Sonoff Hub Bridge Ultra
With the growing interest in creating truly integrated smart homes, Sonoff has been innovating by launching devices that facilitate this connection. The Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra is one such solution, offering a bridge that connects Zigbee and Wifi devices to the Matter ecosystem, one of the most promising protocols in home automation. This review will detail the main features, performance and advantages of this new version of Sonoff's popular bridge.
Design and Construction
The Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra follows the brand's minimalist design line, with a solid and modern construction. With compact dimensions and a discreet finish, it can be positioned anywhere in the house without interfering with the decor. It has an LED indicator that shows the connection and operation status, facilitating visual monitoring of the device.
The simplicity of the design, however, does not compromise its robustness, making it an ideal device for both beginners and more advanced users looking to expand their Zigbee networks.
Features: Zigbee and Matter Compatibility
The great innovation of the Zigbee Bridge Ultra is its compatibility with the Matter protocol , which allows you to integrate Zigbee devices with a wide range of automation platforms and ecosystems. This means you can connect Zigbee devices to Google Home, Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa and other systems that support Matter, promoting a truly unified smart home.
This integration makes it easier to centrally control devices, offering more flexibility for users who don’t want to be tied to a single ecosystem. For example, a Zigbee motion sensor connected to the Bridge Ultra can trigger a Matter-compatible bulb from another brand, something that was previously not possible without proprietary solutions.
Additionally, the Zigbee Bridge Ultra allows you to control up to 256 Zigbee devices, such as sensors, switches, lamps, curtains and more, providing broader and more effective automation.
It also has a range of up to around 200m (in turbo mode) in a wide area.
Installation and Configuration
Installing the Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra is quite intuitive. The device connects to your Wi-Fi network (2.4GHz) and configuration is done through the eWeLink app, which is compatible with Android and iOS devices. The process of pairing Zigbee devices is also simple, with the option to add new devices to the system with just a few clicks.
Matter protocol support adds another layer of flexibility by allowing you to connect devices to different Matter-enabled hubs, making the automation experience even more integrated and customizable.
Performance and Range
When it comes to performance, the Zigbee Bridge Ultra stands out for its reliability. The Zigbee protocol is known for offering a robust mesh network, which allows for fast and stable communication between devices, even in larger homes or in places where Wi-Fi signal could be an issue. The range of the Zigbee Bridge Ultra is excellent, ensuring that devices in different areas of the home connect without interruption.
Low latency is another strong point. With Matter integration, device control is almost instantaneous, whether through the eWeLink app or compatible voice assistants. This ensures a more fluid and efficient user experience.
Updates and Future Support
Like other Sonoff devices, the Zigbee Bridge Ultra supports over-the-air (OTA) updates, ensuring that new features and security improvements can be added over time. This is particularly important in an ever-evolving ecosystem like Matter, where new devices and features are frequently released.
Additionally, Sonoff’s continued support for Matter integration promises to keep the Zigbee Bridge Ultra relevant and up-to-date even as new standards and technologies are introduced.
Integration with Voice Assistants and Automation
One of the great advantages of the Zigbee Bridge Ultra is how easy it is to integrate with voice assistants like Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Apple HomeKit , thanks to its Matter support. This means you can control your Zigbee devices with voice commands, creating custom scenarios and advanced automations, without having to open the eWeLink app every time you want to activate something.
For example, you can set up automation where Zigbee door and window sensors activate Matter-compatible lights or adjust the temperature on your thermostat, all controlled by a single voice command.
Conclusion
The Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra is an excellent choice for those looking to expand or start a smart home network based on Zigbee devices, with the advantage of integration with the Matter protocol, which is quickly becoming the new industry standard. Its ability to connect a large number of devices, combined with the flexibility to work with multiple automation ecosystems, makes it a powerful tool for both beginners and advanced users.
If you're looking for a reliable Zigbee hub that supports cutting-edge technologies and offers extensive Matter integration, the Sonoff Zigbee Bridge Ultra is a smart and future-proof choice.