ESPHome turns an ESP32 into a Thread border router

ESPHome adds an experimental way to use an ESP32 as a Thread border router, connecting a Thread network through Wi-Fi. ESP32-C5 and C6 boards use their built-in radio; other Wi-Fi ESP32 variants can use a separate radio connected by serial wiring.

Pawel Puterla tested the built-in-radio path on an ESP32-C6 for two weeks without a restart or router hang. An ESP32-S3 with a separate radio hung two or three times over about three weeks, so that path needs particular care. The work includes setup guidance and is his first contribution to ESPHome.

OpenThread configurations now require ESP-IDF 5.5.5 or newer, including ordinary Thread devices. That version has already been the default for several releases; makers who pinned an older version need to remove or raise the pin.