It seems like I’m somehow lost in the whole process and need a bit of help to start off.
First of all (earlier ^^), I thought Thread/Matter would be fully compatible with Zigbee, but I’ve learned it’s a bit different.
For this, I bought the ZBdongle-E, which should act as a ‘Thread Border Router’. As far as I understand, this would be the equivalent device to my ConBee stick for Zigbee devices. So I proceeded and flashed the recommended firmware (not that mixed one, just the “solo” Matter firmware).
And that’s the point where I don’t know how to continue…
I installed the Matter binding in my OH 4.3.5, but can’t manage to add my stick as TBR. Is this even supported already in openHAB?
Or do I have to run another background service, like matterbridge for communication and as a kind of “interface” between OH and the devices?
Maybe I’m just totally wrong and will need another piece of hardware?
Short answer but I am sure @digitaldan will help you.
You have to consider the TBR as a network equipment exposing devices communicating with Thread as network devices.
It is similar to a wifi router for example.
It is network stuff and you don’t have to declare your TBR to the matter binding like you don’t define your WiFi router for devices communicating with WiFi with other bindings.
That being said, I understood that setting up a TBR to work with your machine running your OH server can be a real challenge and can require to customise the network stuff on that machine. At my knowledge, it is described in the binding README.
It is easier to handle Matter devices not using Thread.
How so?
Sorry the dumb question, but I’m totally beginner in this topic…
As i read thread is like IP protocol and matter like a web service. So (again, as I read so far) i must use thread, to give matter the possibility to send and receive information.
To make it more clear: I’d like to add my Aqara U200 lock to my OH, which is explicit told to support “Matter over Thread”. Would be happy if there would be a simplier way …
PS: ofc i read the docs. Indeed it is pretty confusing to someone, who “just” works with regular networks and simple things like zigbee.
Documentation looks good to me but maybe because now I understand very well the different concepts behind Matter. @digitaldan : apparently it is not enough clear for a Matter beginner
Maybe the problem is your dongle ?
Did you test to pair your Thread device with another Matter controller like Google Home or Amazon Alexa?
Not sure that this dongle is a well known solution for TBR working perfectly with Matter controllers.
From what i can tell the custom firmware for that USB stick gives it thread capabilities so it can be used as part of a Thread Border Router solution, but you still need a OpenThread Border Router (OTBR) server to use it with, i don’t think it actually runs a OTBR (just the radio co processor, RCP). I’m assuming HA has a OTBR image that this developer has patched the USB stick to work with (to use as its thread radio / RCP) .
It is confusing, my first assumption was also that thread would be enabled like zigbee or z-wave, with a USB modem we talk to over USB serial, but that not how the Thread ecosystem works, and probably why there are not many…or any official Thread USB sticks (hence the custom firmware). (EDIT, well there are a few, and i forgot i actually bough one early on, but never got it working!)
I have 4 esp32 based Open Thread boarder routers that operate as a standalone IP device, like plugging in a wifi access point. They connect via WIFI to my network (or ethernet with a hat) and then speak Thread through another integrated radio (the RCP). At ~$10 a piece, they are really cheap to play with and require no other hardware addons. As soon as i get through the initial matter binding contribution to 5.0 i’ll publish a guide and firmaware on how to get this working.
Thread’s goal is to have consumer wifi access point vendors and other iOT devices include OTBR embedded in them, as the hardware is ridiculously cheap to add, and Google provides a complete open source, comercial grade OTBR stack for anyone to use (which Apple, Google and Amazon all use in their devices). Until then, its really either ESP32 solutions, recent voice assistant hardware from the big 3, or some one off solutions starting to hit the market (i think ero has added it to their recent wifi access point hardware)
That’s great to hear!
Do you maybe have the basic steps you went through how to setup the ESP32?
I own a few, because i use them for tiny projects, like a wifi-solar-cam to watch my brids breeding and such ^^ Would also try to follow that way, if it’s possible.
