SONOFF sent us a sample of the SONOFF Dongle Max (also known as Dongle-M) Zigbee/Thread adapter with PoE support for review. It is based on Espressif ESP32-D0WDR2-V3 and Silicon Labs EFR32MG24 SoCs, and can serve as both a Zigbee coordinator and Thread Border Router, with connectivity options including Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and USB. The dongle is specifically designed for popular smart home platforms like Home Assistant, Zigbee2MQTT, ioBroker, and OpenHAB.
Key advantages of the Dongle Max over the recently reviewed Dongle Plus MG24 include built-in Wi-Fi and Ethernet support (in addition to USB), Power over Ethernet (PoE), and a convenient Web Console for easier device configuration. It basically provides more flexibility thanks to a wider range of connection options, and it’s easier to place it in strategic locations since it doesn’t need to be connected directly to your Home Assistant server.
In this review, we’ll go through the unboxing, initial setup, Ethernet connection, and integration testing with Home Assistant using both ZHA and Zigbee2MQTT running on a Raspberry Pi 4.
SONOFF Dongle Max Unboxing
The retail package clearly identifies the product as the SONOFF Dongle Max, highlighting support for Home Assistant and Zigbee2MQTT, as well as Zigbee/Thread PoE functionality.
The SONOFF Dongle Max ships with a wall-mount bracket, two antennas, a USB Type-C cable, a Quick Start Guide, two sheets of double-sided adhesive tape, and two sets of screws/wall plugs.
The SONOFF Dongle Max features left and right SMA antenna connectors. A button and a status LED (solid orange = powered on; blinking orange = network configuration mode (AP / WPS; solid blue = successfully connected to network) can be found on the top right side. The device also comes with an Ethernet port with PoE support (48V/0.25A), and a USB Type-C port is used for power input (5V 1A) or for operating the device as a USB dongle.
The SONOFF Dongle Max supports three connection methods: Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and USB. Additional details and setup guides can be found on the official documentation.
Initial Setup
We first tried connecting it via USB to use it as a USB dongle, since we already had Home Assistant running on a Raspberry Pi 4. Having previously reviewed the SONOFF Dongle Plus MG24 (Dongle-PMG24), we assumed the Dongle Max would connect immediately — but it did not. Instead, we had to start by configuring the device over Ethernet. We powered it via the USB Type-C port using a JOYROOM PODIX 140W charger (overpowered for the task), and connected the Dongle Max to our router with an Ethernet cable. Once powered, the LED lit up solid orange, indicating the device is powered and ready, but Zigbee/Thread is not yet configured.
We accessed the device’s Web Console using Google Chrome and navigated to the EFR32MG24 Operation Mode menu, where we selected Zigbee Coordinator Mode. This is necessary because we intend to use the dongle as a Zigbee coordinator for subsequent device pairing and testing. Other modes include Zigbee Router and Thread RCP.
After configuration, the LED changes to solid blue, indicating that the device is now successfully configured.
The Web Console page shows that the Dongle Max is connected to the internet and in Zigbee Coordinator mode. WiFi is also enabled, but in access point mode. This would have been another way to connect to the web console.
Using SONOFF Dongle Max with Home Assistant using Zigbee Home Automation (ZHA)
Let’s now connect the Dongle Max to the Raspberry Pi 4 using the provided USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable. The status LED shows solid orange, indicating USB mode.
In the Home Assistant dashboard, we can go to Settings -> Devices & Services -> Zigbee Home Automation (ZHA) and click Add device to add the Dongle Max.
After successfully adding the device to Home Assistant, we can check the status LED again, and it remains solid orange as before (not blue). The Web Console page now displays the connection status as via the USB Serial port.
We’ll now test Zigbee connectivity with a SONOFF AirGuard TH (SNZB-02DR2) Zigbee environmental monitor with a built-in LCD. First, we can enter pairing mode by pressing the button on the AirGuard TH for 5 seconds. The Zigbee icon on the LCD flashes, then click Add device on the Zigbee Home Automation (ZHA) page.
The system will automatically search for and add the device.
Let’s enter the SONOFF SNZB-02DR2 page with Device info, Sensors (Humidity and Temperature), Configuration, and Diagnostic (Battery level…) sections. We can also add the RSSI and LQI entities to check the Zigbee signal strength and quality.
We performed the same range test as with the Dongle Plus MG24, and the range was about 50 meters, or around 10 meters extra when the dongle was placed in the same location. However, if we move the Dongle Max to about the same location (just one meter away) but higher and attach it to a window, we can get a range of about 90 meters (Line of Sight).
Let’s add another Zigbee device: the SONOFF MINI DUO-L (MINI-ZB2GS-L) 2-channel Zigbee 3.0 switch, which we already installed previously. We just had to press the button for five seconds again to enter pairing mode.
Let’s go back to the Home Assistant web interface in Settings > Devices & Services -> Zigbee Home Automation (ZHA) integration to add the device. Again, the MINI-ZB2GS-L was discovered automatically, appeared in the search results, and was successfully added to the ZHA page.
Our ceiling lights can now be turned on and off directly via the Controls interface. The Opening entities in the Sensors section did not work since support is not fully implemented yet.
SONOFF Dongle Max with Home Assistant using Zigbee2MQTT (USB and TCP) integration
Let’s now try another integration method, still over USB. We installed the Mosquitto broker by navigating to Settings → Add-ons → Add-on Store, searching for Mosquitto broker, clicking Install, then enabling the following options: Start, Enable Watchdog, and Start on boot.
Now let’s set up Zigbee2MQTT, but going to Add-on, searching for Zigbee2MQTT, and clicking Install. Now we can enable Start, Start on boot, Enable Watchdog, and Add to sidebar.
After that, we can click on the Open web UI button to access the Zigbee2MQTT Onboarding page. The system automatically detected the device. We selected the usb-SONOFF_Dongle_Max_MG24… device, set the Coordinator/Adapter Port/Path field to /dev/ttyUSB0, the Adapter type to ember, and the Baudrate to 115200
Very important: Do NOT check Hardware Flow Control (rtscts). We can now click Submit.
We can now access the Zigbee2MQTT page.
Next, we’ll test adding a Zigbee device, namely SNZB-02DR2, through Zigbee2MQTT by clicking Permit join and pressing the button on the environmental monitor for 5 seconds to enter pairing mode. The LCD will show the connection icon 
All good, the SNZB-02DR2 is now shown in the Zigbee2MQTT interface, and there is even a relevant photo of the device.
We repeated a similar procedure with the SONOFF MINI DUO-L (MINI-ZB2GS-L), and it was added with no issues.
Now we have both the Airguard TH (SNZB-02DR2) and MINI DUO-L (MINI-ZB2GS-L) in the Zigbee2MQTT dashboard. We can get the data from the former, and control the light from the latter.
We tested the device over USB, but many people will likely use the SONOFF Dongle Max over TCP connection, either connected through WiFI or Ethernet, since it provides more flexibility, as the device doesn’t need to be close to the Home Assistant server. It’s possible over ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT, but the latter is recommended for network connections.
We’ll use WiFi here with the Dongle Max connected to a 2.4 GHz WiFi router and a USB-C adapter for power. The procedure would more or less be the same with Ethernet + USB power, or Ethernet with PoE, using a single cable for data and power.
While operating, the status LED shows solid blue, indicating the network connection is ready and available. Next, we will connect it to Home Assistant running on the Raspberry Pi 4 to test integration with Zigbee2MQTT over TCP.
We can now go back to the Home Assistant dashboard, specifically in the Zigbee2MQTT configuration page, and configure the “Serial” values as follows:
|
1 2 3 4 |
port: tcp://192.168.31.25:6638 baudrate: 115200 adapter: ember rtscts: false |
Then we went to the Zigbee2MQTT dashboard to find the SNZB-02DR2 and MINI-ZB2GS-L devices, which we could monitor and control through our WiFi to Zigbee coordinator.
Conclusion
The SONOFF Dongle Max (Dongle-M) is a Zigbee / Thread Gateway suitable for both beginners who want a straightforward smart home setup and serious Home Assistant users who need stability and diverse connectivity options. Its key strengths are support for multiple connection methods — USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and PoE — along with a built-in Web Console for directly configuring operation modes and network settings.
The SONOFF Dongle Max (Dongle-M) is a Zigbee / Thread Gateway suitable for both beginners who want a non-complex smart home system setup and serious Home Assistant users who need stability and diverse connectivity options. The key highlight of the Dongle-M is its support for multiple connection methods, including USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet (PoE), along with a Web Console for directly configuring operation modes and network settings. It’s more versatile than the Dongle Plus MG24 USB-only adapter we tested earlier this month.
When testing the SONOFF Dongle Max with Zigbee Home Automation (ZHA) integration, the adapter was detected and usable without any complex setup. Simply connect it via the USB port and add the ZHA integration, and the system immediately recognizes the Dongle Max, provided it is already in Zigbee Coordinator mode. Pairing Zigbee devices such as temperature-humidity sensors and light switches proceeded smoothly. Devices were added quickly, and command responses (on/off) as well as sensor value updates were continuous and stable. This makes it ideal for users who want an easy-to-set-up and immediately usable system.
We tested both USB and TCP connections with the Zigbee2MQTT integration, and the Dongle Max worked just fine with either method, although the setup is slightly more complicated than with ZHA. Once configured, adding Zigbee devices was simple using the Permit Join function. responsive. This setup is best-suited for users who want greater flexibility and more detailed control over their Zigbee system.
We’d like to thank SONOFF for sensing the Dongle Max/Dongle-M for review, along with other Zigbee devices. The Dongle Max can be purchased for $41.90 on AliExpress or $42.90 on the SONOFF store, and even less when using the 10% discount code “cnxsoft”. The AirGuard TH goes for about $14 on AliExpress and the SONOFF store, while the MINI DUO-L sells for around $22 on AliExpress and the SONOFF store. All three should eventually become available on the company’s Amazon store.
CNXSoft: This article is a translation – with some additional insights – of the original review on CNX Software Thailand by Suthinee Kerdkaew.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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