Custom Zigbee Gateway Firmware
A Zigbee gateway that keeps working when the cloud goes away.
Stack
Node.jsZigbee2MQTTLinux kernel processesMQTTDebianRockchipOTA tooling
Context
The platform integrates Zigbee devices from many different vendors. The team built custom gateway firmware on top of Zigbee2MQTT, running on a Rockchip-based embedded board with Debian - bridging local devices to a private cloud for remote control and OTA upgrades, while staying functional if that uplink ever goes dark.
Role
Backend / Embedded Developer · DevOps
Highlighted Use Cases
- Cloud-managed gateway - remote control, remote diagnostics, and feature add-ons pushed to building operators
- Cross-vendor Zigbee device integration on a single firmware
- Automatic firmware OTA updates - staged, signed, and reversible
Challenges
- Constrained embedded hardware - tight CPU, memory, and storage budgets
- Stack runs on a Rockchip embedded computer with Debian, not a clean cloud VM
- Low-latency response requirements between local commands and physical devices
- Must keep working when the cloud uplink is offline - the building cannot stop functioning
Metrics
- 10,000+ gateways deployed nationwide
- Data integrity and session continuity held through cloud outages
10,000+ gateways deployed nationwide, holding up through cloud outages.