[FEATURE] Idea: Exploring Thread Support via ESP32-C6 for Faikout #939
Description
Idea: Exploring Thread Support via ESP32-C6 for Faikout
I wanted to share an idea that may be worth considering, based on some recent hands-on testing.
One possible option would be to move Faikout to the ESP32-C6-Mini, which adds native IEEE 802.15.4 support alongside Wi-Fi and BLE. This enables Thread using Espressif’s existing OpenThread support in ESP-IDF.
Why Thread
- Thread seems relatively straightforward to bring up:
- ESP-IDF already includes OpenThread
- Joining a Thread network only requires a Thread Network TLV
No custom mesh logic is needed
I’ve tested this using ESP32-C6 with ESPHome, and was able to connect successfully to Home Assistant via Thread using MQTT.
Practical Observations
- From testing, Thread offers some practical characteristics that may suit Faikout:
- Mesh networking, avoiding reliance on a single Wi-Fi access point
- More predictable behaviour where Wi-Fi is weak or unreliable
Simple provisioning once the TLV is in place
This felt particularly relevant in locations such as basements, plant rooms, or dense concrete buildings.
ESP32-C6 includes a native IEEE 802.15.4 radio, which enables Thread via OpenThread in ESP-IDF, and also provides the underlying radio required for Zigbee. Moving to this chip makes both transports technically available on the same hardware, without committing to either beyond what is implemented.
Matter is a separate consideration that sits on top of Thread or Wi-Fi, rather than directly on 802.15.4. By using ESP32-C6, the underlying transport needed for Matter over Thread would already be present if that were ever explored later.
The ESP32-C6-Mini-1 is a good candidate, as it follows a similar mini-module form factor to the ESP32-S3-MINI-1, which may make it a practical replacement from a hardware perspective while adding 802.15.4 capability.