Tried the New SONOFF Dongle-P MG24 with CUBE OS

eWeLink CUBE
, ,
1

Hi everyone,

I recently got my hands on the new SONOFF Dongle-P MG24 and tried it out with CUBE OS on my Raspberry Pi. Thought I’d share a quick experience here for anyone interested.

image
image1192×562 70.2 KB

About the Dongle-P MG24

This new dongle is built on the EFR32MG24 chip , which brings:

  • :high_voltage: Higher performance and faster automation processing by power with the advanced EFR32MG24 chip
  • :satellite_antenna: Stronger signal strength (default 3dBi antenna, optimized up to 4.5dBi) for wider coverage
  • :globe_showing_europe_africa: Wide compatibility with open-source platforms like Home Assistant, Zigbee2MQTT, and more
  • :counterclockwise_arrows_button: Easy firmware flashing with SONOFF Dongle Flasher
  • :electric_plug: Comes with a USB extension cable to reduce interference and improve signal

:backhand_index_pointing_right: You can find the product here: SONOFF Dongle-P MG24 – Product Page

:light_bulb: Tip: Click the link above for more details. If you decide to purchase, don’t forget to use the code ewelink at checkout - it stacks an extra 10% discount on top of the product’s base discount.

My Setup with CUBE OS

  • Hardware: Raspberry Pi + Dongle-P MG24

78cea4fce41e7d5e0429faf13aabf2a1

  • Software: Installed CUBE OS on the Pi
  • First impression: CUBE OS automatically detected the dongle right away :white_check_mark:

image
image1263×699 52 KB

Adding Devices

I then added:

  • SONOFF ZB-03P Human Presence Sensor → detected instantly

image
image1051×580 64 KB

With these, I set up a simple automation:

  • When presence is detected → turn on the B05-BL bulb.
  • When no presence → turn it off.

image
image1187×764 68.5 KB

Worked fast and reliably without any cloud dependency.

image
image597×833 59.4 KB

Bonus: Matter Bridge

Here’s the cool part: with CUBE OS Matter Bridge , you can even bring these Zigbee devices into Apple Home, Alexa, Google Home, or SmartThings .
That means… yes, you can ask Siri to control your Zigbee automations :light_bulb:

Overall, the Dongle-P MG24 + CUBE OS combo feels like a powerful and flexible way to run local smart home setups. For open-source enthusiasts or anyone exploring Matter + Zigbee in one system, this is worth trying.

If you want to give it a shot, you can check out the CUBE OS installation guide here:

3

Hi..can we put dongle with thread firmware into ihost usb port to control matter over thread device?

4

The dongle itself supports the Thread protocol, but currently, the CUBE functionality does not support it yet. However, this is something that is in our plans.

1 Like
5

Think the Sonoff iHost has an MG21. Assuming the firmware you are using does both Zigbee and OpenThread when Cube OS can do both Zigbee and OpenThread does that mean the iHost will also be able to do both on the built in antenna? Or maybe using an extra USB dongle?

Also the matter integration is presumably currently over wifi. When CubeOS can do OpenThread will that include matter over OpenThread too?

6

I learned from the product team that support for OpenThread in CUBE OS is in our plans, but it’s not coming soon. The current version updates mainly focus on fixing existing bugs and supporting new sub-devices. Once iHost supports OpenThread, you will not need an extra dongle; you can flash the firmware and choose the corresponding protocol.

1 Like
7

Thanks. What about having Zigbee AND Thread on the same radio?

As per: Multiprotocol is Not Dead - Blog - SONOFF Dongle

8

Hey, any news on this? On the product page the ewelink cube logo is present making you think that it works with cube os, which apparently it does not. So now I’m stuck with a device that has no use for me as it does not work with cube os

9

Which model of the dongle are you using? Currently, all SONOFF dongles support connection to CUBE. Before connecting, you need to flash it to the default version using the following webpage: Sonoff Dongle Flasher.

Let me know if you need further assistance!

10

This is the dongle
https://sonoff.tech/en-eu/products/sonoff-zigbee-thread-usb-dongle-dongle-plus-mg24?srsltid=AfmBOorVd6UWZR6jHfJrEkpYp7YMDTxbfz6_SND9_bY3n-EL6f1vnac4
. I used the dongle flasher, only the zigbee one works, but that’s no use to me as I want to use it as a Matter Hub. When i flash it with the Thread firmware it errors when adding it inside CUBE

11

CUBE OS still doesn’t work with Thread.

12

As Unamedi said, The dongle itself supports the Thread protocol, but currently, the CUBE functionality does not support it yet.

13

Thanks for the clarification! :slightly_smiling_face:

1 Like