ChibiOS 20.3.x to 21.11.x Migration Success for Gateway

The migration from ChibiOS 20.3.x to the latest stable 21.11.x branch has been completed internally for the gateway. This upgrade adopts RT kernel version 7, with custom backports for Ethernet and RS485 functionality, plus adaptations to the new UART API for modem operations. A successful build is now available for testing.

​Key Migration Steps

• Updated core OHS components to kernel 7 compatibility, addressing API changes in HAL 8.0.0 including SPIv2 drivers and improved STM32 support.
• Backported custom Ethernet and RS485 drivers, leveraging UART driver callbacks for transmission end events essential in half-duplex RS485 setups.
• Modified modem UART integration to align with the new driver model, ensuring reliable communication in IoT gateway scenarios.

Resources and Downloads

•  Forked ChibiOS repository: https://github.com/vysocan/ChibiOS_21.11.x.git – contains the adapted 21.11.x branch for OHS.
•  Test release with binaries: https://github.com/vysocan/OHS_2-gateway/releases/tag/test_ChibiOS_21_11 – ready for download and deployment on STM32F4x7 hardware.

Potential Hiccups and Tips

Fell free to test the new binary and report any bugs through the discord @ #gw-latest

Site Shop not Functional

The ECWID shop platform was transferred to Shopify and the free tear option was removed. It is an end, for now :), for the possibility to buy the hardware directly on my blogger. I'll have to look up a new way to integrate web shop into it.
 

For now you can look and buy on Tindie. It is free, but taking like 8-10% from the purchase. Or directly ping me via Discord or email. 

Old Forum Removal

The old forum has come to an end, and Nabble now gathers only dust.
All past posts have been sent out to users as backups.

From here on, new conversations will take place on Discord.

 

GW Firmware Updates

Recently, there have been a few noteworthy updates to the GW firmware, primarily from the new GW owners. As always, the latest version 1.5.4 is available on the GitHub  releases page.

Here are some key changes:

• Automatic republishing of zone states to MQTT after reconnecting to the MQTT server. This is useful when updating Home Assistant (HA).
• The lwIP network library has been updated to stable version 2.2.0.
• mDNS has been added, both as a client and resolver. The GW is now accessible at http://ohs.local, eliminating the need to search for its DHCP-assigned address.
• A test alert feature has been added to the web interface, making it easier to verify that all alert paths are properly configured directly from the browser.
• A new alert path has been introduced. Now, all alerts can be propagated to the MQTT topic /OHS/alert and subsequently consumed in HA.
• The shell, accessible via USB, now allows for resetting the web admin user to its default settings.
  

 

 

Fingerprint Reader

An interesting addition to authentication node by p2baron. Check the video of the integration. Source code is available on discord.

Discord

For those who are interested, here is a link to Discord server:
https://discord.gg/PEUAUv6XxV

Discord is replacing rather old and not anymore used OHS forum. Also, I will try to redirect all email conversation to Discord in future, just for the convenience for the newcomers.

MQTT Homeassistant Auto Discovery

A new version of the gateway firmware (v1.5.0) is now available, offering enhanced MQTT support with the addition of Home Assistant Auto Discovery. As always, the updated firmware image is available on GitHub.

Now, let's take a closer look at what MQTT and Home Assistant Auto Discovery are.

MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) is a lightweight messaging protocol ideal for devices that need to communicate in real-time, such as sensors and smart home devices. By implementing MQTT in your burglar alarm system, you enable real-time data transfer between the system and Home Assistant. 

Home Assistant Auto Discovery is a feature that allows Home Assistant to automatically detect and configure devices that support MQTT. This eliminates the need for manual configuration, as Home Assistant will automatically generate entities such as sensors, switches, and binary sensors based on the MQTT messages from your alarm system.

If you're new to MQTT, Home Assistant offers a convenient solution with the Mosquitto Broker add-on. You can easily install it directly from Home Assistant by navigating to Settings > Add-on Store and searching for "Mosquitto Broker." Once installed, head over to the Mosquitto Broker page in the Add-ons section, and click Start to launch the broker. For added security, it's recommended to create a dedicated user (e.g., "mosquitto") with its own password, under which the broker will operate.

Now let's go back to new gateway features. As always they are configurable over the web
interface. Main option to enable Home Assistant Auto Discovery is right on the Setting page as a toggle switch as shown on the picture. Enabling this will create the main MQTT topic for system state, allowing the Home Assistant to see it along with hardware and software version information and link to gateway web configuration page.

Additionally, similar switches are added to all groups and zones. When these switches are enabled, they are automatically propagated to Home Assistant as corresponding entities. This allows you to manage and control these groups and zones seamlessly within Home Assistant, enhancing integration and automation possibilities.

Following picture shows my gateway as new device inside Devices & services for MQTT.

This then can be then added to dashboard, and interacted with as any other Home Assistant device. 

Hope you like it :)