Hello, I’m just starting out in home automation and so far I haven’t bought any home automation products except for a Beelink mini PC. I was wondering about this product, which in theory could coordinate Zigbee and Thread products at the same time:
1/ Will it be sufficient to manage Thread products or do I need another product like an Echo Dot or Google Home?
2/ Is it currently useful to have this type of product? Would it be better to start with a Zigbee antenna for less than €10?
Thanks in advance for your insights!
Hi @Zenfull!
I’ve never tested the Sonoff Dongle Max, but from what I understand, it’s quite similar to the SMLIGHT SMHUB NANO MG24 for the Thread part: it acts as a Thread router/coordinator, but it doesn’t provide all the necessary features for pairing Matter over Thread devices via Bluetooth on its own.
1. Using Matter over Thread with Gladys
If your goal is to use Matter over Thread devices in Gladys, the only solution today is to use a complete Matter controller, like an Apple TV, a Matter-compatible Echo Dot, or a Google Home.
In the future, this could change if we add direct Bluetooth pairing management in Gladys, which is necessary for integrating new Matter over Thread devices.
2. Regarding Ethernet dongles
It’s also important to keep in mind that with this type of product, you’ll need to configure Zigbee2MQTT yourself. It’s not particularly complicated, but it requires a bit more configuration than a simple USB dongle plugged into a mini-PC, which is then detected and usable in Gladys in a few clicks.
3. If you’re mainly looking for better Zigbee performance
If your goal is to improve the range or stability of the Zigbee network in a large house, Sonoff has indeed expanded its range and now offers several excellent USB options, which are generally the simplest solution to set up with Gladys:
Alright :! I’ll go for the Max for a 10 euro difference, to not be limited to Zigbee in the future, it can also be connected via USB. Thanks a lot!
