Expanding Home Assistant with Bluetooth Proxy

Home Assistant's Bluetooth integration is powerful, but limited by range. A Bluetooth Proxy extends coverage, enabling integration with devices far from your Home Assistant instance. This post guides you through setup.

What is a Bluetooth Proxy?

A proxy acts as a relay, forwarding Bluetooth signals from devices to Home Assistant. This is especially useful for sensors in remote locations (garden, garage, etc.). ESPHome devices are excellent proxies due to their low cost and flexibility.

Setup Steps:

1. Prepare an ESPHome Device: Flash an ESP32 board with ESPHome.
2. Add Bluetooth Proxy Configuration: Add the following to your ESPHome configuration YAML:
   

   bluetooth_proxy:
     active: true

3. Upload to ESP32: Upload the updated configuration to your ESP32 device.
4. Home Assistant Discovery: Home Assistant automatically discovers the Bluetooth Proxy.

Device Integration Tips:

• Placement is Key: Position the proxy strategically for optimal coverage.
• Multiple Proxies: Use multiple proxies for large homes or challenging environments.
• Address Conflicts: Ensure no Bluetooth address conflicts exist.

Best Practices:

• Static IP: Assign a static IP to your ESPHome devices for stability.
• Regular Updates: Keep ESPHome and Home Assistant updated.
• Monitor Signal Strength: Monitor Bluetooth signal strength for optimal performance.

By implementing a Bluetooth Proxy, you drastically improve your smart home's reliability and integration capabilities.