SONOFF iHost: From eWeLink to Home Assistant – The Ultimate Local Smart Home Hub

Tired of relying on the cloud to control your smart home? SONOFF iHost Smart Home Hub is here for you. This compact yet powerful device lets you manage your entire home automation locally, with plenty of options to customize your setup. In this guide, we’ll explore everything from its basic features to advanced setups with Docker and Home Assistant.

This little box may not look like much, but it gets the job done:

• Processor: Quad-core 1.5 GHz – fast and smooth performance.
• RAM: 4GB – perfect for running multiple applications like Node-RED or Docker.
• Storage: 8GB internal, expandable via microSD up to 256GB.
• Connectivity:

• Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz to connect your devices.
• Bluetooth 5.0 for BLE-enabled devices.
• Gigabit Ethernet for a stable network connection.
• USB-C for power supply.
• USB-A for future extensions?

Key Features:

• Scenes: Create custom automation with multiple conditions.
• Alarm System: Set up your own Zigbee alarm system.
• 100% Local:

• No internet connection required to run your smart home.
• No cloud dependency ? protects you from network outages and hacking risks.
• Low latency ? everything runs smoothly inside your home.

• Matter Support: Integrate it into your Matter hub to control all your smart devices.
• Docker Support: Install various add-ons (which we’ll cover in detail).
• Plug & Play: No complex setup required—just plug in Ethernet and USB-C, and you’re good to go!

With a simple click on the blue “+” button, you can easily add four types of devices:

Unlike traditional proprietary Zigbee hubs, the iHost works more like Zigbee2MQTT, meaning it recognizes devices regardless of the brand:

Camera Support: With ESP32 and RTSP compatibility, most cameras can be added effortlessly, offering smooth video streaming—all locally!

You can also create rooms, groups, and add eWeLink remotes for better control:

You can select multiple triggers, including:

• Device-based triggers
• Time-based triggers (specific days, recurring schedules, etc.)
• Sunrise or sunset triggers with GPS positioning (with the ability to schedule actions X minutes before or after the event)
• Manual execution

You can define whether only one of these conditions needs to be met for the action to trigger or if all conditions must be satisfied.

Once the conditions are set, you can configure the action:

• Add a delay before execution
• Choose whether to trigger a scene or a specific device

? Limitation: Currently, it is not possible to capture camera footage within actions.

Example of a Manual Action:

1.3 Alarm System

In alarm mode, you can define:

• Which devices trigger the alarm on the iHost.
• The type of alarm and its activation conditions.
• Example: You wouldn’t want a motion sensor to trigger the alarm when you’re at home.

There are three alarm modes available.

1.4 Cast

With the Cast feature, you can stream any device’s display onto a phone, tablet, or even an NSPanel Pro for real-time monitoring.

1.5 Docker

One of the biggest strengths of the iHost is its built-in Docker support. This means you can install various applications to enhance your smart home setup.

Here are some interesting Docker containers to try:

• Node-RED – Create advanced automations.
• Mosquitto MQTT – An MQTT broker for your connected devices.
• Home Assistant – Test an alternative to eWeLink Cube.
• InfluxDB – Store and analyze IoT data.
• Grafana – Visualize data with stylish graphs.

? Capacity: SONOFF iHost can run 5-7 containers simultaneously, depending on resource usage.

1.6 Matter

Nothing groundbreaking, but iHost supports Matter, allowing you to control Matter-compatible devices and share them with other platforms.

1.7 Pilot

A few beta features aimed at enhancing the user experience, such as:

• Extending Wi-Fi range
• Streaming iHost audio to a Bluetooth speaker
• Other experimental functionalities

1.8 Settings

You can customize various settings on the iHost, including:

• Language selection 
• Wi-Fi configuration – Set up network access.
• Device name & password – Change the iHost’s credentials.
• GPS location – Input your geographical position.
• Backup & restore – Save or recover your configuration.
• System monitoring – Check CPU and memory usage.
• Reboot – Restart the device when needed.

In Summary

SONOFF iHost Smart Home Hub is a solid, flexible, and secure solution for managing your smart home. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced user, you can tailor it to your needs with eWeLink Cube, Node-RED, and Docker.

With iHost, you get a truly smart home experience—without compromising privacy.

Want even more? Now that’s ambitious!

2.1 Program Installation

First of all, the iHost may not be a powerhouse, but it’s no worse than an Odroid—so why not give it a try?

?? Warning! ??
This process will void your warranty if you disassemble the device. Think carefully before proceeding, as you are doing this at your own risk!

Installation Steps:

1. Download the installation program from Darkhst’s GitHub repository.

3. Insert the SD card into the iHost while keeping it unplugged.
4. Remove the bottom cover of the iHost to reveal two screws on each end.
5. Carefully disassemble the right side panel by gently pressing it open with a knife (be careful with the clips).
6. Once opened, you’ll see two Maskrom pads—these are used to force the installation from the SD card.
7. Short-circuit these two points for a few seconds while plugging in the USB-C power.
8. The iHost will power on with a red light, like Sauron’s eye! ?

Now, if you visit http://homeassistant.local:8123/, you should see a message indicating that Home Assistant is starting up.

From this point on, whenever the two Maskrom pads are shorted, the iHost will boot into Home Assistant. Otherwise, it will start normally as an iHost. ?

Step 1: Enable Advanced Mode

• Go to Settings > Advanced Mode and enable it.

Step 2: Install the Silicon Labs Flasher

1. Navigate to Settings > Add-ons.
2. Open the Add-on Store.
3. Search for Silicon Labs Flasher and install it.
4. Enable auto-update and auto-start.
5. When you start Silicon Labs Flasher, it will indicate that a file is missing.

Step 3: Modify Configuration

1. Set Device Path to dev/ttyS4.
2. Set Baudrate to 115200.
3. Disable hardware flow control.
4. Enable verbose mode.
5. Click Show unused optional configuration options and add the firmware URL, which can be found on this page.

Step 4: Install ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT

• Now, you can install either ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT for Zigbee support.

Example: Setting Up ZHA

1. Go to Settings > Devices & Services.
2. Choose EZSP as the Zigbee radio type.
3. Specify the device path.
4. Delete existing network settings and create a new Zigbee network.
5. Start a Zigbee device scan—and you’re all set! ?

2.4 eWeLink Installation

Enable everything and then start.

Open the user interface and log in.

And there you go, everything is set up!

SONOFF iHost is not the most powerful device on the market, but it has a major advantage: it evolves quickly, and each update brings features that make it more and more competitive. Who knows? Maybe one day we’ll be able to install Home Assistant directly, without having to choose a boot option or go through complicated manipulations.

The integrated Bluetooth and Zigbee modules work really well. No major compatibility issues, everything is smooth and relatively simple to set up. While the iHost isn’t perfect, it’s well thought out and offers a solid alternative for those looking for a local solution without depending on the cloud.

But where it stands out is by offering interesting options for all types of users:

• For tinkerers: Node-RED and Docker open the door to advanced automations.
• For others: eWeLink Cube allows you to enjoy a turnkey ecosystem, without the need for coding or fiddling.
• For more advanced users: Home Assistant is easily installable.

The original blog is here (in French) : https://youdom.net/sonoff-ihost-de-ewelink-a-home-assistant-le-roi-de-la-polyvalence/