Switch - SONOFF TX

One of the most exciting features in CUBE OS is the Matter Bridge. This gives many older WiFi devices a second life. They can now join ecosystems like Apple Home without relying on the eWeLink cloud and be controlled through Apple Home, Siri, HomePod, Apple Watch, and other Apple ecosystem entry points.

In this post, I’ll share my hands-on experience: bringing my old SONOFF TX wall switch back to life, connecting it to the Apple ecosystem via CUBE OS.

Steps

1

Pick up an old TX wall switch I had lying around, wired it to a ceiling light, and got ready to see how well this experience works.

2

On my Ugreen NAS, I installed CUBE OS inside a virtual machine and got it running smoothly. Installation tutorials can be found in the Installation & User Guide.

3

Once CUBE OS was up and running, I access to the interface via cube.local (or the IP of the CUBE). From the sidebar, I clicked on the Docker (whale icon), installed the eWeLink Smart Home Addon, logged in with my eWeLink ID, and synced my WiFi devices into CUBE OS. This step pulls the control keys from the cloud - after that, you can say goodbye to eWeLink Cloud.

4

Next, from the CUBE OS sidebar, I clicked the Matter icon. Following the UI guide, I generated a pairing code, then scanned it with my iPhone in the Apple Home app. It felt exactly the same as adding a HomeKit device - no extra steps. If you see a prompt like “Adding an uncertified device”, just continue. (CUBE OS is currently under CSA certification.)

5

I customized the device name and assigned it to a room - the same steps as with any HomeKit device.

6

Now for the fun part - controlling my TX switch through Apple Home and Siri on different devices:

• iPhone Apple Home

• iPhone Siri

• iPad Apple Home

• iPad Siri

• HomePod mini Siri

• Apple Watch Apple Home

• Apple Watch Siri

Thought

The whole process was easy. The most “complex” part was installing CUBE OS on my NAS, but even that was straightforward with the tutorial. Once CUBE OS was running, everything else was just following the UI.

My old TX wall switch now feels brand new, fully working inside the Apple ecosystem.

Highly recommend everyone try CUBE OS to bring a second life to your older WiFi devices!