OTA firmware updates in Z-Wave is a brilliant concept - rather than having to know there are firmware updates available for each and every device, rather than every device having its own and different way of doing firmware updates, rather than the end-user who isn't necessarily technically minded trying to tinker and potentially screw up firmware updates, there is a single universal system that takes care of it transparently behind the scenes.
Unfortunately what OTA firmware has instead done is shoved a nuclear warhead right up the ass of anyone using Z-Wave.
The gateways either don't, or don't fully, support it. You must therefore do it manually,
however because the firmware update must be done via the OTA function of Z-Wave you are instead given the immense pleasure of being totally and utterly screwed:
- You must buy a Z-Wave stick
- You must know that a firmware update is available for a particular device
- You must unpair each Z-Wave device from your system, therefore completely trashing everything you have configured
- You must pair each device to your Z-Wave stick
- You must go through the firmware update process for that device
- You must unpair each device from your Z-wave stick
- You must repair each Z-Wave device to your gateway
- You must then reconfigure everything from scratch - settings, scenes, everything
OTA firmware is a brilliant concept that has instead ^&%$# everyone over.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the only way I know this is entirely smooth is if you have Fibaro devices and a Fibaro HC2... in that where you have the same manufacturer all the way through they officially support doing the OTA firmwares that were promised. Otherwise you must go through the above hell.
