OTA Firmware Updates Without Removing Devices from Homey

Modified on Mon, 7 Apr at 1:17 AM

Important Notice!

Before proceeding, please ensure that the device is included in the gateway without secure inclusion.

Firmware updates (OTA) cannot be performed on devices that were included using S2 secure inclusion. If the device is included with S2 security, you will not be able to do the update without removing the device.

This guide will walk you through the process of using the Z-Wave PC Controller software to update the firmware of your Z-Wave devices without removing them from your SmartThings network.

Steps Overview:

1. Obtain a Z-Wave USB Stick
2. Install Z-Wave PC Controller Software
3. Add the Z-Wave Stick as a Secondary Controller in Homey
4. Update Device Firmware
Optional: Remove the Z-Wave Stick from Homey

1. Obtain a Z-Wave USB Stick

Homey hub do not support Z-Wave OTA (Over-the-Air) firmware updates. To perform these updates, you will need a compatible Z-Wave USB stick.

You can find useful information about the various controllers at the following link.

2. Install Z-Wave PC Controller Software

Once you have a Z-Wave USB stick, you will need software to interface with it.

The recommended software is Z-Wave PC Controller, which is free and requires a Windows PC. To install it:

Download the Z-Wave SDK and PC Controller from Silicon Labs.

Creating an account is necessary to access the download.
Install both the SDK and PC Controller software.
- Once the SDK is installed choose Tools
- Click on Add/Remove Tools
- Find Z-Wave PC Controller and click on Install

After installation, open the software. You should see a dashboard similar to the screenshot below.

3. Add the Z-Wave Stick as a Secondary Controller in Homey

To update firmware without removing devices from your network, you must add the Z-Wave stick as a secondary controller.

Steps to Add the Stick to Homey:

Plug the Z-Wave stick into your PC’s USB port.
Open the Z-Wave PC Controller software and navigate to Settings, and select the correct COM port for the Z-Wave stick and click OK.
If the stick does not appear, use the Detect and Refresh options.
Once connected, click on Network Management.
In the Homey app, select Devices in the next screen tap the + button.
select New Device, in the new window and select Z-Wave under Technologies.
Follow the on-screen instructions, and put the PC controller in Learn mode.
In Z-Wave PC Controller, select the Z-Wave stick and click Classic Learn Mode.
The stick will start searching for the hub. A Device Specific Key (DSK) will appear we will include the PC controller not using secure inclusion, you can ignore the DSK.
In the Homey app, tap insert 00000 instead of the prompted pin number, and tap OK.
Continue Setup and set the device in a Room.
Once the device is added it will appear in the dashboard.

The Z-Wave stick should now be part of your Homey network. The PC Controller software will display all connected Z-Wave devices.

4. Update Device Firmware

With the Z-Wave stick set up as a secondary controller, you can now update your devices’ firmware.

Steps to Update a Device:

In Z-Wave PC Controller, open Network Management.
Select the device to be updated and click Node Info.
Note: If you are unsure which device to update, check your Homey Developer Tools under Z-Wave to find the Device Network ID.
With the device selected, click OTA Firmware Update.
In the Firmware Update window, click Get to populate the current firmware details.
The Current Firmware and Firmware Targets section will populate.
Click on the folder and locate the OTA file. Important: Double-check that the correct device and firmware file was selected. Installing incorrect firmware may brick the device.
Choose the Firmware Target: 0
Click Update to begin the firmware update.
Monitor the update progress. Usually take few minutes, but it can last also up to an hour, depending on file size and device proximity and network traffic.
Once the update is complete, a status message will confirm success.

Repeat for Additional Devices

Each device must be updated individually by repeating these steps.

Optional: Remove the Z-Wave Stick from Homey

Leaving the Z-Wave stick in your network is fine, but if you want to remove it:

In the Homey app, select the PC controller (Unknown Z-Wave Device) and open it, click on Settings.
Scroll down to find Remove, and confirm with Delete.
In Z-Wave PC Controller, select the Z-Wave stick and click Classic Learn Mode.
,

Alternatively, to remove / reset the stick, go to the Network management tab and select the Z-Wave stick and, press the Reset button on the Z-Wave PC Controller software. This will perform a factory reset on the Z-Wave stick.