Introduction
iHost, a groundbreaking innovation from SONOFF, serves as a local control hub for enhancing the speed, reliability, and security of home automation. It empowers users to exercise precise control over their devices and craft intelligent scenes via a LAN-based control console, all without relying on external cloud services. As a Zigbee hub, iHost enables the creation of personalized Zigbee networks akin to ZBBridge Pro, doubling as an efficient alarm system. What sets iHost apart is its ability to ensure seamless device functionality and scene execution even in the absence of an internet connection. Furthermore, iHost transcends brand boundaries, facilitating communication with devices from various manufacturers through add-ons and supporting a plethora of protocols for home automation management via APIs.
Related articles:
Introducing iHost – Your Powerful Local Smart Home Hub
Paral-Sync Add-on Available! Manage and Control the Local Zigbee Devices of NSPanel Pro in iHost!
How to Connect Devices to iHost for Control and Management?
How to Get Device Information and Control them in iHost?
How to Do Low-code Development in iHost?
iHost Schematic Block Diagram & External Interface Definition Sharing!
Version Updates
V2.1.0 ( July. 31st, 2024)
New Features:
- Added support for SONOFF Smart Water Valve. (Remove and re-add the Sonoff Smart Valve after upgrading eWeLink CUBE for new features.?
- Initial support for OTA updates for Zigbee devices.
- Support multiple tile sizes for switches/plugs and sensors displayed on CAST.
- CAST now adds dynamic UI display based on device features, including:
• Turn On/Off
• Brightness
• Color
• ColorTemp
• Percentage Control
• Detection
• Temperature
• Humidity
• Illumination
• Smoke
• Contact
• Motion
• Leakage
• Press Action
• Battery Level - Now you can add custom Docker repositories by entering using URLs on the Docker page.
Optimizations:
- Enhanced iHost Zigbee2CUBE device features, adding support for:
• Illuminantion (illuminance_lux)
• Pressure (barometric pressure)
• Gas (gas)
• PM2.5 (particulate matter 2.5)
• Voc_index (Volatile Organic Compound Index) - Pairing Zigbee devices is now faster.
- Optimized Open API
Bug Fixes:
- Fixed a bug potentially preventing Zigbee2CUBE-added switches/plugs from syncing to Matter Bridge.
- Resolved the page lag issue caused by overwhelming device reports.
- Fixed an issue where some devices won’t display default device images.
V2.0.0 ( June. 20th, 2024)
New Features:
- Device pages now display card components based on device capabilities.
- Added “Display As” feature, now you can choose default icons or upload images to customize unique icons.
- iHost groups now support capability-based device control. Devices with the same capability can be combined into a single control component, and a group can support multiple capability control components.
Optimizations:
- Optimized the process of adding Zigbee sub-devices, reducing the pairing time.
- Optimized the default device icons.
- Single-click, double-click, or long-press now can be set as triggers for wireless switches in smart security.
- Zigbee2CUBE now supports window detection and child-lock capabilities. Detect capability has been split into contact, motion, water-leak, and smoke capabilities. (Due to detect capability changes, devices with these new capabilities are incompatible with Cast, Node-RED, or Homebridge.)
- Due to the official discontinuation of “oznu/homebridge” add-on maintenance, it has been replaced with “homebridge/homebridge” in the iHost docker add-on list. Users can manually uninstall it and then run the “homebridge/homebridge” add-on to ensure continued maintenance. Please kindly note that data from the “oznu/homebridge” add-on cannot be migrated to “homebridge/homebridge” add-on.
Bug Fixes:
- Fixed the issue where the Internet could not be accessed after re-plugging the Ethernet cable.
- Resolved the problem where the reconnection audio played repeatly after re-plugging the Ethernet cable.
V1.13.7 ( Mar. 28th, 2024)
New Features:
? Matter Bridge now supports SONOFF TRVZB.
? eWeLink add-on now supports SONOFF Smart Stackable Power Meter.
Optimizations:
? Optimized the detection duration of SNZB-06P, which can be set to a minimum of 15 seconds.
? Further optimized and improved iHost performance.
Bug Fixes:
? Fixed the issue where SONOFF TRV smart schedules failed to revert to defaults after device reset.
? Resolved the offline issue with MINIR4.
? Resolved an issue where the status of multiple SONOFF TRVs could not be saved as scene triggers.
V1.13.4 ( Mar. 7th, 2024)
New Features:
- SONOFF TRVZB can now be set as a scene trigger.
- SONOFF TRVZB is supported in CAST, Node-red, and Homebridge.
Optimizations:
- Optimized the firmware update interaction.
- Optimized the reconnection process of iHost console page.
- Added 2 new standard time zones to the time zone list (MST & EEST).
- iHost performance improved.
Bug Fixes:
- Fixed the add-on loading issue when access iHost via tailscale.
- Fixed the problem that the Zigbee map could not be loaded.
- Resolved the issue that Zigbee devices can not be deleted.
V1.13.3 ( Jan. 31st, 2024)
Bug Fixes:
- Fixed issue with empty volume list.
- Fixed the problem that Tailscale WebUI cannot be opened.
V1.13.2 ( Jan. 24th, 2024)
New Features:
- Custom language is available. Now your iHost can display in the language you want by uploading language files, check it under Settings menu.
Optimizations:
- Optimized the UI of the Smart Security page.
- Optimized the firmware update process.
- Added “About” menu to installed add-ons page.
Bug Fixes:
- Fixed the issue where add-ons couldn’t load the Web UI.
- Fixed the bug that Matter Bridge could not initialize after restarting iHost in muted state.
- Fixed an issue where the names of devices synchronized via Matter Bridge changed after iHost was restarted.
V1.13.0 ( Dec. 26th, 2023)
New Features:
- Now you can drag and drop the scene actions to rearrange their order.
- Added support for SNZB-03P Motion Sensor, and NSPanel Pro-Router Mode.
- Paral-sync add-on now supports SNZB-03P Motion Sensor, SNZB-02D Temp.&Humi. Sensor, and TRVZB Thermostatic Remote Valve (please update Paral-sync add-on to the latest version on its detail page).
- eWeLink Smart Home add-on now supports cloud control of some devices and LAN control of more sensor and light sub-devices of SONOFF Zigbee Bridge Pro. (please update eWeLink Smart Home add-on to the latest version on its detail page).
Optimizations:
- Increased the limit of CAST dashboards to 10.
- Optimized logic for adding, deleting, and synchronizing RF remote controllers in eWeLink Smart Home add-on.
- Sidebar UI design optimized. Added an entry to open add-on page in a new window.
Bug Fixes:
- Resolved the issue where the same device couldn’t repeatedly be used as scene actions in a scene.
- Fixed the bug where Temp.&Humi. sensors couldn’t save 1 decimal place as scene triggers.
- Fixed the occasional pairing issue with Matter Bridge.
- Resolved the problem where device names changed in Matter-supported platforms after iHost was restarted.
V1.12.0 ( Dec. 1st, 2023 )
New Features:
- Added Matter Bridge tab in iHost sidebar menu. Now you can add iHost and iHost-managed devices to Matter-supported platforms and control them seamlessly.
- Matter Bridge now supports more devices, including Temp.&Humi. sensors, human presence sensors, door/window sensors and wireless switches.
- Support connecting Bluetooth speakers to play sound (Pilot Features).
Bug Fixes:
- Fixed the bug where scenes occasionally failed to trigger.
- Resolved the issue where scenes occasionally cannot be enabled/disabled.
V1.11.0 ( Nov. 17th, 2023 )
New features:
- Added a new feature ‘eWeLink-Remote Control’ in ‘Pilot Features’. Now you can add SONOFF S-mate, R5 and S-mate2 when you toggle “eWeLink-Remote Control” on.
- Now you can search for devices by device name on the device list page.
- Now you can search for scenes by scene name on the scene list page.
- Added support for SONOFF Zigbee Thermostatic Radiator Valve.
- OpenAPI now supports the integration of air conditioners and fans.
Optimizations:
- Optimized iHost update process. Now you can update iHost to the latest version without binding an eWeLink account.
- Improved the display of smart devices in scene, allowing for device search and presenting devices in a categorized order based on room classification.
- eWeLink add-on V1.4.0 now supports to sync sub-devices (including Zigbee switches, plugs, curtains, wireless switches, and T&H sensors) from ZBBridge Pro to iHost.
- Homebridge plugin V1.2.0 added support for fan lights and T&H sensors.
- Optimized iHost menu bar UI design.
Bug fixes:
- Resolved the issue that Aqara Motion Sensor P1 cannot be triggered.
- Fixed the bug that Aqara SSM-U01 cannot be controlled.
- Fixed the issue where the IKEA TRÅDFRI Motion Sensor E1745 was not triggered as expected.
- Fixed the issue with inability to control the IKEA ASKVADER on/off switch E1836.
V1.10.0 ( Sept. 14th, 2023 )
Optimizations:
- A multi-channel device can now be set as both the scene’s trigger and its action.
- Now you can select smart security status as scene triggers or actions.
- Installation process of add-on can now be terminated.
- Zigbee2CUBE added support for multi-channel remote controller.
- Open API added CPU temperature and micro SD card usage percentage.
Bug fixes:
- Fixed the issue with inability to download large add-on logs.
- Fixed occasional failure to execute all actions when multiple actions were added in a scene.
- Fixed the “login timeout” bug of eWeLink add-on.
V1.9.0 ( Aug. 11st, 2023 )
New features:
- New add-on tts2cube-pico is available, allowing you to convert text to speech.
- Added Turbo mode in pilot features, which supports enhancing Zigbee signal by maximizing the transmit power of the iHost Zigbee module.
Optimizations:
- Now you can add Temp. &Hum. data charts, energy consumption charts, calendar widget, clock widget, and text widget in CAST.
- Support for changing CAST dashboard background colors.
- CAST layout optimized.
- Add-on supported mounting and accessing USB serial devices.
- Added support for lights in Matter Bridge.
Bug fixes:
- Resolved the problem that Tuya multi-channel switches could not control individual channels.
- Fixed the issue that devices added via Zigbee2CUBE cannot be controlled.
- Fixed the bug that the tailscale add-on could not specify a volume at runtime.
- Resolved the slow loading issue for the Temp. & Hum. data chart due to an excessive amount of historical data.
V1.8.0 ( July 10th, 2023 )
New features:
- New add-on Tile2CUBE-WeatherAPI is available, allowing you to create a weather tile for iHost/CAST.
- New add-on MQTT2CUBE-Tasmota allows you to sync your Tasmota switches and plugs to iHost.
- Now you can access iHost remotely with the Tailscale add-on.
- Added Matter Bridge in Pilot Features, which supports adding iHost-managed devices to Matter-supported platforms.
- Zigbee scene switches are supported now.
- Now you can create custom tiles with the eWeLink CUBE open API to display them in iHost/CAST.
Optimizations:
- Added “Run manual scenes” and “Enable/Disable auto scenes” to scene action.
- The upper limit of Scene actions is increased to 50.
- The delay that can be set in scene actions has been increased to 23h 59min 59sec.
- A refresh button is added on the settings page of devices added through Zigbee2CUBE, click to re-acquire device information.
- Optimized icons of routing devices and end devices.
- Added a CUBE logo to devices integrated via Zigbee2CUBE.
- The list of devices in the room can be collapsed or expanded.
Bug fixes:
- Fixed the issue that devices added by Zigbee2CUBE were offline after firmware was updated.
- Resolved Zigbee map display issue when adding unsupported devices via Zigbee2CUBE.
- Fixed the problem that the scene could not be executed when the trigger condition was “all conditions are met” and the trigger device was sensor.
V1.7.0 ( June 15th, 2023 )
New features:
- Added support for playing TextToSpeech audio in Scene actions.
Optimizations:
- Support for configuring multiple ports when running add-on.
- Optimized the add-on installation progress indication.
Bug fixes:
- Fixed the bug of incorrect display of device operation logs and debug logs.
V1.6.2 ( May 26th, 2023 )
New features:
- We’ve added a volume management feature on Docker, now you can create or delete volumes, as well as specify a volume for an add-on before running it.
- Now you can configure environment variables, commands, and volume parameters for add-on before running it.
Optimization:
- Now you can check your password on the login page by clicking the display button.
Bug fixes:
- Fixed the delay issue of smart scenes.
- Fix the problem that Zigbee map cannot be displayed after adding some third-party Zigbee devices.
V1.6.0 ( May 12nd, 2023 )
New features:
- Added Pilot Features menu, in which a new feature Zigbee2CUBE is available, allowing you to add non-Zigbee 3.0 devices.
- The time on iHost will automatically switch between daylight saving time and standard time.
Optimizations:
- Uninstalled add-ons can be removed from the add-on list.
- The webUI of HomeBridge and Node-RED is accessible on their detail pages.
- Mute system volume with one press on the mute button.
Bug fixes:
- Fixed known TF-card related issues.
- Resolved loading failure of eWeLink Smart Home Add-on WebUI.
- Fixed the length limitation for email address input on the feedback page.
FAQ
Q. How to reset the iHost?
A. Long press the ‘Reset button’ by the reset pin until the indicator turns red marquee.
Q. How to OTA the iHost?
A. Link your eWeLink account on the ‘Setting’, then you can OTA the iHost via the App.
Q. How to reset your password?
A. Click the ‘Forgot Password’ on the login page, and press the reset button on the device 2 times in 5 seconds until the indicator light blinks twice quickly, that is, you can reset your password within 5 minutes. In addition, you can change the password in the settings of the Web center admin console.
Q. How to submit feedback?
A. Click the 
button, fill in your name, Email address, and the problem detail (including firmware version and device ID), and maybe provide the related uploading pictures, videos, or log files.
Q. How many Zigbee sub-devices does the iHost support?
A. It can add up to 128 sub-devices, the max number of direct children is 32.
Q. How many cameras does the iHost support?
A. No restrictions.
Q. How many rooms, groups or scenes can be added in the iHost Web center admin console?
A. It can add up to 100 rooms, 50 groups and 300 scenes.
Q. How many trigger conditions and actions do the scene support?
A. The upper limit number of the “If” conditions and the “then” actions are both 10.
Q. When I failed to access the URL after switching the network, what should I do?
A. After switching networks, please ensure that the PC and iHost are connected to the same local area network (LAN) again in order to access the URL.
Q. How to access the Web center admin console when the router connects with several iHost?
A. Find out the iHost IP address by visiting the backend of the router, and then enter the corresponding IP address on your browser to access it. ( iHost and the PC side are required to connect to the same LAN. )
Q. If I reboot the device, does the setting will be cleaned?
A. Rebooting the device on the Web center admin console won’t clean the settings while resetting the device with the Reset button will clear all settings.
Q. Why should link the eWeLink account to perform OTA upgrade?
A. Because we reuse the original OTA service and firmware version management system at present, iHost must be linked to the eWeLink account and connected to the eWeLink server to query and download the latest firmware version.
After linking the eWeLink account, the device will not synchronize any local device information and data to the eWeLink cloud except for querying and downloading the firmware. If you are worried about the data security of connecting to the cloud, you can download and update the firmware, then unlink the eWeLink account so that the device will disconnect from the server. Unlinking the eWeLink account will not affect any existing functions of the device.
Q. What kinds of TF Card is supported or recommended to install Addon?
A. iHost supports TF cards with formats such as ext2, ext3, ext4, fat, msdos, and vfat (fat32).
Q. What external devices can the USB port support?
A. We have reserved the USB 2.0 interface for subsequent hanging on mobile storage and external accessories. In the future version, the USB port will support external mobile storage devices for storing audio and video content and backing up/exporting local storage data. In addition, various external accessories will be launched successively to expand the capabilities of iHost, such as external IR receiving and transmitting modules to realize the ability of infrared remote control; External Thread dongles to realize access to Thread and Thread-matter devices, etc.
Q. Is the eWeLink CUBE system used by iHost open source?
A. eWeLinkCUBE is a localized device connection management system, which is an open but not open-source system. We choose not to open source, because this system involves a large number of outsourced development partners during the development process, and also purchases and uses some commercial functional components, and these codes are also closed source to us or copyright restrictions do not allow open source. Although the system code is not open source, we have always adhered to an open attitude and will continue to provide open interfaces of various capabilities for developers who want to carry out secondary development based on the system to meet the needs of various application scenarios. If the current interface capabilities cannot meet your scenario requirements, please feel free to contact us.
We will open source most of the Add-ons developed based on these interfaces.
Q. Can the hardware such as button, LED indicator group, speaker and microphone be used in Add-on?
A. You can use the speaker in Add-on now, but the interfaces of the microphone, buttons and LED indicators are not provided yet. We consider packaging the hardware capabilities and open to developers in subsequent continuous updates.
Q. How can I check and control the devices if I am not at home?
A. You need to configure your home router to bind and map iHost to your external network IP address, so that you can access the iHost host by accessing the IP address, and view and control the device through the console or Cast. Later, we will publish a more detailed operation guide to demonstrate how to realize remote access by binding route mapping.
Q. Does iHost support MQTT? How to integrate with Tasmota firmware devices?
A. The iHost does not support MQTT, however, there is an open API available, the iHost open API is based on HTTP rather than MQTT as the MQTT interface can not meet the requirement of some iHost feature development. so we currently have no plans to develop an MQTT interface. Based on the open API, it is not that difficult for users to develop their own HTTP to MQTT Add-on. We will also release the Addon for Tasmota integration, which is an MQTT service that connects to the MQTT protocol Tasmota device, then integrate devices into the system through the HTTP interface of iHost.
iHost open API link: https://testshoppingcart.sonoff.tech/ihost-user-guides/api/
Q. How to install Add-on to expand more features of iHost? Which Add-ons are currently supported by iHost?
A. Please check the tutorial link for the Add-on introduction and installation guide.
https://testshoppingcart.sonoff.tech/ihost-user-guides/add-on/#Add-on
We have developed 3 add-ons and more will be launched in the future.
- eWeLink Smart Home add-on allows you to synchronize your SONOFF WiFi devices to iHost for local control and local scene trigger.
- HomeBridge add-on to synchronize your iHost child devices to HomeBridge so you can control the devices from Apple Home application.
- Node-RED add-on to create the flow for device integrations and events-driven with endless possibilities.
Please follow our iHost update for more information about add-on development.
Q. Does iHost support synchronizing the SONOFF WiFi device of the eWeLink account to iHost? Which SONOFF WiFi devices are currently supported?
A. Yes, you are able to sync the SONOFF WiFi device of the eWeLink account to iHost via the official add-on of eWeLink Smart Home. Please check it out from this link for the eWeLink Smart Home add-on introduction as well as the supported device list.
Q. Will iHost support Alexa and Google Assistant in the future?
A. iHost will support matter in a future update, then Alexa and Google Assistant can be local supported via the Matter protocol.
