Ebyte E104-BT11 Bluetooth Mesh module features Silicon Labs EFR32MG21 MCU

Ebyte E104-BT11 is a Bluetooth Mesh module offered in four variants with support for gateways (G) and node (N) versions, as well as PCB or IPEX antenna versions.

Interestingly it is based on Silicon Labs EFR32MG21 Cortex-M33 microcontroller also found in ITEAD Zigbee 3.0 USB dongle, so it’s not impossible that it could be repurposed for Zigbee or Thread with firmware from Silabs.

Ebyte E104-BT11 module specifications:

• Wireless MCU – Silicon Labs EFR32MG21 Arm Cortex-M33 microcontroller @ up to 80 MHz with DSP and FPU, up to 1024 kB flash, up to 96 kB RAM, 2.4 GHz IEEE 802.15.4 for Bluetooth LE, Zigbee, or Thread
• Wireless connectivity
  • Bluetooth Mesh/BLE support with default firmware, up to 10,922 devices supported
  • Max Tx power – 20 dBm
  • Rx sensitivity- -88 to -97 dBm (-97 dBm typ.)
  • Max data rate – 1Mbps
  • Antenna – PCB antenna up to 200-meter range, or IPX antenna up to 300-meter range
• 26 castellated holes with GPIOs, PWM, UART (host connection), Reset, and power signals
• Supply Voltage – 1.9 to 3.8V (3.3V typ.)
• Power Consumption
  • TX current- 178mA @ 20dBm
  • RX current – 10.8mA
  • Sleep current – 1μA
• Dimensions | Weight
  • PCB antenna version – 19 x 13mm | 0.8 grams
  • IPX antenna version – 16 x 13mm | 0.8 grams
• Temperature range – -40 to +85°C (Industrial grade)

The company provides Android and IOS platform SDKs, examples, and demo code. You’ll find more technical details about the hardware and communication protocol in the datasheet.

Typical use cases for E104-BT11 module and Bluetooth Mesh in general, include Smart Home, building automation, light control, wireless sensor networks, and all sorts of Internet of Things applications. As noted in the introduction it might be possible to update the firmware for Zigbee and/or Thread connectivity allowing integration into open-source automation frameworks like Home Assistant or OpenHAB.

Ebyte E104-BT11 Bluetooth Mesh module can be purchased on Aliexpress either as E104-BT11G for the gateway module or E104-BT11N for the node module with pricing starting at around $8. There may also be additional details on the manufacturer’s website.

Thanks to Hedda for the tip.

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