Thread border router for HA box in location with bad reception

Hardware
1

Hi all, after moving to a new home, I will start again with the transition to home assistant. As I will need basically mostly new smart hardware, I thought of going to matter over thread. Most of my requirements can be covered by affordable IKEA devices.

The home assistant server sits in a metal rack in the basement an a room with bad reception. Therefore, I planned to use a PoE router in the center of the home, until I read that it is really not recommended. What would be a good alternative? Using a USB router directly connected to Home assistant and try to get with powered thread components, such as bulbs and power plugs out of the room to build a mash?

Thanks in advance for some ideas;)

2

Where did you read that a PoE router is not recommended? I run my Matter over Thread using a SLZB-06 using PoE, never any issues with that.

3

Basically every Homepod and Google Nest hub is an Ethernet connected Thread border router.So if it would not be recommended that would make them bad as well, which they aren't. If you have any of those, join their network. Don't buy extra stuff if what you need is already there. My network is run by HA and a ZBT-1 in a closet, but pretty much everything connects through my Nest Hubs.

4

Basically I understood that part here that way

The OTBR expects the RCP connected radio to be on a reliable link such as UART or SPI. Using TCP/IP to reach a remote RCP radio breaks this assumption.

5

I don’t think you will have any issues with a poe-powered thread router.

6

The only thing not recommended is to have more than one TBR in the home that is not on the latest spec that allows them to merge into a single cohesive network.

I use a GL-S200 as my TBR which connects back to my HA instance on my NuC in a VM through my network switch, I don't have issues with this setup at this time.

7

Thanks for all the answers. Then a PoE based router, such as the SMLIGHT shouldn't be an issue.