Support firmware downloading (reading fw from device)

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe. I have an idea that’s mostly a curiosity right now: Can we build a firmware database, with easily-usable binaries for different device types? (We probably can’t… licensing and whatnot).

Part of this idea involves gathering firmwares that can be tricky to get. Downloading a firmware from a device, would help a lot. Devices with newer firmwares could help efforts to flash older devices, even when the original manufacturer refuses or can’t provide new firmware images.

Describe the solution you’d like In the docs for the z-wave COMMAND_CLASS_FIRMWARE_UPDATE_MD CC, it says:

The Firmware Update Meta Data Command Class may be used to transfer a firmware image to or from a Z-Wave node.

This is for version 4+, and most of the devices I’ve seen are version 3 - but here’s to hoping.

If it was possible, an API to download a firmware image from the device would be beneficial. The downloaded images would be as raw as they could be, without any additional packing or whatnot from manufacturers… 😃

Describe alternatives you’ve considered N/A

Additional context Entirely theoretical, it should be possible to flash one device via. another… Hmm…

I originally wrote about this on ozw.

[blhoward2]

Now the the timeout is over and thread cleaned up, I’m unlocking this again. In speaking with @AlCalzone we have no interest in hosting firmware images. Let’s please limit discussion to the requested function to download firmware from the device, if doing so is even possible.

[LordMike]

I think this is a bad idea as it exposes the project to potential legal wrangling for little benefit. It’s one thing to let the user retrieve the firmware and another to distribute that binary without permission.

I wouldn’t say zwavejs should make the store… Merely implement the API to fetch the fw… 😃