Quick summary: Nabu Casa launched the Home Assistant Connect AUX-2 on 11 November 2026 and says it is available worldwide now for $69 or €59. The compact ESP32-S3 device combines 802.3af Power over Ethernet, audio streaming, two RS-232 ports, USB-A, a Grove connector and a Home Assistant Bluetooth proxy. It can also place a Connect ZWA-2AliExpress price away from the Home Assistant host, although Thread forwarding is not supported.
One box for audio, serial and remote radios
Connect AUX-2 is an official Home Assistant accessory rather than a general-purpose ESP32 development board. Its job is to put several useful interfaces at the edge of a home network, where old hi-fi equipment, televisions, solar inverters, climate controllers or Bluetooth sensors actually live.
| Hardware | Verified specification |
|---|---|
| Processor | Espressif ESP32-S3 |
| Networking | 2.4 GHz 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Ethernet and 802.3af PoE |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5 LE with a dedicated antenna; Home Assistant proxy, not Bluetooth audio |
| Audio | Combined 3.5 mm analogue/optical S/PDIF output; FLAC, MP3 and WAV decoding |
| Control and expansion | Two 3.5 mm RS-232 ports, USB-A data and a Grove GPIO/I²C connector |
| Power | PoE or 5 V/2 A USB-C |
| Size | 106 × 63 × 25 mm; 104 g |
For audio, the combined output can feed either an analogue input or an optical S/PDIF input, one at a time. Music Assistant and the open Sendspin protocol provide synchronised playback alongside compatible modern speakers. The two serial ports add a more practical layer: supported equipment can expose power, source, volume or telemetry without leaving its vendor cloud connection enabled.
PoE makes placement the useful feature
The more interesting maker use is location. A Home Assistant server often sits in a rack, cupboard or basement, which is rarely the best position for Z-Wave or Bluetooth. AUX-2 can carry network and power over one Ethernet cablePriceAliExpress price, host a Connect ZWA-2PriceAliExpress price on its USB port and act as a purpose-built Bluetooth proxy.
That overlaps with DIY designs such as an ESP32 and W5500 Ethernet Bluetooth proxy, but packages the idea in supported hardware with PoE and additional interfaces. Readers planning a Z-Wave deployment can compare it with our Connect ZWA-2 guide, while the ESP32 Bluetooth proxy guide explains what Home Assistant can and cannot route through BLE.
Important limits before buying
- Thread is not supported through a connected ZBT-2Price. Nabu Casa says network latency makes this unreliable and the required serial redesign has not started.
- Zigbee forwarding is still early. The launch post says it works in testing, but Nabu Casa is not yet advertising it for everyday use. Z-Wave through Connect ZWA-2 is the supported radio use highlighted on the product page.
- The Bluetooth radio is for Home Assistant devices, not speakers or headphones. Audio leaves through the physical analogue/optical output.
- RS-485 needs a separate USB adapter. The built-in serial ports are RS-232, and some equipment will also need a suitable DB9, RJ11 or other converter cable.
- Custom ESPHome firmware has a trade-off. The official firmware page says the signed 2026.11.1 build adds 24-bit streaming, while taking over the device in ESPHome Device Builder currently omits that 24-bit audio support.
The bootloader is unlocked and the shipping firmware is built on ESPHome. Nabu Casa also says it intends to release the PCB and 3D-print files, but that promise should not be read as confirmation that the design files are already available.
Price and availability
Connect AUX-2 is shipping through Home Assistant’s retail partners. The recommended price is $69 before tax or €59 including applicable VAT; regional pricing and stock are set by individual retailers. No official UK price was listed at publication time.
