From 10a7aac121c1a1641b9248cbde5eb87bac420983 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: gru <1+gru@gitea.linuxiarz.pl>
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 2026 10:00:35 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] Update README.md

---
 README.md | 18 ++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 18 insertions(+)

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 306f98d..1d7730a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -151,6 +151,24 @@ Additional environment variables cover history retention, debug, night mode, Hom
 
 Discovery uses UDP broadcast, so routed/VLAN networks must explicitly permit or relay the required traffic.
 
+### Compatibility with newer GREE firmware
+
+GREE Controller supports the two commonly reverse-engineered local LAN protocol generations used by compatible units: the older AES-ECB variant and the newer AES-GCM variant. Protocol auto-detection and binding already cover both generations.
+
+Some newer GREE Wi-Fi modules and firmware releases have been reported to behave differently: the unit is reachable on the network and continues to work in the official GREE+ application, but does not answer the usual local UDP traffic on port `7000`. Reports include firmware branches such as `2.12` and `3.x`, although firmware numbering differs between Wi-Fi module families and should not be treated as a universal compatibility boundary.
+
+For such a unit, failure to discover or bind is not necessarily an encryption problem. If the device sends no response at all to UDP/7000, changing between AES-ECB and AES-GCM cannot restore communication. The current evidence suggests that at least some newer modules may rely primarily on an outbound connection from the device to GREE cloud services instead of exposing the legacy local UDP/7000 interface. It is still possible that particular models use another LAN protocol, port or activation handshake; this has not been confirmed.
+
+A useful diagnostic distinction is:
+
+- **UDP/7000 replies are present, but bind/decryption fails** — likely a protocol, key or binding issue.
+- **UDP/7000 replies use an unexpected payload** — potentially a newer local protocol variant.
+- **The unit has an IP address and works in GREE+, but sends no UDP/7000 reply** — likely not fixable by changing the existing encryption mode; the local LAN API may be disabled or replaced.
+
+Some newer GREE models can also expose energy-consumption information in GREE+. This is a separate capability and does not prove that the legacy UDP API is available. GREE Controller currently does not read or expose energy/power-consumption telemetry from the unit.
+
+If a newly manufactured or recently updated unit cannot be discovered, capture its model, Wi-Fi module model, firmware version and GREE traffic diagnostics before reporting the issue. Avoid assuming that a higher firmware number alone identifies the protocol generation.
+
 ### Multi-NIC / dedicated GREE interface
 
 For a host with separate management and GREE networks, set for example: