrible, instead follow this guide that is slightly better, to understand at least.

  1. Download SecureCTR here
  2. Get the .gbl firmware for router here or coordinator here
  3. Dismantle ZBDongle-E
  4. Start SecureCRT
  5. Press the Boot loader button and keep holding it in, see picture here
  6. Insert the ZBDongle-E in your USB port and keep holding for ~10sec, should be a red light.
  7. Press File tab > Quick Connect >
  8. Settings should look like this
  9. Press connect
  10. Once you see the bar on SecureCRT blinking press “Enter”, a menu should pop up.
  11. Press key “1” and “Begin upload CCCC” will start loading.
  12. Press Transfer tab > Send Xmodem > Select the downloaded firmware
  13. Once finished it will say “Serial Upload Complete”
  14. Unplug ZBDongle-E

Done.

I got my ZBDongle-E yesterday and I had the latest version so i didn’t need to upgrade:
Firmware: 6.10.3-41
EZSP v8

Hope you find this helpful!

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