diff --git a/files/ansible-playbooks/sot-updater.yml b/files/ansible-playbooks/sot-updater.yml
index a8d7598..da77cf0 100644
--- a/files/ansible-playbooks/sot-updater.yml
+++ b/files/ansible-playbooks/sot-updater.yml
@@ -1,35 +1,27 @@
 ---
-# updater.yml — read Dev1 & Dev2 firmware versions and publish to controls → netbox-reporter
-# Run: nbplay updater.yml <device>
+# sot-updater.yml — Read Dev1 & Dev2 firmware and publish to controls → netbox-reporter
+# Run: nbplay sot-updater.yml <device>
 
 - name: Read fw on Dev1 + Dev2, publish NetBox custom fields
   hosts: all
   gather_facts: no
 
   vars:
-    # Busybox-safe PATH prefix for raw calls on DEV1 (as in update-rebootin222)
+    # Busybox-safe PATH prefix for raw calls on DEV1
     pathprefix: "PATH=/sbin:/usr/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin:$PATH; "
 
-    # DEV1 credentials (as in update-indoor)
+    # DEV1 credentials for tunnel
     dev1_user: "root"
     dev1_pass: "wavewave"
 
-    # Tunnel target DEV2 behind DEV1 (as in update-indoor)
+    # Tunnel target DEV2 behind DEV1
     dev2_host: "192.168.1.1"
     dev2_port: 22
     dev2_ssh_user: "root"
     dev2_side_ip: "192.168.1.11/24"
     dev1_iface: "br-wan"
 
-    # Password files sequence (as in update-indoor: try basicpass then basicpass2)
-    # NOTE: The selection below mirrors the exact “try #1 → select → try #2 → select → NONE” flow from update-indoor.
-    # Do not alter ordering.
-    # (Values are file names as used in your repo/environment.)
-    # We do not loop; we replicate the same task structure.
-    # The read of firmux uses whichever got selected.
-    # — Pavel’s rule: on-device commands remain immutable; we’re only orchestrating controller-side steps here.
-    
-    # Rabbit journaling (mirrors update-indoor / rebootin222)
+    # Rabbit journaling defaults
     rmq_host: "{{ lookup('env','RMQ_HOST') | default('10.210.12.2', true) }}"
     rmq_port: "{{ lookup('env','RMQ_PORT') | default('15672', true) }}"
     rmq_user: "{{ lookup('env','RMQ_USER') | default('admin', true) }}"
@@ -39,12 +31,25 @@
     control_queue: "{{ lookup('env','CONTROLQUEUE') | default('queue_controls', true) }}"
 
   tasks:
-    # ----------------------------- DEV1: read current banner (exactly like update-rebootin222) -----------------------------
+    # ───────────────────────── Progress: start ─────────────────────────
+    - name: ⚙️ Start | Device processing begins (Dev1 phase)
+      debug:
+        msg:
+          - "Device: {{ inventory_hostname }}"
+          - "Phase: Dev1 (read banner & publish fw_version)"
+
+    # ───────────────────────── DEV1 ─────────────────────────
     - name: Dev1 | Read first /etc/banner line containing 'rev'
       ansible.builtin.raw: "{{ pathprefix }} cat /etc/banner | grep -i rev | head -n1"
       register: dev1_banner
       changed_when: false
 
+    - name: Dev1 | Debug banner output
+      debug:
+        msg:
+          - "Dev1 banner raw: {{ (dev1_banner.stdout | default('') | trim) | regex_replace('\\n',' ') }}"
+
+    # Keep the agreed format EXACTLY "X.Y.Z rev NNNN" (no timestamp).
     - name: Dev1 | Extract 'X.Y.Z rev NNNN' from banner (no timestamp)
       delegate_to: localhost
       set_fact:
@@ -54,6 +59,36 @@
             | regex_replace('^(.+?[Rr][Ee][Vv]\\.??\\s*[0-9]+).*$', '\\1')
           }}
 
+    - name: Dev1 | Debug normalized fw string to be published
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      debug:
+        msg:
+          - "Dev1 fw_version (clean): {{ dev1_fw_clean }}"
+
+    # Build a preview of the EXACT payload string (for troubleshooting).
+    - name: Dev1 | Build payload preview string
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      set_fact:
+        dev1_payload_preview: >-
+          {{
+            {
+              "properties": {"content_type": "application/json"},
+              "routing_key": control_queue,
+              "payload": ({
+                "inscope_device": (ansible_hostname | default(inventory_hostname)),
+                "task_name": "custom_field_set",
+                "task_add1": "fw_version",
+                "task_result": dev1_fw_clean
+              } | to_json),
+              "payload_encoding": "string"
+            } | to_json
+          }}
+
+    - name: Dev1 | Debug EXACT publish body (payload preview)
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      debug:
+        var: dev1_payload_preview
+
     - name: Publish → controls | custom_field_set fw_version (Dev1)
       delegate_to: localhost
       ansible.builtin.uri:
@@ -75,9 +110,22 @@
             'task_result': dev1_fw_clean
           } | to_json }}"
           payload_encoding: "string"
+      register: dev1_publish_resp
       changed_when: false
 
-    # ----------------------------- TUNNEL PREP (update-indoor blocks copied) -----------------------------
+    - name: Dev1 | Debug publish API response
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      debug:
+        msg:
+          - "Dev1 publish response: {{ dev1_publish_resp.json | default(dev1_publish_resp) }}"
+
+    - name: ✅ Progress | Completed Dev1, moving to tunnel & Dev2 phase
+      debug:
+        msg:
+          - "Device: {{ inventory_hostname }}"
+          - "Phase switch: Dev1 done → Dev2 (tunnel, auth, read indoor_fwver)"
+
+    # ───────────────────────── TUNNEL PREP ─────────────────────────
     - name: Add temporary IP on DEV1 (tolerate 'File exists')
       ansible.builtin.raw: >
         {{ pathprefix }}
@@ -88,6 +136,13 @@
                    and ('File exists' not in (add_ip.stdout | default('')))
                    and ('File exists' not in (add_ip.stderr | default('')))
 
+    - name: Debug | temp IP add result
+      debug:
+        msg:
+          - "Add IP rc={{ add_ip.rc }}"
+          - "stdout={{ (add_ip.stdout | default('')) | trim }}"
+          - "stderr={{ (add_ip.stderr | default('')) | trim }}"
+
     - name: Pick a free local TCP port for the tunnel (controller)
       delegate_to: localhost
       ansible.builtin.shell: |
@@ -111,6 +166,12 @@
       register: pick_port
       changed_when: false
 
+    - name: Debug | chosen local tunnel port
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      debug:
+        msg:
+          - "Chosen local port: {{ pick_port.stdout | trim }}"
+
     - name: Stop if no free local port was found
       ansible.builtin.meta: end_host
       when: (pick_port.stdout | trim | length) == 0
@@ -130,6 +191,12 @@
       set_fact:
         _ctrl_sock: "{{ _ctrl_dir }}/ssh_tunnel_ctl"
 
+    - name: Debug | ControlMaster paths
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      debug:
+        msg:
+          - "_ctrl_dir={{ _ctrl_dir }}"
+          - "_ctrl_sock={{ _ctrl_sock }}"
 
     - name: Start SSH ControlMaster and forward 127.0.0.1:local → DEV2:22 via DEV1
       delegate_to: localhost
@@ -148,6 +215,14 @@
       register: start_tunnel
       changed_when: true
 
+    - name: Debug | tunnel start status
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      debug:
+        msg:
+          - "Started ControlMaster tunnel (rc={{ start_tunnel.rc | default('n/a') }})"
+          - "stdout={{ (start_tunnel.stdout | default('')) | trim }}"
+          - "stderr={{ (start_tunnel.stderr | default('')) | trim }}"
+
     - name: Probe TCP reachability to DEV2 through the tunnel
       delegate_to: localhost
       ansible.builtin.shell: "nc -z -w5 127.0.0.1 {{ _local_port }}"
@@ -155,11 +230,25 @@
       changed_when: false
       ignore_errors: true
 
+    - name: Debug | tunnel probe result
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      debug:
+        msg:
+          - "Tunnel TCP probe rc={{ nc_probe.rc }} (0=OK)"
+          - "stdout={{ (nc_probe.stdout | default('')) | trim }}"
+          - "stderr={{ (nc_probe.stderr | default('')) | trim }}"
+
     - name: Stop if tunnel TCP probe failed
       ansible.builtin.meta: end_host
       when: nc_probe.rc != 0
 
-    # ----------------------------- DEV2 AUTH PICK (exact task sequence from update-indoor) -----------------------------
+    - name: ✅ Progress | Tunnel OK, proceeding to Dev2 auth and reads
+      debug:
+        msg:
+          - "Device: {{ inventory_hostname }}"
+          - "Phase: Dev2 (auth selection, firmux/banner read)"
+
+    # ───────────────────────── DEV2 AUTH PICK (as per update-indoor) ─────────────────────────
     - name: Try DEV2 login with 'basicpass' (root)
       delegate_to: localhost
       ansible.builtin.shell: |
@@ -175,6 +264,11 @@
       changed_when: false
       ignore_errors: true
 
+    - name: Debug | basicpass try rc
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      debug:
+        msg: "DEV2 'basicpass' try rc={{ dev2_try_basicpass.rc }} (0=OK)"
+
     - name: Select 'basicpass' if previous login succeeded
       when: dev2_try_basicpass.rc == 0
       delegate_to: localhost
@@ -198,6 +292,11 @@
       changed_when: false
       ignore_errors: true
 
+    - name: Debug | basicpass2 try rc
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      debug:
+        msg: "DEV2 'basicpass2' try rc={{ dev2_try_basicpass2.rc | default('n/a') }} (0=OK)"
+
     - name: Select 'basicpass2' if previous login succeeded
       when: dev2_passfile_used is not defined and dev2_try_basicpass2.rc == 0
       delegate_to: localhost
@@ -212,7 +311,12 @@
         dev2_passfile_used: "NONE"
       changed_when: false
 
-    # ----------------------------- DEV2 firmware read (update-indoor firmux primary check) -----------------------------
+    - name: Debug | selected passfile
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      debug:
+        msg: "DEV2 passfile used: {{ dev2_passfile_used }}"
+
+    # ───────────────────────── DEV2 READS ─────────────────────────
     - name: Dev2 | Read /usr/lib/release/firmux (if present)
       when: dev2_passfile_used != "NONE"
       delegate_to: localhost
@@ -259,7 +363,13 @@
             else (dev2_banner.stdout | default('') | trim)
           }}
 
-    - name: Dev2 | Normalize to X.Y.Z-rNNNN (convert trailing 'rev NNNN' → '-rNNNN')
+    - name: Dev2 | Debug raw indoor fw string
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      debug:
+        msg:
+          - "Dev2 indoor_fw_raw: {{ indoor_fw_raw }}"
+
+    - name: Dev2 | Normalize to 'X.Y.Z rev NNNN' or already '-rNNNN' style
       delegate_to: localhost
       ansible.builtin.set_fact:
         indoor_fw_norm: >-
@@ -271,6 +381,43 @@
               )
           }}
 
+    - name: Dev2 | Debug normalized indoor fw string
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      debug:
+        msg:
+          - "Dev2 indoor_fw_norm: {{ indoor_fw_norm }}"
+
+    # Build payload preview (exact string).
+    - name: Dev2 | Build payload preview string
+      when:
+        - dev2_passfile_used != "NONE"
+        - indoor_fw_norm is defined
+        - (indoor_fw_norm | length) > 0
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      set_fact:
+        dev2_payload_preview: >-
+          {{
+            {
+              "properties": {"content_type": "application/json"},
+              "routing_key": control_queue,
+              "payload": ({
+                "inscope_device": (ansible_hostname | default(inventory_hostname)),
+                "task_name": "custom_field_set",
+                "task_add1": "indoor_fwver",
+                "task_result": indoor_fw_norm
+              } | to_json),
+              "payload_encoding": "string"
+            } | to_json
+          }}
+
+    - name: Dev2 | Debug EXACT publish body (payload preview)
+      when:
+        - dev2_passfile_used != "NONE"
+        - dev2_payload_preview is defined
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      debug:
+        var: dev2_payload_preview
+
     - name: Publish → controls | custom_field_set indoor_fwver (Dev2)
       when:
         - dev2_passfile_used != "NONE"
@@ -296,9 +443,22 @@
             'task_result': indoor_fw_norm
           } | to_json }}"
           payload_encoding: "string"
+      register: dev2_publish_resp
       changed_when: false
 
+    - name: Dev2 | Debug publish API response
+      when: dev2_publish_resp is defined
+      delegate_to: localhost
+      debug:
+        msg:
+          - "Dev2 publish response: {{ dev2_publish_resp.json | default(dev2_publish_resp) }}"
+
   post_tasks:
+    - name: ✅ Progress | Finishing up (cleanup)
+      debug:
+        msg:
+          - "Cleanup phase: closing ControlMaster & removing temp IP"
+
     - name: Close SSH ControlMaster (best-effort)
       delegate_to: localhost
       ansible.builtin.shell: "ssh -S '{{ _ctrl_sock | default('/dev/null') }}' -O exit 2>/dev/null || true"
@@ -321,3 +481,16 @@
       failed_when: del_ip.rc != 0
                    and ('Cannot assign requested address' not in (del_ip.stdout | default('')))
                    and ('Cannot assign requested address' not in (del_ip.stderr | default('')))
+
+    - name: Debug | temp IP del result
+      debug:
+        msg:
+          - "Del IP rc={{ del_ip.rc }}"
+          - "stdout={{ (del_ip.stdout | default('')) | trim }}"
+          - "stderr={{ (del_ip.stderr | default('')) | trim }}"
+
+    - name: ✅ Progress | Completed device processing
+      debug:
+        msg:
+          - "Device: {{ inventory_hostname }}"
+          - "Status: DONE (Dev1+Dev2 processed)"