I have looked and looked and I am unable to find any info other than it must be done by using a usb z wave stick. Has anyone or Marc can you tell us when this will be included in a firmware update. I have multiple devices I would like to update but would have to remove from the network add to a usb stick update then exclude and add back to my network. I am getting a very complex Z Wave network going with about 55 devices and do not want to cause any issues by doing the updates this way.
If there are any other posts on this I am sorry I could not find them.
[quote=âsky320, post:1, topic:195065â]I have looked and looked and I am unable to find any info other than it must be done by using a usb z wave stick. Has anyone or Marc can you tell us when this will be included in a firmware update. I have multiple devices I would like to update but would have to remove from the network add to a usb stick update then exclude and add back to my network. I am getting a very complex Z Wave network going with about 55 devices and do not want to cause any issues by doing the updates this way.
If there are any other posts on this I am sorry I could not find them.[/quote]
OTA Update is not supported⊠and I think Vera will never do.
As stated by @Sender, itâs unlikely that Vera will provide over the air(OTA) capability to the end user any time soon.
Using a Z-Wave Gen5 USB stick you can perform OTA updates, if the device manufacturer has made firmware updates available. Very few manufacturers have made updates available and only for a tiny subset of devices. But itâs possible to add the USB stick to your existing Z-Wave network as a secondary controller and then use the stick to do OTA updates. With this method, there is no need to exclude/include devices as you describe.
[quote=âSender, post:2, topic:195065â][quote=âsky320, post:1, topic:195065â]I have looked and looked and I am unable to find any info other than it must be done by using a usb z wave stick. Has anyone or Marc can you tell us when this will be included in a firmware update. I have multiple devices I would like to update but would have to remove from the network add to a usb stick update then exclude and add back to my network. I am getting a very complex Z Wave network going with about 55 devices and do not want to cause any issues by doing the updates this way.
If there are any other posts on this I am sorry I could not find them.[/quote]
OTA Update is not supported⊠and I think Vera will never do.[/quote]
Well, actually UI7 is OTA capable in conjunction with a Gen5 gateway(VeraEdge/Plus/Secure) but OTA updates will only be pushed on the request of the device manufacturer in question. This usually happens with critical device updates, and only if we are provided with the firmware from the manufacturer itself.
Under no circumstance, we can do this at customers requests, even if they provide the firmware file.
Otherwise, yes, as Z-Waver mentioned, it can be done with a Z-Wave Gen5 USB stick.
[quote=âJohn M., post:5, topic:195065â][quote=âSender, post:2, topic:195065â][quote=âsky320, post:1, topic:195065â]I have looked and looked and I am unable to find any info other than it must be done by using a usb z wave stick. Has anyone or Marc can you tell us when this will be included in a firmware update. I have multiple devices I would like to update but would have to remove from the network add to a usb stick update then exclude and add back to my network. I am getting a very complex Z Wave network going with about 55 devices and do not want to cause any issues by doing the updates this way.
If there are any other posts on this I am sorry I could not find them.[/quote]
OTA Update is not supported⊠and I think Vera will never do.[/quote]
Well, actually UI7 is OTA capable in conjunction with a Gen5 gateway(VeraEdge/Plus/Secure) but OTA updates will only be pushed on the request of the device manufacturer in question. This usually happens with critical device updates, and only if we are provided with the firmware from the manufacturer itself.
Under no circumstance, we can do this at customers requests, even if they provide the firmware file.
Otherswise, yes, as sky320 mentioned, it can be done with a Z-Wave Gen5 USB stick.[/quote]
Wow John, I have had a support case about this and was told that this was not possible. Where is it documentented in the Vera documenation?
Following above conversation about an OTA device firmware update. I have one that needs to be done. According to Fibaro they do have a new firmware that solves a problem with the second channel power reporting.
I have an open case with Vera, but you litte brother (joke) Johnny tells me:
I?d like to let you know that you can?t upgrade the Fibaro relay firmware from the Vera interface. In case that you are experiencing issues with it (Can?t detect device), please enable tech support on the unit and then please pass me here the remote access code. Also, please let me know how is labeled the relay on Vera?s web interface.
(eg. xxxxxxx-xxxxxx (SSH: SSH_22=xxxxx TS_SRV=us-tsxx)).
Thank you!
Regards,
[quote=âJohn M., post:5, topic:195065â]Well, actually UI7 is OTA capable in conjunction with a Gen5 gateway(VeraEdge/Plus/Secure) but OTA updates will only be pushed on the request of the device manufacturer in question. This usually happens with critical device updates, and only if we are provided with the firmware from the manufacturer itself.
Under no circumstance, we can do this at customers requests, even if they provide the firmware file.[/quote]
Can Vera please get their story straight? A year ago OTA updates were done by customer request and now they are not??? Can they also please explain the logic behind putting this functionality into the controller but not exposing it to the customer? Vera has put itself in the (very poor) position of deciding what is âcriticalâ or âneededâ by us customers. Thatâs a no-win scenario because we are left with 2 inconvenient and totally unnecessary choices:
[ol][li]buy another device to do it and have the hassle of removing it from the network, doing the update, then adding it back to the network. This has the added âbonusâ of having to unplug my Vera Plus and take it to the remote device. Since it canât join my wifi network, I also have to find a long enough ethernet cable.[/li]
[li]coordinate with customer care to get it done[/li][/ol]
In fact, just knowing that OTA updates are in there but I canât do it myself turns a good experience with a good product into frustration. Donât misunderstand â I am not an unhappy customer. The experience has steadily improved since I first bought an Edge 2+ years ago. Like most of us here, I am also not inexperienced (designed computer systems for 25 years). I donât know what the update process is like, but the issue is not lack customer expertise.
Right now I only have one device that needs a firmware update. It is important enough that I bought a Z-stick and will go through the hassle â but I can do it myself and at my convenience. However, the number of devices needing OTA updates will only increase over time. Iâm sure we all want to see a coherent response from Vera on this issue.
Story is straight but out of context. We can only do it upon device manufacturer request, and why not, even of users request, if coincides with a case where this is a known issue already discussed with the manufacturer of the particular device.
This is done through the cloud, (the file is pulled by Vera from the manufacturer server or our own server), and passed to the z-wave device on nightly heal.
Why this ?
1.probably because the device manufacturers also offer an option to do this, either paid through an additional âZ-wave dongleâ, or free through the proprietary gateways, or even direct replacement.
[size=1em]
[font=verdana]2. Liability reasons, in case something goes wrong with that device.[/font][/size]
Thanks for the explanation. In my limited experience with the Vera Plus and a dozen z-wave plus devices, firmware updates go through the controller (if supported) or buy a z-wave dongle. Iâve not seen the proprietary gateway or replacement options offered.
If itâs a liability problem, not a technical problem, then a âstandardâ solution has been used in the tech industry for a long time. Before they click the âGoâ button, give the customer a disclaimer in red bold letters:
âWARNING! WARNING! WARNING! By updating firmware, you (the end user) agree to take full responsibility for any and all problems it may cause. From now until the universe ends, you, your heirs, and all your legal representatives agree to hold Vera blameless for any consequences from this update. Furthermore, you willingly give up all rights to sue Vera for any cause, etc., etc., etc.â
But Iâm not telling you anything you donât already know. IMHO you would generate more goodwill by giving your customers the option to do it and accept the consequences, rather than not allow it and make using the Vera more of a hassle.
[quote=âcb4, post:11, topic:195065â]Thanks for the explanation. In my limited experience with the Vera Plus and a dozen z-wave plus devices, firmware updates go through the controller (if supported) or buy a z-wave dongle. Iâve not seen the proprietary gateway or replacement options offered.
If itâs a liability problem, not a technical problem, then a âstandardâ solution has been used in the tech industry for a long time. Before they click the âGoâ button, give the customer a disclaimer in red bold letters:
âWARNING! WARNING! WARNING! By updating firmware, you (the end user) agree to take full responsibility for any and all problems it may cause. From now until the universe ends, you, your heirs, and all your legal representatives agree to hold Vera blameless for any consequences from this update. Furthermore, you willingly give up all rights to sue Vera for any cause, etc., etc., etc.â
But Iâm not telling you anything you donât already know. IMHO you would generate more goodwill by giving your customers the option to do it and accept the consequences, rather than not allow it and make using the Vera more of a hassle.[/quote]
HomeSeer has software just announced just for this. Its a universal OTA software that doesnât require homeseer HS3 but it obviously requires a USB dongle or such along with this Z-Flash software.
Written instructions with your âWARNING! WARNING! WARNING!â label can be found here. just as you explained it.
Besides Aeon and Homeseer I donât think many z-wave device companyâs like to publicly release or give out firmware update files for their devices. Hopefully that will change though. I have done several updates on my Homeseer switches and I like that I can add features with a simple update vs. replacement.
Z-Wave Plus standardized the method for OTA firmware updates but originally a lot companies selling controllers felt OTA Firmware updates were too risky because of the liabilities involved. Now with the introduction of botnets and wireless hacking becoming popular itâs starting to become risky for companies selling controllers not to make it easy for end users to update their firmware. I would be surprised if Vera didnât have something in place over the next year for helping users to do their firmware updates be it a paid service or free.
Iâm getting more and more surprised anyone supports this platform.
Z-Wave - any device works with anything. Nope, Vera supports whatever we bloody chose. Just include as generic and hope like hell it kind of works, sort of, maybe, yeah nah not reallyâŠ
Z-Wave Plus - Inbuilt OTA firmware updates. Everything Z-Wave boasts this, but yeah nah get stuffed not really. Exclude your device and lose everything youâve set up, then go do it yourself manually in total violation of the OTA claim, and then go re-include and re-setup everything again.
Vera should include this stuff as part of their advertising - especially that upon powering up the Vera will immediately want to do a firmware update and then brick itself in the process.
But you are correct, as itâs a FW Upgrade (for the device), it totally resets it and will require re-inclusion.
It certainly does not do it automatically with good reason, note the last Vera FW update, multiply it x amount of devices and anyone who does upgrade and fails may as well walk away from HA.
