Is it possible for ESPHome to be directly detected/controlled over wifi on Alexa?

ESPHome
1

I got some new Sonoff smart plugs. I’d like to connect them directly to Alexa. My use case is that if worst case, my home server goes down, I can use Alexa to power it off and on.

2

With emulation settings, Tasmota firmware can work directly with Alexa.

I’ve only ever heard of ESPhome communicating with HASS or possibly MQTT.

3

Yeah, I was hoping I could keep it all in one place, but if not - Tasmota it is.

4

I use both - Tasmota for simple devices (and the odd Sonoff sensor hack), and ESPhome for more complex projects. ESPhome does a lot, but the need for individual compiled binaries for each device is an overhead. I update a fleet of Tasmota devices with one MQTT pub.

1 Like
5

I don’t know much about Alexa, but I get some hits for an Alexa MQTT skill and bridge.

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6

Unfortunately/Fortunatly (You Decide) I don’t have Alexa’s. I went with Google as I knew more about the ecosystem and wanted to keep with one standards. Yet I also have a Home Assistant server running on enterprise grade servers. So far I’ve been setting up as many mains lines as a master on and off with sonoffs flashed with Tasmota and a GPIO wire to a physical switch as backup. Then base WiFi Wall Switfhes and Plug Outlets running 2.4ghz like TPLinks. But many of these I’m starting to migrate to a Zigbee Design with an External Coordinator. Then running Zigbee bulbs for top levels of control over lighting conditions. Each on their own respective hidden WiFi SSID channels and VLANs. Zigbee is running a TubesZ PoE Powered Zigbee Coordinator running ESPHome. I can trigger and manage all of these through MQTT as well

This is the most resilient design I’ve accomplished so far at home with my setup. But I guess every layer you build adds just that much more complexity and overhead as well. It all comes down to what equipment you have and how much administration you want to attempt to automate or manage.

But I’d like to even have Alexa now in case I need to throw that in the ring on day. Or if setting that up might be a better option for someone. Is there like an Alexa skill you use for direct control over tazmota or does Alexa just have a way to read MQTT?

7

Hi,
The community would like to help you, but replying to a two year old thread with a long block of text isn’t a good way to ask a question. A new topic post with specific questions may get you a much better result:
https://community.home-assistant.io/t/how-to-help-us-help-you-or-how-to-ask-a-good-question/114371/3

I’ll attempt some answers as best as I can…

2023 Tasmota firmware for ESP devices can emulate switches and lights in a way that 2023 Alexa (and the Amazon cloud platform) could control.

There is also now an Alexa integration and also one for Google for HA to expose HA entities for voice control.

In 2025, I would personally use Matter/Thread devices as they can be natively (and locally) controlled by multiple local and cloud platforms (including Amazon & Google). Certification ensures devices work together.

My experience with Zigbee is full of random errors, tweaking quirk files, and incompatible firmware problems.

For more protocol comparison…

Due to Amazon’s changes to privacy conditions, all my Alexa kit has been turned off, and replaced by HA Voice Assistant PE as the device respects my privacy.