Introduction
Thanks to Multiprotocol support, a Zigbee dongle flashed with MultiPAN firmware can run both Zigbee and Thread networks simultaneously. Since the release of MultiPAN firmware in 2022, it has remained a popular topic, attracting ongoing interest from the smart home community.
Background
In December 2022, Home Assistant launched the SkyConnect dongle along with official MultiPAN firmware that supported Multiprotocol functionality. This firmware was in active use through 2024, but Home Assistant later confirmed that running Zigbee and Thread concurrently on a single Silicon Labs chip was unstable. Multiprotocol support was officially paused, and the MultiPAN firmware was blocked on SkyConnect devices.
However, at SONOFF, we didn’t stop there.
Driven by our pursuit of technical innovation, we believe that running Zigbee and Thread on a single chip is the optimal solution. For everyday users, this means a single dongle can connect to both Zigbee and Thread devices — significantly lowering the entry barrier for smart home adoption.
That’s why, starting in the second half of 2024, we began in-depth research into MultiPAN firmware with official support from Silicon Labs.
Latest Progress
After a series of configuration and CPC task stack optimizations, we successfully ran both Zigbee and Thread networks simultaneously on the ZBDongle-E (with EFR32MG21 SoC) using the latest MultiPAN firmware.
In this setup, we added a total of 150 devices:
- 100 Zigbee devices
- 50 Thread devices
We then conducted the following stress tests:
- Random manual control tests
- Automated high-frequency tests: controlling all 100 Zigbee devices and 50 Thread devices every 30 minutes
The testing ran continuously for 5 weeks without any crashes or instability.
Now, we’re confident in saying: Multiprotocol is not dead.
Detailed Testing
Test Environment
- Host: Raspberry Pi 4B, Ubuntu 22.04
-
Software Versions:
- CPCd: v4.6.1
- zigbeed: SSDK12.01
- Zigbee2MQTT: v1.4.2
-
Platforms:
- Zigbee: Zigbee2MQTT
- Matter/Thread: Chiptool
Hardware & Firmware
- Device: SONOFF ZBDongle-E
- Firmware: MultiPAN (SSDK12.01), flashable via SONOFF Dongle Flasher
-
Protocol Versions:
- Zigbee: EmberZNet SDK 8.1.1.0
- Thread: OpenThread SDK 2.6.1.0
-
Test Load:
- 100 Zigbee devices
- 50 Matter over Thread devices
Test Scope
-
Functionality:
- Zigbee single control & group control
- Thread device single control
- Zigbee OTA updates
- Coordinator power-loss recovery
-
Stability:
- Every 30 minutes:
- Group control 100 Zigbee devices
- Control 50 Thread devices sequentially
Test Results
Stability Tests
|
Test Case |
Result |
|
Group control 100 Zigbee devices every 30 minutes |
Stable for 5 weeks |
|
Traverse single control 50 Thread devices every 30 minutes |
Stable for 5 weeks |
Thread Device Single Control Performance
|
Device Type |
Success Rate |
Avg. Response Time |
Result |
|
Nanoleaf RGB Light |
100% |
98ms |
✅ Passed |
|
UK Smart Plug |
100% |
195ms |
✅ Passed |
|
EU Smart Plug |
100% |
172ms |
✅ Passed |
Zigbee Device Single Control Performance
|
Device Type |
Success Rate |
Avg. Response Time |
Result |
|
Zigbee Router Node |
100% |
100ms |
✅ Passed |
Zigbee Group Control (20 Devices)
|
Device Type |
Success Rate |
Avg. Response Time |
Result |
|
Zigbee Router Node |
100% |
0.76s |
✅ Passed |
What’s Next?
These results show that flashing MultiPAN firmware on ZBDongle-E and running on Zigbee2MQTT and Chiptool is stable.
Next, we’ll be testing this setup in a Home Assistant environment. However, since the original SiliconLabs Multiprotocol Add-on has been deprecated and removed from the HA add-on store, we’re planning to:
- Upgrade the original SiliconLabs Multiprotocol Add-on
- Enable MultiPAN operation within Home Assistant for testing
Conclusion
Multiprotocol is a transformative technology. It allows current Zigbee users to connect Matter devices without buying additional hardware — helping to drive Matter adoption with zero cost increase.
We hope the Home Assistant community can re-accept it with an open attitude. Meanwhile, SONOFF will continue pushing the development of Matter, Zigbee, and Multiprotocol technologies to build a smarter, more open, and stable smart home ecosystem.
Multiprotocol is not dead — it’s just getting started.
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