Silabs OpenThread Border Router (not multipan) + HA?

Configuration Matter/Thread
1

Im using homeassistant container latest version

I flashed my ZBDongle-E with OpenThread firmware (not multipan) with this silabs web flasher
https://darkxst.github.io/silabs-firmware-builder

and I followed this guide to form a thread network

after that i restarted my homeassistant but the thread network is not being discovered and im stuck on what to do next.

my goal is to add aqara door and window sensor P2 to homeassistant and I’ll need matter + thread

I saw this post

but i dont want multi protocol as i already have ZBDongle-P + Zigbee2mqtt setup and i want to keep it that way. this is my docker compose yaml for the OTBR (OpenThread Border Router)

version: '3.8'
services:
  otbr:
    image: siliconlabsinc/openthread-border-router:gsdk-4.3.2
    container_name: "otbr"
    command: --radio-url spinel+hdlc+uart:///dev/ttyACM0?uart-baudrate=460800 --backbone-interface eth0
    ports:
      - "3560:80"
    dns:
      - 127.0.0.1
    volumes:
      - /dev/serial/by-id/usb-ITEAD_SONOFF_Zigbee_3.0_USB_Dongle_Plus_V2_20230829160352-if00:/dev/ttyACM0
    privileged: true
    sysctls:
      - net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6=0
      - net.ipv4.conf.all.forwarding=1
      - net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding=1

Please help thank you
also im new here im sorry if im posting in the wrong topic but i dont see a topic related to thread

2

Not sure but I believe that if you are using an Openthread RCP firmware and not Openthread NCP firmware then you might still need to install the Silabs Multiprotocol Add-on as it will run Silicon Labs cpcd deamon and otbr-agent on the host which you need with all types of Openthread RCP firmware. That it, your installation ith Openthread RCP firmware needs to have OpenThread drivers and core dependencies running on the host, (which are not needed if use Openthread NCP application firmware as then it runs all onboard the SoC hardware). See if can make use of the add-on → https://github.com/home-assistant/addons/tree/master/silabs-multiprotocol

Dependencies that need to run on the host computer are very different when using any type of Openthread RCP (Radio Co-Processor) firmware compare to running Openthread NCP (Network Co-Processor) firmware, as an NCP-based architecture runs practically everything on the SoC hardware while an RCP-based architecture moves most parts to the host and practically leaves the radio SoC acting as as a physical radio. See design difference here → Co-Processor Designs  |  OpenThread

Thus one alternative could to find Openthread NCP firmware instead. Another alternative if want to use OpenThread RCP firmware could be to manually install and configure Silicon Labs cpcd deamon and otbr-agent with all their dependencies, but that is very complicated with loads of interconnected components which is they created the addon to simplify the setup and configuration.

So if you can not get an OpenThread NCP firmware and that that instead then I suggest trying following the Matter integration documentation if using OpenThread RCP firmware → Matter (BETA) - Home Assistant

See the architecture components needed and used when using OpenThread RCP firmware →
https://github.com/home-assistant/addons/blob/7f731c837e904d6da92e062f276d61b807d58411/silabs-multiprotocol/images/architecture.png

image
image735×583 40 KB

Regardless, you posted this to Zigbee forum section where Thead and Matter is not in scope. Suggest that you instead post under configuration (or have a forum moderator move this post) → Configuration - Home Assistant Community

You might also find more information here → Chip / Matter support (including Thread) and here → Home Assistant Add-on for Silicon Labs Multiprotocol stack · zigpy/zigpy · Discussion #894 · GitHub

1 Like
3

@iUnstable0 if you can get non-multipan OpenThread RCP firmware working then suggest you help update the addon’s readme file to clearify that only need “OpenThread RCP firmware” and not specifically "OpenThread RCP Multi-PAN firmware " → https://github.com/home-assistant/addons/blob/934886983860736703a36c9dcee2cc6f6eac3477/silabs-multiprotocol/README.md

4

I’m in the exact same situation as you. I set up the otbr docker container but now I can’t connect the HA Integration with it, because I don’t know the REST API url of the otbr.

Initially I used the multiprotocol software but that did not work reliably for me as it crashed every few days

1 Like