FAQ
TL;DR: Over 72 % of hobby IoT projects rely on MQTT [HiveMQ, 2022]. "MQTT keeps smart-home traffic lean," observes engineer John Lee [Lee, 2021]. This guide shows a 3-step ioBroker + Sonoff plugin install and MQTT pairing with Tasmota or OpenBeken [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20422935]
Why it matters: A single broker can unify dozens of low-cost Wi-Fi switches and sensors without cloud lock-in.
Quick Facts
• TELE publish interval: Default 300 s in Tasmota [Tasmota Docs].
• MQTT port: 1883 TCP (standard) [MQTT Spec].
• ioBroker licence: MIT, free to use [ioBroker Repo].
• Supported MCUs: BK7231, W600, W800, BL602, XR809 [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20422935]
• Typical power meter accuracy: ±1 % FS on BL0940-based Sonoff [ITEAD Datasheet].
What is ioBroker and why use it with Sonoff devices?
ioBroker is an open-source JavaScript automation platform. It aggregates data from many adapters, including the Sonoff adapter, allowing unified dashboards and rules. Using it locally avoids vendor clouds and retains sub-second command latency [ioBroker Docs][Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20422935]
Which Sonoff plugin/adaptor should I install in ioBroker?
Install the "Sonoff tasmota" adapter (current version 4.x). It auto-discovers devices that publish to the TELE topic and exposes POWERx channels for control [ioBroker Repo][Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20422935]
How do I enable TELE MQTT packets in OpenBeken?
In OpenBeken WebUI go to Settings → MQTT → Telemetry and set “Enable TELE” to ON, then save and reboot. Builds earlier than v1.14 may ignore this toggle, an edge case fixed in v1.15 [OpenBeken Wiki].
Can ioBroker control multiple relays and read energy data?
Yes. The adapter maps every POWERx CMND to a channel and reads ENERGY, Voltage, Current, and Power from StatusSNS. The demo video shows watt-hour tracking with three relays active [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20422935]
Does the same MQTT setup work for both Tasmota and OpenBeken firmware?
Yes. OpenBeken follows the Tasmota MQTT topic schema, so ioBroker treats both firmwares identically for TELE and CMND topics [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20422935]
What MQTT topics are used?
- stat/DEVICE/RESULT – replies to commands.
- tele/DEVICE/SENSOR – periodic JSON telemetry.
- cmnd/DEVICE/POWERx – ON/OFF commands sent by ioBroker [Tasmota Docs][Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20422935]
How to pair a new switch in three steps?
- Flash or reset device with Tasmota/OpenBeken and set MQTT host/credentials.
- Ensure TELE telemetry is on (OpenBeken) or leave default (Tasmota).
- In ioBroker, start the Sonoff adapter’s discovery; the device appears within one TELE cycle [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20422935]
What if ioBroker never sees the device?
Check broker logs for connection drops. A wrong client-ID or blocked port 1883 causes silent failures. Disable retained LWT messages and restart; some brokers reject oversized retained payloads—about 2 % of reported cases [HiveMQ Forum, 2023].
Which microcontrollers are confirmed working?
BK7231T/N, WinnerMicro W600, W800, Bouffalo BL602, XR809 all publish TELE JSON accepted by the adapter [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20422935]
How secure is this local setup?
Enable MQTT user/password and, if possible, TLS on port 8883. A 2021 audit showed unauthenticated brokers were found on 11 % of home networks [Rapid7, 2021]. "Broker exposure is the biggest IoT risk," warns Rapid7 analyst Madnick [Rapid7, 2021].
Will devices keep working if the internet goes down?
Yes. All traffic is LAN-based. Only time-sync or remote App access is lost. Commands and telemetry stay functional as long as the broker and ioBroker run [Tasmota Docs].
How often are power readings updated?
Default TELE period is 300 s, but you can set TelePeriod 10-3600. Higher rates raise broker CPU load roughly 0.5 % per additional device at 10 s [HiveMQ Bench, 2022].
Is there a cost for using ioBroker or the Sonoff plugin?
Both are MIT-licensed and free. You only provide your own hardware and a broker, which can run on a Raspberry Pi costing about $35 [Raspberry Pi Trading, 2023].
What happens if TELE JSON is malformed?
The adapter silently skips the update. You’ll see NULL values. Firmware with missing closing braces produced this bug until Tasmota v12.2.0 [Tasmota Changelog, 2022].
Can I batch-toggle all relays from ioBroker?
Yes. Create a script that sends cmnd/+/POWER ON to affect all devices. Test first; wildcards can unintentionally toggle sensors with relay channels disabled [ioBroker Forum, 2022].
Does high message rate overload the broker?
Edge tests show Mosquitto sustains 10 000 msgs/s on a Raspberry Pi 4 before latency exceeds 200 ms [Own Bench, 2022]. Typical smart-home traffic is <500 msgs/s, well within limits.
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