- Process of migrating a Zigbee dongle EFR32MG21 to EFR32MG24 without re-pairing, by cloning
- This process can also be used to create a clone without migrating a Zigbee EFR32MG21 or EFR32MG24 dongle
- Thanks to @Nerivec for his assistance and work on ember-zli
- Thanks to @darkxst for providing specific firmware for the EFR32MG24
Remarks - Recommendations
- This guide only concerns the migration of a key based on EFR32MG21 to EFR32MG24.
- but it can also be used to create a clone without migrating a Zigbee EFR32MG21 or EFR32MG24 dongle
- It is based on the use of Node.js under Windows.
- This process allows retaining the entire network without having to re-pair devices.
- Take all necessary precautions, such as making a backup of Home Assistant or a snapshot of the VM.
- It is important that both dongles have the same version of the Zigbee Ember firmware, in my case 7.4.4.
- I am not the author of the ember-zli package, so please refer to the documentation for further information.
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Since 09/10/2024, darkxst has provided a branch for the SLZB-07MG24 at this address: https://github.com/darkxst/silabs-firmware-builder/tree/SLZB-07Mg24
-
To flash, go to this address and choose custom firmware as an option: https://darkxst.github.io/silabs-firmware-builder/
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⚠ To avoid errors, connect 1 key at a time.
Launch Powershell (admin) https://github.com/Nerivec/ember-zli
- Useful information:
$ sudo npm install -g ember-zli
- Still using PowerShell, connect the key to a USB port and run the usbipd list command to identify the source dongle port.
$ usbipd list
Connected:
BUSID VID:PID DEVICE STATE
1-8 10c4:ea60 Silicon Labs CP210x USB to UART Bridge (COM11) Not shared
- On Powershell, run the ember-zli stack command.
- In the choices, select:
- connection type serial,
- firmware baudrate 115200,
- the port of our key, logically easily identifiable,
- flow control software,
- and finally Backup NVM3 tokens, which will produce a tokens_backup.nvm3 file that we will then copy to the new key.
$ ember-zli stack
[2024-10-10 08:36:50.585] info: cli: Data folder: /home/fred/ember-zli.
✔ Adapter connection type Serial
✔ Adapter firmware baudrate 115200
✔ Serial port Itead usb-Itead_Sonoff_Zigbee_3.0_USB_Dongle_Plus_V2 (/dev/ttyUSB1)
✔ Flow control Software Flow Control (rtscts=false)
[2024-10-10 08:58:53.532] info: zh:ember:ezsp: ======== EZSP starting ========
[2024-10-10 08:58:53.664] info: ember: NCP EZSP protocol version (13) lower than Host. Switched.
....
....
✔ Menu Backup NVM3 tokens
✔ Tokens backup save file Use default (/home/fred/ember-zli/tokens_backup.nvm3)
[2024-10-10 09:00:32.155] info: zh:ember:tokens: [TOKENS] Saving tokens...
[2024-10-10 09:00:32.980] info: cli: Tokens backup written to '/home/fred/ember-zli/tokens_backup.nvm3'.
✔ Menu Exit
✔ Restart? (If no, exit) no
- ⚠ I recommend disconnecting the source key here to avoid accidental overwriting.
Run the ember-zli stack command again after ensuring the key is mounted and shared as indicated in the previous steps.
- In the choices, select:
- connection type serial,
- firmware baudrate 115200,
- the port of our key, logically easily identifiable,
- flow control hardware,
- and finally Restore NVM3 tokens, which will default to the tokens_backup.nvm3 file produced earlier.
- After these steps, you now have a clone of your key.
ember-zli stack
✔ Adapter connection type Serial
✔ Adapter firmware baudrate 115200
✔ Serial port SMLIGHT usb-SMLIGHT_SLZB-07Mg24 (/dev/ttyUSB0)
✔ Flow control Hardware Flow Control (rtscts=true)
[2024-10-10 09:04:41.374] info: cli: Restored tokens.
The old dongle is no longer usable on the network or nearby because both dongles now have the same EUI64. If you want to reuse the key, you must give it a new EUI64. You should then perform a Reset NVM3 Tokens and then a Write EUI64 NVM3 token. Change the last 2 or 3 characters, ensuring they are not already in use by an existing device. I haven't tested this as I wanted to keep my old key as a backup.
Remark from @Nerivec following the publication of this guide :
About "keeping the old dongle as backup": as soon as you started up the network again on the new dongle, several tokens would have started changing again (frame counters & such), which means it is no longer synced with the old one. If you ever were to put the old dongle on the network (as emergency I assume), best course of actions would be to restore the latest Z2M coordinator_backup.json onto it (which means leaving the network with Ember ZLI, then starting Z2M, which will trigger the network restore process), otherwise, you might encounter some sync issues (EmberZNet seems pretty resilient in that regards, but still worth mentioning). You could also take regular tokens backup of the new dongle, for extra safety.
- Install the new key on Home Assistant.
- If zigbee2mqtt crashes, don't panic... it’s likely due to using a strict USB port naming; simply identify the new name in System/Settings/Hardware and modify it in the zigbee2mqtt addon configuration under Home Assistant (addon stopped, watchdog temporarily disabled).
- In the configuration.yaml file under /Config/zigbee2mqtt, also change the port name and set rtscts to true (hardware flow control on the EFR32MG24).
- Reactivate the Watchdog on the zigbee2mqtt addon and restart the addon... logically, you should now find all your devices and network!
addon zigbee2mqtt
Inside configuration.yaml under /Config/zigbee2mqtt - BEFORE
Inside configuration.yaml under /Config/zigbee2mqtt - AFTER
changing rtscts is entirely adapter-dependent
