🔗 Combine the Power of Two Solutions and Create a Limitless Smart Home

Home Assistant is a popular open-source smart home platform. It runs on devices like Raspberry Pi, computers, NAS storage, and similar, unifying devices of various brands and protocols into a single platform.

Two main reasons to choose Home Assistant:

🔒 Local operation, data sovereignty: All data stays on your own server — no cloud dependency. Devices continue to work even during internet outages, and your user habits and scene data remain private.

🔗  Open ecosystem, rich protocol support: Home Assistant supports Zigbee, Wi-Fi, Matter, MQTT, Z-Wave, and practically all major smart home protocols — integrating devices from various brands into one interface for joint automation creation.

SONOFF offers a wide range of devices: DIY retrofit modules, wall switches, thermostats, water valves, various sensors, and much more. To make its devices accessible to Home Assistant users, SONOFF provides multiple integration options for each protocol and device type.

This blog will guide you through the individual integration methods and help you choose the right one for your needs.

1. Zigbee Devices

Zigbee is a low-power mesh network protocol. SONOFF's Zigbee devices include various sensors (PIR motion sensors, human presence sensors, temperature and humidity sensors, etc.), smart switches and plugs, wall switches, thermostats, and water valves.

There are three ways to connect Zigbee devices to the Home Assistant system, covering everything from "purely local control" to "dual-platform synchronization".

1.1 Direct Connection via Dongle (USB Adapter)

How it works: Most host devices for Home Assistant do not have a built-in Zigbee module — therefore, a Zigbee Dongle (adapter) is required to send and receive Zigbee signals. The SONOFF Dongle series belongs among the top products in this field.

Compatible devices: Almost all SONOFF Zigbee devices can be connected via this adapter.

Integration method: After configuring the dongle in Home Assistant via the ZHA (Zigbee Home Automation) or Zigbee2MQTT (Z2M) integration, SONOFF Zigbee devices are automatically discovered and added as entities into the Home Assistant system, where they are ready for automations and scenes.

🧩 ZHA: Integrated directly into the Home Assistant core; easy configuration, suitable for most users.

⚙️ Zigbee2MQTT: Richer features, a more extensive community ecosystem, support for multiple device types, and broader customization options.

📝 Note: If you are not sure which dongle to choose, check out the SONOFF Dongle Selection Guide:

https://obchod.homesystem.sk/blog/porovnanie-usb-donglov--ktory-model-je-ten-pravy-pre-vas/

⚠️ Important: Zigbee devices added via a dongle will only appear in the Home Assistant system — they cannot be controlled from the eWeLink app. If you need to manage devices from both Home Assistant and eWeLink, see the Matter Bridge option below.

1.2 Synchronization via Matter Bridge

How it works: The SONOFF ZBBridge-U (Zigbee Bridge Ultra) and NSPanel Pro devices have a built-in dual function: Zigbee gateway + Matter Bridge. You can first add SONOFF Zigbee devices to the eWeLink app and then synchronize them with Home Assistant as "local Matter devices" via the Matter Bridge protocol.

Why choose Matter Bridge?

📱 Dual-platform control: Devices can be managed in both the eWeLink app (remote control, scene automation) and the Home Assistant system.

🏠 Local communication: Once synchronized with Home Assistant, the devices act as standard Matter devices — communication takes place exclusively on the local area network (LAN), without cloud dependency.

💡 Broad device support: Not just sub-devices via Zigbee — it also synchronizes Wi-Fi devices on the local network and eWeLink-Remote scene controllers.

ZBBridge-U

Type: Zigbee Gateway | Matter Bridge

Main advantages: High-performance Zigbee gateway, supports Ethernet connection.

NSPanel Pro

Type: Zigbee Gateway | Matter Bridge

Main advantages: Smart home control panel, supports downloading the Home Assistant app via the F-Droid platform.

Best for:

🎛️ Users who want to control devices from both Home Assistant and the eWeLink app.

📲 Users who are already familiar with the eWeLink ecosystem and do not want to give up remote control via the app.

1.3 MQTT Synchronization

Best for: users familiar with MQTT integration in Home Assistant who need to retain device features and settings beyond what the Matter standard defines.

The Matter protocol defines a standardized set of features (such as on/off), but some SONOFF devices have manufacturer-specific advanced functions. These features are preserved in the direct MQTT connection mode, whereas they might be partially simplified in the Matter Bridge synchronization mode.

📝  Note: MQTT integration requires some configuration knowledge and an NSPanel Pro or ZBBridge-U device.

2. Wi-Fi Devices

SONOFF's Wi-Fi devices include various retrofit modules, wall switches, plugs, and more — distributed throughout the household, controlling lights in different rooms. Depending on whether the device supports the Matter protocol, there are different ways, to add them to Home Assistant.

2.1 Matter-Certified Devices – Direct Addition

Best for: Devices with the Matter certification logo (look for the Matter mark on the product page or packaging).

Matter is a next-generation smart home interoperability protocol led by the CSA (Connectivity Standards Alliance). Matter-certified devices have the advantage of "standardization": device features are defined by the protocol itself, so adding them to any Matter-compatible platform (Home Assistant, Apple Home, Google Home, etc.) requires no additional drivers or add-ons.

Setup steps:

1. Make sure you have the Matter integration installed in your Home Assistant system (add it via "Settings → Devices & Services").

2. Open the eWeLink app with your paired device and verify that the device is online.

3. In Home Assistant, search for and add a Matter device, then follow the instructions to scan the QR code using the eWeLink app to complete the pairing.

Once added, the device will appear in Home Assistant as a standard Matter device – all standard features (switch state, brightness control, etc.) work immediately.

2.2 Non-Matter Devices — Matter Bridge or Synchronization via eWeLink Add-on

Best for: Older models without Matter firmware support, where you still want to see and control the devices from the Home Assistant system.

These devices can be synchronized with Home Assistant via a Matter Bridge gateway or the eWeLink Smart Home add-on. The Matter Bridge feature is described above. The eWeLink Smart Home add-on works by downloading it within Home Assistant and logging into your eWeLink account – synchronized devices appear as entity cards in Home Assistant and support basic operations, such as toggling switches.

3. eWeLink-Remote Control

eWeLink-Remote is SONOFF's solution for local scene remote control, designed for the eWeLink app.

Typical devices include:

🔲 R5: Multi-scene remote controller, supports simultaneous linkage of multiple devices or scenes

⚡ S-mate2: DIY switch, designed to work with external switches

eWeLink-Remote devices now support integration with Home Assistant via Matter Bridge — you can therefore use them as local scene controllers directly within Home Assistant.

How it works: Using the Matter Bridge feature on ZBBridge-U or NSPanel Pro devices, you synchronize the eWeLink-Remote devices directly with Home Assistant and then set up local automations triggered by this controller.

Integration Methods Overview

There is no single "right way" to connect SONOFF devices to the Home Assistant system — it all depends on your user habits and priorities:

Direct Connection (Dongle) is the best choice if you are looking for purely local, stable, and uncompromising control.

Matter Bridge provides the most balanced experience if you require synergy and simultaneous operation of both platforms (Home Assistant and the eWeLink app).

MQTT offers the most freedom for users with more technical knowledge (DIY) who want to maintain access to the advanced features of their devices.

At the same time, as the Matter ecosystem gradually matures, more and more Wi-Fi devices will be able to offer immediate "out-of-the-box" integration thanks to standardization.

The SONOFF brand will continue to support the open-source community ecosystem to bring you an even more convenient and carefree smart home life.