Premise: The author uses the article to describe their experience "reclaiming" their robot vacuum from the cloud, using the open source project Valetudo.
Premise: The author uses the article to describe their experience "reclaiming" their robot vacuum from the cloud, using the open source project Valetudo.
Valetudo is a firmware replacement for your robot. It integrates with a vacuum’s existing software and acts like a cloud replacement that allows you to control your robot vacuum locally. Instead of having to use a proprietary app on your phone, which connects to a distant server, which then connects back to your robot, you can simply control it directly with either an Android app or a simple web interface. (An iOS app is currently not available.) It also works with MQTT, and it can be controlled via the open-source home automation solution Home Assistant once properly configured.
I find it interesting that the author plainly defines Valetudo as a custom firmware replacement, whereas the project’s github page very clearly states it is not a custom firmware. The project acts...
I find it interesting that the author plainly defines Valetudo as a custom firmware replacement, whereas the project’s github page very clearly states it is not a custom firmware.
The project acts as a replacement cloud, which seems far less intrusive (or risky) to me than flashing custom firmware onto the vacuum. Just surprised the author missed that relatively important piece of information.
While I agree that this would generally sound like the "safer" approach, I'd wonder (before having read the article, I will do so later) how the replacement cloud as a "target" is achieved without...
I find it interesting that the author plainly defines Valetudo as a custom firmware replacement, whereas the project’s github page very clearly states it is not a custom firmware.
The project acts as a replacement cloud, which seems far less intrusive (or risky) to me than flashing custom firmware onto the vacuum.
While I agree that this would generally sound like the "safer" approach, I'd wonder (before having read the article, I will do so later) how the replacement cloud as a "target" is achieved without some form of soft- or firmware substitution?
I read in as far as the I could, and it does look like they require you to do what they call "rooting" of the device. Which is, essentially, installing a custom firmware on the robot. it...
I read in as far as the I could, and it does look like they require you to do what they call "rooting" of the device. Which is, essentially, installing a custom firmware on the robot. it definitely seems to be a hacked firmware situation.
I was going to guess they used something like DNS redirection or simple port redirection to intercept calls to the server and replace them with their own, but it seems much more invasive than that.
The days when you could just mess with DNS are largely over thanks to TLS and certificates. Even in the notoriously lazy and security free embedded space it is now the default because you'd have...
The days when you could just mess with DNS are largely over thanks to TLS and certificates. Even in the notoriously lazy and security free embedded space it is now the default because you'd have to do a tiny amount of extra work to use plain http.
I'd still say that there's a large gap between a) patching the vendors firmware and rooting a device and flashing something completely custom, and b) what exactly firmware means - is it just the on device software but largely a standard Linux userland or is it a large blob of assembler and device specific code that runs without a proper os and pokes into hardware registers?
I will be trying this out in the near future. I have a 2-year-old Roborock S7 -- unfortunately, one of the trickier ones to hack, but I'm up for the challenge. The robot worked great for a year,...
I will be trying this out in the near future. I have a 2-year-old Roborock S7 -- unfortunately, one of the trickier ones to hack, but I'm up for the challenge.
The robot worked great for a year, but then after we moved to a new flat, it simply never connected to the new network here, no matter how many times, how many tricks I tried. For the past year, it has continued to work great physically, but with extremely limited set-up/customization options, as the app is now useless.
I'm moving again in a few weeks, so it is entirely possible that the robot will start working again once I have Internet set up at the new place, but even so, I prefer the "not-phoning-home" option. It will be a month or so before I can dive into this project, but I will definitely try it, and if I remember, I will report back here on the outcome.
If you went for it, what is the experience of using Valetudo? We had Electrolux Pure i9.2 which worked really well until it (presumably) downloaded new frmware that caused it to randomly ignore...
If you went for it, what is the experience of using Valetudo?
We had Electrolux Pure i9.2 which worked really well until it (presumably) downloaded new frmware that caused it to randomly ignore parts of the house. Luckily it was still in warranty period and they actually went through and sent back money instead of trying to fix it or sending new unit. So now I have budget and I'm looking for something used to run Valetudo on (not buying new to hack it right away).
Thanks for your reply. I'm looking at used market and will jump on any (rather budget) vacuum that shows up. I will probably make a thread here if I go for it.
Thanks for your reply. I'm looking at used market and will jump on any (rather budget) vacuum that shows up. I will probably make a thread here if I go for it.
How is your experience with using Valetudo on your vacuum? I'm looking for some used vacuum that can be hacked and would love to know how well it actually works. Maybe if you could, would you mind...
How is your experience with using Valetudo on your vacuum?
I'm looking for some used vacuum that can be hacked and would love to know how well it actually works. Maybe if you could, would you mind relaying my contact info to your husband (will send in PM)? I'd love to have a chat with someone who actually set it up. But I'd love info on using it in everyday life as well!
I also did this a few years ago on a first-gen Xiaomi vacuum. It works as well as it does with the OEM firmware (I'm pretty sure it's using the same software with some scripts wrapped around it)....
I also did this a few years ago on a first-gen Xiaomi vacuum. It works as well as it does with the OEM firmware (I'm pretty sure it's using the same software with some scripts wrapped around it). AIUI the cloud doesn't control any of the actual navigation and mapping, it's just inexplicably required for setup.
I don't actually use it anymore because my living situation is now such that robot vacuums generally don't work very well (I gained several cats who leave their toys everywhere, and also got worse at not leaving my own stuff on the ground), but that's not really a software issue. If you're within reasonable shipping distance of Ohio and don't mind having such an old unit, I wouldn't mind getting rid of it.
edit: wow this thread is way older than I thought, whoops
edit2: oh, it's back on the front page specifically because of your comments. un-whoops
Thabks for your offer. I believe Europe is not in the reasonable shipping distance though :-) Valetudo seems to be the layer on top of furmware - vacuum functions are untouched and still original...
Thabks for your offer. I believe Europe is not in the reasonable shipping distance though :-)
Valetudo seems to be the layer on top of furmware - vacuum functions are untouched and still original but the robot thinks it communicates with own servers while Valetudo intercepts this communication and makes it available to you through GUI locally.
I've always wanted a Roomba that curses explicatives when it runs into something. Could get some A-list Hollywood celeb voice packages, like the old days of Garmin.
I've always wanted a Roomba that curses explicatives when it runs into something. Could get some A-list Hollywood celeb voice packages, like the old days of Garmin.
When I last replaced my robot vac I specifically bought a model that was supported by Valetudo and the serial adapter that I needed to install it -- and then discovered that the vacuum worked just...
When I last replaced my robot vac I specifically bought a model that was supported by Valetudo and the serial adapter that I needed to install it -- and then discovered that the vacuum worked just fine without a network connection, so I just push the start button every other day or so and let it do its thing and never bothered to install the software. It might be best that I didn't because I did have a problem where it froze and refused to respond to button presses and had to send it in for repairs -- so now it probably has a newer firmware that can't be rooted.
Premise: The author uses the article to describe their experience "reclaiming" their robot vacuum from the cloud, using the open source project Valetudo.
I find it interesting that the author plainly defines Valetudo as a custom firmware replacement, whereas the project’s github page very clearly states it is not a custom firmware.
The project acts as a replacement cloud, which seems far less intrusive (or risky) to me than flashing custom firmware onto the vacuum. Just surprised the author missed that relatively important piece of information.
While I agree that this would generally sound like the "safer" approach, I'd wonder (before having read the article, I will do so later) how the replacement cloud as a "target" is achieved without some form of soft- or firmware substitution?
I read in as far as the I could, and it does look like they require you to do what they call "rooting" of the device. Which is, essentially, installing a custom firmware on the robot. it definitely seems to be a hacked firmware situation.
I was going to guess they used something like DNS redirection or simple port redirection to intercept calls to the server and replace them with their own, but it seems much more invasive than that.
The days when you could just mess with DNS are largely over thanks to TLS and certificates. Even in the notoriously lazy and security free embedded space it is now the default because you'd have to do a tiny amount of extra work to use plain http.
I'd still say that there's a large gap between a) patching the vendors firmware and rooting a device and flashing something completely custom, and b) what exactly firmware means - is it just the on device software but largely a standard Linux userland or is it a large blob of assembler and device specific code that runs without a proper os and pokes into hardware registers?
I will be trying this out in the near future. I have a 2-year-old Roborock S7 -- unfortunately, one of the trickier ones to hack, but I'm up for the challenge.
The robot worked great for a year, but then after we moved to a new flat, it simply never connected to the new network here, no matter how many times, how many tricks I tried. For the past year, it has continued to work great physically, but with extremely limited set-up/customization options, as the app is now useless.
I'm moving again in a few weeks, so it is entirely possible that the robot will start working again once I have Internet set up at the new place, but even so, I prefer the "not-phoning-home" option. It will be a month or so before I can dive into this project, but I will definitely try it, and if I remember, I will report back here on the outcome.
If you went for it, what is the experience of using Valetudo?
We had Electrolux Pure i9.2 which worked really well until it (presumably) downloaded new frmware that caused it to randomly ignore parts of the house. Luckily it was still in warranty period and they actually went through and sent back money instead of trying to fix it or sending new unit. So now I have budget and I'm looking for something used to run Valetudo on (not buying new to hack it right away).
My bot found the wi-fi in the new flat, again works fine, so I keep putting this off.
Sorry, nothing to report, yet.
Thanks for your reply. I'm looking at used market and will jump on any (rather budget) vacuum that shows up. I will probably make a thread here if I go for it.
We did this. Thankfully my husband likes to tinker with tech issues. I don't like appliances phoning home to any remote headquarters.
How is your experience with using Valetudo on your vacuum?
I'm looking for some used vacuum that can be hacked and would love to know how well it actually works. Maybe if you could, would you mind relaying my contact info to your husband (will send in PM)? I'd love to have a chat with someone who actually set it up. But I'd love info on using it in everyday life as well!
I also did this a few years ago on a first-gen Xiaomi vacuum. It works as well as it does with the OEM firmware (I'm pretty sure it's using the same software with some scripts wrapped around it). AIUI the cloud doesn't control any of the actual navigation and mapping, it's just inexplicably required for setup.
I don't actually use it anymore because my living situation is now such that robot vacuums generally don't work very well (I gained several cats who leave their toys everywhere, and also got worse at not leaving my own stuff on the ground), but that's not really a software issue. If you're within reasonable shipping distance of Ohio and don't mind having such an old unit, I wouldn't mind getting rid of it.
edit: wow this thread is way older than I thought, whoops
edit2: oh, it's back on the front page specifically because of your comments. un-whoops
Thabks for your offer. I believe Europe is not in the reasonable shipping distance though :-)
Valetudo seems to be the layer on top of furmware - vacuum functions are untouched and still original but the robot thinks it communicates with own servers while Valetudo intercepts this communication and makes it available to you through GUI locally.
I've always wanted a Roomba that curses explicatives when it runs into something. Could get some A-list Hollywood celeb voice packages, like the old days of Garmin.
When I last replaced my robot vac I specifically bought a model that was supported by Valetudo and the serial adapter that I needed to install it -- and then discovered that the vacuum worked just fine without a network connection, so I just push the start button every other day or so and let it do its thing and never bothered to install the software. It might be best that I didn't because I did have a problem where it froze and refused to respond to button presses and had to send it in for repairs -- so now it probably has a newer firmware that can't be rooted.