A Bridge that Works Without An App - Meet the Local Web Panel of ZBBridge-U！

Introduction

The emergence of Matter has made it possible—for the first time—for smart devices across brands and protocols to speak a common language. Yet bringing non-Matter devices into the Matter ecosystem remains a real challenge for most smart home users.

For those who prefer open platforms like Home Assistant, handling complex configurations can already be frustrating—let alone ongoing debugging and maintenance. Ready-made gateways may simplify the process, but often come with limited device compatibility and cloud dependencies that don't always inspire confidence.

So, is there really no solution that strikes a balance—combining local security with app-level ease of use? With firmware v1.15.0, ZBBridge-U answers that question by introducing a new local web interface, designed to make Matter access simple, fully local, and accessible even for smart home beginners. Whether you prefer open platforms or app-based ecosystems, ZBBridge-U offers a flexible way to get started.

Easy Setup in Two Steps

Getting started locally takes just an Ethernet cable and a web browser.

1. Connect ZBBridge-U to your home router using an Ethernet cable.

2. Next, open a computer or tablet—your phone works as well, we've optimized the interface for all screen sizes. Connect your device to the same Wi-Fi network as ZBBridge-U, then open your preferred browser and visit  http://zbbridgeu.local or the IP address assigned to ZBBridge-U by your router, to log in and access the main dashboard anytime.

Your Web-Based Matter Bridge

The home page of ZBBridge-U serves as a dedicated Matter Bridge dashboard. You can bridge four types of devices into the Matter ecosystem: Zigbee, Home Assistant, eWeLink Wi-Fi, and eWeLink Remote. For each type, the total number of added devices, online devices, and synced devices is clearly displayed.

To keep the experience simple and efficient, ZBBridge-U is built around a streamlined workflow. From the Add Device entry on the top-left of the home page, you can jump directly to the setup page for any device type.
Once devices are added, you can manage or sync them to Matter from their respective device lists in the sidebar.

Device Type	How to Add	Sync to Matter	Rename	Delete	OTA
Zigbee	Add directly via ZBBridge-U Supports SONOFF and most third-party devices	√	√	√	√ (SONOFF devices)
Home Assistant	Sign in to your Home Assistant account	√	×	×	×
eWeLink Wi-Fi	Sign in to your eWeLink account Device info retained locally after sign out	√	√	√	×
eWeLink Remote	Add directly via ZBBridge-U / Sign in to eWeLink Device info retained locally after sign out	√	√	√	×

Highlights

• Stable synchronization: ZBBridge-U is officially certified in Matter 1.4 Standard and works with major Matter platforms including Apple, Google, SmartThings, and Alexa, ensuring reliable and well-supported device integration after syncing.
• Hassle-free maintenance: ZBBridge-U does not rely on cloud-based OTA services. Once connected to the internet, it can download firmware updates directly from a designated IP address.

How to Set Up

1. Add ZBBridge-U to a Matter Platform

On the Home page, click Start Pairing in the lower-left corner. Use the app of your target Matter platform to scan the pairing QR code, then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.

Once added, the device appears in the lower-right of the Home page. Click See more to view fabric details.

2. Add Zigbee Devices to ZBBridge-U

Select Add Devices on the Home page, choose the device type, and follow the prompts.

After devices are added, you can enter the device page from the sidebar to view the device list. You can edit the basic information of the devices in the list.

3. Select Devices and Sync

In each device list, click Sync Management, select devices, and click Save. Devices will appear in the Matter platform and show status on the Home page.

Working Alongside Home Assistant

User security and privacy are key motivations for our local web interface. ZBBridge-U works as a powerful companion to Home Assistant, offering a secure local experience and a simpler setup process via phone.

It supports adding SONOFF and most third-party Zigbee devices and syncing them to Home Assistant via MQTT in a single step—a convenient alternative to traditional Zigbee adapters.

Highlights

• Beginner-friendly setup
  ZBBridge-U can automatically discover Home Assistant instances on the local network.
  Configuring MQTT in the local web interface is as straightforward as signing into an account, requiring only Home Assistant's built-in Mosquitto Broker add-on—making it easy even for first-time users.
• Built for long-term stability
  Zigbee devices synchronized to Home Assistant via MQTT remain managed by ZBBridge-U.
  This means you can continue adding and managing Zigbee devices through the local web interface, while ZBBridge-U maintains the Zigbee network itself—reducing the load on your Home Assistant hardware and improving overall system stability.

How to Set Up

1. Configure the MQTT Broker in Home Assistant

First, make sure you have Home Assistant running on a server. You'll also need to have MQTT configuration enabled in Home Assistant and the Mosquitto Broker add-on installed.

Once the add-on is installed, create a username and password in the Mosquitto Broker configuration. These credentials will be used later when connecting ZBBridge-U to Home Assistant.

2. Add Zigbee Devices to ZBBridge-U

On the Home page, select Add Devices → Zigbee Devices to start Zigbee pairing mode.
Alternatively, you can enter the Zigbee page directly from the sidebar to enable pairing.

After devices are added, you can manage them from the device list.
When the router connected to ZBBridge-U has internet access, OTA firmware updates are supported for SONOFF Zigbee devices.

3. Sync Devices to Home Assistant

Go to the Home Assistant page in the ZBBridge-U local web interface and select Sync Zigbee Sub-devices to Home Assistant. Then configure the MQTT Broker connection.

MQTT Broker Settings

1. Automatically scan for the Home Assistant IP address, or enter it manually
2. Port: enter the Normal MQTT port configured in the Mosquitto Broker
3. Username and password: use the credentials created in the Mosquitto Broker
4. Encryption: set to None by default, or adjust according to your Mosquitto Broker configuration

Enable MQTT and save the settings.

Once the configuration is complete, select the devices you want to sync from the list. The synced devices will then appear in Home Assistant → MQTT configuration.

Benefits for eWeLink Users

1. Cross-platform synchronization
   Wi-Fi devices and eWeLink Remote devices under your account can be synchronized to Home Assistant. Even after logging out, you can choose to keep the device information stored locally.
2. Remote control of Home Assistant devices
   Once synchronized, Home Assistant devices can be controlled remotely through the eWeLink app, offering greater flexibility between local and cloud-based control.
3. Full support for SONOFF devices
   ZBBridge-U continues to provide the most complete and prioritized compatibility and feature support for SONOFF devices.

Usage Guide

👉 Click here to view a comprehensive usage guide.

👉 Click here to view the supported sub-device list and their capabilities across different Matter platforms.

Your Opinions Matter

ZBBridge-U will continue to evolve with ongoing feature improvements, expanded device compatibility, and more functionality released to the local web interface.

You can follow the link below to stay up to date with the latest version releases. If you encounter any issues after upgrading, you are also welcome to submit feedback through the same channel. Our development team will communicate directly with you.

👉 Learn more and follow updates
https://forum.ewelink.cc/t/release-note-zigbee-bridge-ultra-v1-17-0-update/206886/4

We also warmly invite you to share your experience and insights with the community. Your suggestions and use cases are invaluable to us and help shape the future of ZBBridge-U.

👉 Join the discussion
https://forum.ewelink.cc/c/sonoff-bridge-x/48

Purchase Now

👉 Purchase link: SONOFF Zigbee Bridge Ultra | ZBBridge-U

Use the code ZBBridge10 at checkout to enjoy 10% off.