OpenMQTTGateway — Multi-Protocol Radio to MQTT Bridge
A universal MQTT gateway for ESP32 that bridges LoRa, BLE, 433/868 MHz RF, and IR devices to Home Assistant — detecting dozens of BLE sensors, weather stations, and TPMS tire sensors.
Overview
OpenMQTTGateway (3,600+ GitHub stars) is one of the most popular open-source IoT gateway projects. It transforms ESP32 LoRa boards into universal radio-to-MQTT bridges, automatically detecting and decoding signals from hundreds of device types and publishing structured data to your MQTT broker for Home Assistant integration.
Key Features
- BLE Gateway: Detects and decodes 50+ BLE sensor types — Xiaomi Thermometers, Govee, TPMS tire pressure sensors, BBQ thermometers, plant sensors, body scales, and more
- LoRa Gateway: Receives and forwards LoRa packets to MQTT
- 433/868 MHz RF: Decodes signals from weather stations, door/window sensors, and RF remotes
- Infrared: Capture and replay IR commands via MQTT
- Auto-Discovery: MQTT auto-discovery for Home Assistant — devices appear automatically
- Web UI: Built-in web interface for configuration and status monitoring
- OTA Updates: Over-the-air firmware updates
Getting Started
Flash OpenMQTTGateway via the web installer or PlatformIO. Configure your WiFi and MQTT broker credentials. The gateway immediately begins scanning for nearby BLE and RF devices, publishing discovered sensors to your MQTT broker. Home Assistant discovers them automatically.
Why This Project
OpenMQTTGateway excels at consolidating multiple wireless protocols into a single gateway node. A LILYGO T3 S3 with LoRa becomes a combined BLE + LoRa + WiFi gateway, replacing multiple single-purpose bridges. The BLE passive scanning alone discovers devices you didn't even know were broadcasting — TPMS sensors on passing cars, fitness trackers, and smart home devices from neighbors.
