The Tool Desk
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What the proxy does—and what it does not
An ESPHome Bluetooth proxy forwards Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) traffic to Home Assistant. It does not proxy Bluetooth Classic devices. The proxy is one component in an ESPHome node, so you can configure other components in that same node, including a wired sensor connected to a GPIO pin. See ESPHome’s Bluetooth Proxy documentation.
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BLE advertisements and active connections are different. Many sensors broadcast readings in advertisements, which the proxy can forward without opening a connection. Other devices need an active Generic Attribute Profile (GATT) connection to read or write characteristics. Home Assistant’s Bluetooth integration documentation explains the BLE adapter and connection terminology.
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Confirm a GPIO pin is actually available
Read the pinout and documentation for your exact ESP32 board. Pins may be reserved for flash, an onboard LED, Ethernet hardware, or other board functions; some pins also have boot-strapping roles. Do not treat an unconnected-looking header as proof that a pin is safe to use. Match the sensor’s power and data wiring to the sensor and board specifications.
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- 2.4GHz Dual Mode WiFi + Bluetooth Development Board
- Support LWIP protocol, Freertos
- SupportThree Modes: AP, STA, and AP+STA
- Ultra-Low power consumption, Compatible with Arduino IDE
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Account for active BLE connections
ESPHome documents a default of three active connection slots on ESP32 proxies and recommends no more than five for stability. Each configured slot uses about 1 KB of RAM. These are ESPHome configuration figures, not performance measurements of a proxy-plus-sensor setup. A sensor that only advertises does not occupy an active connection slot; a device that remains connected does. Locks or thermostats that stay connected can keep a slot occupied, while devices that connect briefly release it afterward. The proxy documentation describes the limit as a limited number of simultaneous active GATT connections configured through connection_slots.
Consider how the board connects to the network
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth share radio resources on ESP32 hardware. ESPHome recommends Ethernet-connected hardware when Bluetooth performance matters, since Ethernet offloads Wi-Fi traffic from the radio. ESPHome also recommends leaving scan parameters at their defaults for most users: aggressive settings can increase CPU use and network traffic, and may contribute to overheating on PoE proxy boards or Wi-Fi instability on Wi-Fi boards. The documentation does not quantify the performance effect of adding a local wired sensor, so results should not be assumed identical for every board and configuration.
Rank #2
- Dual-Core Performance Up to 240 MHz: Run sensor processing, wireless communication, automation logic and connected-device tasks on a 32-bit dual-core ESP32 platform designed for responsive embedded and IoT projects
- Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2: Connect to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi networks or use Bluetooth Classic and BLE for wireless sensors, smart devices, remote controls, home automation and other connected projects
- Flexible Power-Saving Modes: ESP32 power-management features support dynamic clock scaling and low-power operating modes, helping developers reduce energy use in compatible sensing, monitoring and connected-device applications, suitable for battery-powered Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
- USB-C Programming with CP2102: Connect through USB-C for power, sketch uploads and serial monitoring, while GPIO, UART, SPI and I2C interfaces support sensors, displays, motor drivers and other modules (USB-C cable not included)
- Over-the-Air Update Support: Configure OTA functionality through a compatible ESP-32 software framework to update deployed firmware over Wi-Fi without reconnecting the board by USB for every revision
Example: add a 1-Wire temperature probe
ESPHome documents GPIO-based 1-Wire and Dallas temperature sensor components, making a wired temperature probe a suitable example of sharing one node between proxying and local sensing. A waterproof DS18B20 is one possible sensor, but check its supply and wiring requirements alongside the pin assignment for your particular ESP32 board. The relevant component instructions are in ESPHome’s Dallas temperature sensor documentation.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →In configuration terms, the Bluetooth proxy and the sensor are separate components in the same ESPHome node: the proxy uses the ESP32’s BLE capability, while the 1-Wire bus uses a configured GPIO. Follow the current component documentation for the exact YAML and the board’s documentation for safe wiring; there is no universally safe pin choice across ESP32 boards.
Rank #3
- Powerful ESP-32 Board: Unlock the world of Internet of Things (IoT) and advanced electronics with the heart of this kit: the ESP-32 board. It features a powerful dual-core processor, integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2, making it perfect for building connected, smart devices that communicate with your phone or the cloud. It's fully compatible with the Arduino IDE for easy programming.
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When a different board makes more sense
Reuse the ESP32 you already own when it has a suitable exposed pin and its BLE workload is within the connection limits. Consider a second board if no appropriate pin is available, the wiring would interfere with existing hardware, or the proxy’s BLE connections are already constrained. Platform choice also affects proxy features: current ESPHome documentation lists active proxy connections on ESP32 and RP2040/RP2350, while BK72xx and LN882x proxies support advertisements only. ESPHome announced additional non-ESP32 proxy platforms in release 2026.8.0; check the ESPHome 2026.8.0 release notes and current proxy documentation for support details, which may change in later releases.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 2.4GHz Dual Mode WiFi + Bluetooth Development Board
- Ultra-Low power consumption, works perfectly with the Arduino IDE
- Support LWIP protocol, Freertos
- SupportThree Modes: AP, STA, and AP+STA
- ESP32 is a safe, reliable, and scalable to a variety of applications
Rank #4
- 2.4GHz Dual Mode WiFi + Bluetooth Development Board
- Support LWIP protocol, Freertos;ESP32 is a safe, reliable, and scalable to a variety of applications
- SupportThree Modes: AP, STA, and AP+STA
- Ultra-Low power consumption, Compatible with Arduino IDE
- 1PCS 30Pin ESP32 Development Board 2.4GHz WiFi Dual Cores Microcontroller Integrated with Antenna RF Low Noise Amplifiers Filters
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