This CC2531 USB dongle is a gateway that can be used directly as a zigbee2mqtt coordinator. It comes with custom firmware, so it’s ready to use right away. The installed firmware is Z-Stack_Home_1.2 (default).
With this USB stick, you can create your own ZigBee gateway and use it to control various devices such as lamps, temperature sensors, switches, etc.
Since this ZigBee gateway acts as the central nervous system between all ZigBee devices, it can optionally be housed in a casing. It has a range of approximately 20 meters indoors, which is sufficient for most homes.
By integrating Home Assistant with a ZigBee coordinator, most ZigBee devices can be controlled via Home Assistant. It’s no longer necessary to use a Philips Hue bridge, IKEA TRÃ…DFRI gateway, or Xiaomi gateway, for example. By controlling all ZigBee devices through Home Assistant, privacy and security concerns, such as those with Xiaomi products, are eliminated. All ZigBee communication will remain indoors and will no longer be routed through, for example, a Xiaomi cloud. A step-by-step installation guide for this gateway within Home Assistant can be found here: [Installation Guide for Zigbee2mqtt with Home Assistant](https://haprofs.com/installatie-zigbee2mqtt-home-assistant/)
Here’s how to install the stick within Domoticz: [Domoticz Installation Guide](https://github.com/stas-demydiuk/domoticz-zigbee2mqtt-plugin)
