After passing remarks about some new Sonoff kit and Matter – and while awaiting feedback from Sonoff – I’m reminded that I have a BASIC Gen 5 lying around – linked to eWeLink as I’ve always done in the past (if not tempted to TASMOTA the product).
Ok, here it is – my Sonoff Basic Gen 5 which appears ineWeLink as BASIC-1GS. There she is…
At this point I noticed eWeLink wanted to upgrade the product -so while thats working, you have LAN control options, magic Switch mode, Power on state, inching settings, Matter-supported platforms, WIFI Settings. You also have schedule control and pulse settings.
The question is – should I use the option to “add Matter-suppoted platforms” or simply wipe the device and install straight into Google Home…. OK decision made, fill in that box in eWeLink.
I took the easy route – clicked on that “Matter Supported platforms” option and added the device into Google Home – an operation which put the device into pairing mode and when I went into Google Home it was added immediately. The latter only offers on and off – referring back to “Matter connected apps” i.e. eWeLink to control the device otherwise.
Now to add the device into my MATTER integration in Home Assistant.. I have 3 devices in there and BASIC isn’t yet one of them.
Clicking on the right arrow in HA, I get an option to add a device or a hub. I go for Add Device.
Is my device already connected to another matter controller or brand new? I guess it’s already in use. Second option picked.
Tap the gear icon in the device in Google Home… pairing code – done. “Matter over WiFi Smart Switch” added to my HA Matter section. I only have control over on and off – also power on behaviour and firmware update . So it looks like it’s still back to the eWeLink APP for the rest.
But first – click the edit in HA – and change the name of the device… “BASIC GEN5” – done.
NOW, in devices in HA I have:
It seems the original Sonoff integration has even less available. I’ll ditch that as I’m not using it.. and… BASIC GEN5 is still in there – good. But can someone tell me why so little of the control abillity of the BASIC GEN5 ends up in Home Assistant?
And why is it, when renaming a device is supposed now to update entities, when I click the cog on the on-off setting – I see the original name in entity ID?
Fixable but could be slightly more convenient… but that’s down to Home Assistant, not Sonoff. Anyway, looking at devices – all the entities are together so – open each one – settings cog – rename – save. Done.
