💬 FOTA (Wireless Programming)

[jimmy loyens]

Hello, I have my MySensors gateway permanently attached to my openhab server (RPI3), but i want to do FOTA uploads from my desktop. How do I do this since MYSController needs to attatch to a gateway? Can i use an other gateway, both with the same address (ID0)? Thanks

[sindrome73]

@mfalkvidd Hello.
From what I read it is possible to somehow modify the channel for OTA updates, this is also said here.
https://www.mysensors.org/about/fota

But I can not find other info on how to proceed to change the channel .....
Can you give me some other clarification or link to follow ???

[Guillermo Schimmel]

@sindrome73 You have to recompile the bootloader.

It's easier than it seems.

1. Mirror this repo on some machine with devel tools (I use OpenSUSE)

https://github.com/mysensors/MySensorsBootloaderRF24

2. Edit the file MYSBootloader.c, only the line:

#define RF24_CHANNEL (76) // RF channel for the sensor net, 0-127; default 76

3. Run Make

Probably it's going to need all the set of avr devel tools. Install them according to your distribution instructions.

4. You are going to get a .hex. That is the bootloader with the new channel. Install it according the standard instructions. I use AVRDUDESS.

I can confirm that I did this and it's working great.

[sindrome73]

@guillermo-schimmel Thanks for the reply.
Very useful, but can you tell me more accurately what software to use to recompile after making the change ????
Maybe some links to the software to download ..... thanks again for the availability

[Guillermo Schimmel]

@sindrome73 You have to use the Make tool, which is going to call the avr-gcc compiler.

Have you ever compiled something using command line tools?

If you don't know what I'm talking about, just tell me your channel and I can compile a bootloader for you.

[acb]

Quick question: Should FOTA work with personalized nodes/gateway?

If the answer should be yes, then I appear to have a problem…

As soon as I enable signing and signature requesting, the node will no longer respond to any internal or stream commands (e.g. Request Presentation, Reboot, Firmware, etc.) made via @tekka’s MYSController app. I haven’t tried anything else yet.

The node still happily sends signed sensor data to the gateway and they ping-pong with heartbeats, etc.

And as soon as I disable signing and signature requesting, the node will respond to all those same commands, quite happily rebooting, updating the firmware, etc.

So, am I doing something wrong?

(MYSController Version: 1.0.0beta, b3316. MySensors Library v2.3.1)

[sindrome73]

@sindrome73 Hi Good evening, and I'm sorry for the delay in the reply.
As you have never done a Bootloader, if you are kind enough to do it, I thank you.
The channel I'm using is the "Channel 84" for now I'm using only the 16MHZ Bootloade, but if you want, the others are fine too.
In addition you can give me some starting point to be able to fill in too ??
Thanks for your availability, greetings

[Guillermo Schimmel]

@sindrome73 here you have bootloaders for all the channels.

https://github.com/guillebot/MYSensors-Bootloaders

They are unchanged from default elsewhere. Only RF CHANNEL.

[sindrome73]

Hello!! And thank you again ......
A really good job, it's something that was definitely missing ......
I would suggest to the directors to expand the guide on OTA you better explain the steps to change channels and make a link to your great job !!

Now if I understand this and the Bootloader that I have to load on my Arduino Pro-Mini, in practice insert in the path of the IDE of Arduino when I make the updates use that channel

As soon as I can I try them and I'll let you know, in a lot of thanks again ......

[acb]

@acb

So, I’m answering my own question a little here after digging into the gateway/node logs and code - and so I'm replying to my own post.

Should FOTA work with personalized nodes/gateway?

Yes, it should and it does. FOTA (and any other internal commands) works with personalization (signed commands) using the MYSController.

What doesn’t appear to work is if you’re using smartSleep and asking the MYSController app to trigger sending your internal command upon receiving from the node - in this case, simply a heartbeat from smartSleep.

Does that make sense?

So, if I don’t sleep the node, I can issue reboots and other internal commands that are signed, no problem.

As soon as I switch to using smartSleep(DURATION) instead of wait(DURATION) and ask the MYSController app to trigger sending, for example, an internal reboot command “Upon RX”, then the reboot command never makes it to the node before it goes back to sleep. So the gateway tries to send the queued command, but the node has already gone back to sleep, and so it gets ignored.

I’ve tried varying the smartSleep duration as well as the MY_SMART_SLEEP_WAIT_DURATION_MS define.

I haven’t tried varying the MY_SLEEP_TRANSPORT_RECONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS define, but it didn’t immediately appear that this was a transport connection issue.

It looks like the gateway/node do all their NONCE request/response just fine, but it could be something to do with how all that gets queued and ordered.

Doesn’t look like it has anything to do with ATC at all, since I’ve tried enabling/disabling on both node and gateway.

Also doesn’t look like it has anything to do with the new driver, since I’ve tried both the old and the new and get the same behaviour.

The only difference appears to be the way smartSleep interacts with signed messages.

I’ll keep digging, but if anyone has any ideas what I might be doing wrong here, I’d appreciate any help or advice.

Thanks!

[Guillermo Schimmel]

@guillermo-schimmel It was bothering me that I was using a 16MHz compiled bootloader for 8MHz Arduino Pro Mini.

So I recompiled the bootloader for all the channels and 1MHz, 8MHz and 16MHz.

I don't know yet if it makes a difference but it seems right.

https://github.com/guillebot/MYSensors-Bootloaders

[mmanzanelli]

Hi, Can i burn mysbooloder on arduino mega2560?? its to use as a node. i have a node full functional that manage 24 signals, sensors and actuators. Now i want to make it FOTA node Thanks

[mmanzanelli]

hi, can i use mysbootloder with arduino mega2560? The mega is used as a node that manage 24 sensors / actuators, i use this by the number of pins needed. thnks

[manutremo]

@mmanzanelli I don't think you can, the Mega has a different memory structure not supported by the present bootloaders.

[badmannen]

I have a quick question. so I don´t screw things up more than necessary, What bootloader should I use on a barebone 328p? ... I was just going to burn the "mini pro" that ´@Guillermo Schimmel so kindly uploaded on GitHub. but then I realised ..that might be wrong ..
Can anyone guide me about what to burn in, I am making a bunch of" 2AA Slim-nodes"

Also I ahve 3 old ones, I actually don´t remember but If I understood things correct, the Channel have to be the same on all nodes on the network I assume , and by default it is set to Channel 76, unless manually changed in the "old" code before this FOTA-generation?

I think I read too much info so my mind is slightly confused now =) so I hope it was clear enough

[Guillermo Schimmel]

@badmannen 76 is the default. I uploaded different versions for all the channel numbers.

Have in mind that they all have to match (gateway and all the nodes).

If they don't match they aren't going to see each other.

[badmannen]

@guillermo-schimmel
Ok so If I push this one "MYSBootloader.ch76.8000000L.RF24_PA_LOW.hex" into the FLASH on my barebone 328P via AVRDudess
It should , in theory at least , do the trick ?

And then After I can upload any sketch on top of it, in the Arduino IDE, with just choosing "Programmer-----> USBasp"
which is what I use to connect to the 328P

[Guillermo Schimmel]

@badmannen

1st: In order to upload soft using a cable, you don't need to modify the bootloader. Any bootloader will work.

if and only if you want to experiment with FOTA (uploading firmware via wireless), then:

2nd: if you want to use FOTA and you choose MYSBOOTLOADER, then please check the fuses and lock bits, I dont remember them all. But it seems ok, have a try and let us know!

[badmannen]

@guillermo-schimmel OR Am I making things more complicated than I need? ... maybe it is easier just to copy your hexfile into -->
"ARDUINO_PATH" > hardware > arduino > avr > bootloaders

and then burn it in the Arduino IDE ?

[Guillermo Schimmel]

@badmannen are you sure that your arduino doesn't have a bootloader? why are you trying to modify it?

If it doesn't have a bootloader, or if you want to play with FOTA, then what you are doing it's ok, that is the way I did it.