Sora WiFi smart controller

The pocket-sized controller for wall splits, Sora brings local control and live telemetry to more brands than any other module

• Suitable for Daikin, LG, Mitsubishi Electric and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) wall split and small ducted systems, with more brands on the way
• Sora plugs into the service port on the indoor unit PCB with a brand-specific cable, the same port the manufacturer's own WiFi adapter uses, and it reads far more than the OEM adapter ever shows you
• Sora displays your machine's own internal telemetry on your dashboard
• Your remote control and wall controller keep working exactly as before. Sora sits alongside them
• One Sora per indoor unit is required. If you want to operate several indoor units using Home Assistant you need to install one module per unit
  
  

A stack of benefits to save energy costs:

• You can control the mode and setpoint as a proper climate entity
• Set room temperatures accurately with greater oversight
• Allocate setpoint limits so you control the access for other users. You can cap how high, or how low, the machine can be adjusted by others (this is perfect for pesky teenagers who like to fiddle with settings!)
• Schedule, automate and switch off from anywhere, so the unit is never left running in an empty house
  
  

Controls your remote does not give you

• Fan speed, swing, powerful, econo and quiet modes appear as their own switches and selectors where your unit supports them, so each one can be automated on its own
• Use your own room sensor. Point Sora at a Home Assistant temperature sensor placed where you actually sit, rather than the sensor inside the indoor unit up near the ceiling, and Sora steers the unit to hold that temperature
• Set up presence and window automations. Drop the setpoint when nobody is home, pause the unit when a window is open, and bring it back an hour before bedtime
  
  

Hot/cold climates make AC systems work hard, Sora reveals the data

• View compressor frequency, in Hz, the single most useful number to identify fluctuation
• Watch the machine modulate and 'ramp on' during hot afternoons, and settle down once the room reaches temperature
• Observe the indoor fan speed in RPM where the unit reports it
• See the unit's own power and energy figures on models that report them, so you can see what the aircon actually costs to run
  
  

The refrigerant circuit data is visible

• View the indoor coil (liquid) temperature
• View the outdoor air temperature from the outdoor unit's own sensor
• View the indoor air temperature as the unit sees it
• Compare setpoint against actual to see how hard the unit is working to hold the room
  
  

Sora shows your system runtime and performance condition

• View operating hours and 'power-on' hours with actual duty eliminating any guesswork
• Watch defrost cycles come and go in winter rather than wondering why the heating paused
• The system's own fault and error codes are revealed, so you, or the installer, can identify exact functions to fix, rather than guessing from a blinking light
• Any sensors your unit does not contain will automatically read as 'unavailable' rather than disappearing from view. This is a normal function and it varies by brand and indoor model
  
  

Sora is the most flexible MQTT device on the market

The Sora controller is designed to expand the functionality of your home automation system and complement any solution you may already own.

• Home Assistant will automatically see Sora during the MQTT discovery, with no code required and no template sensors. This arrives as a proper entity with the right device classes and units
• The Home Assistant Companion app on iOS and Android, with widgets, notifications and location triggers
• Apple Home works on both builds. The WiFi build has built-in HomeKit, and the Matter build adds it through Matter
• Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings and Aqara all require the Sora Matter build. Refer to the Network setup below
• Anything else that speaks MQTT, Sora can talk to it too, including openHAB, Node-RED, ioBroker, Domoticz and Homebridge
• Privacy perfection. Sora's built-in web page works with no internet, no passwords, and no cloud account at all, on either build. It's great for those with privacy needs. To use this function you must be on the same network
• The module itself is fully local. The web page, MQTT and Home Assistant involve no cloud account whatsoever. Only the third-party smart-home platforms route through their own clouds. Firmware updates come from the developer's server, not a cloud service you need an account to operate
  
  

Compatibility with Daikin, LG, Mitsubishi Electric and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) systems

Sora is one module with a cable and firmware matched to your brand. Select your brand at checkout and we flash and test it for that system before it leaves us.

• Daikin. Wall splits, floor consoles and small ducted units with an S21 port (cable Type A or Type B) or an S403 port (cable Type D or Type E). This covers the popular Cora, Alira, Zena, Lite and Standard Inverter ranges and most residential ducted units with the port. Use the compatibility and cable selection database to find your cable type from your indoor model number
• LG. Splits with the CN-REMO connector on the indoor PCB, including units that take the PI485 interface. One universal cable
• Mitsubishi Electric. Splits with the CN105 connector, and the CN92 or CN100 connector on newer models, where the MAC-5xx WiFi adapter normally plugs in. One universal cable
• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). SRK and DXK wall splits with the CNS connector on the indoor PCB. One universal cable
• Compatibility is confirmed per indoor model, please send us your model number and we can check
  
  

More brands, soon to be released

The Sora hardware already supports these brands and the firmware is in final testing. The variants will be added to this page as each one is released:

• Fujitsu General, three-wire wired remote connection and the CN65 port
• Samsung, F1/F2 wired remote bus
• Panasonic, CN-CNT and CN-WLAN ports
• Midea and the brands built on Midea hardware, including Carrier, MDV, Pioneer and Senville
• TCL and Funiki, CN16 port
• AUX and Casper, CN-WiFi port
• Further Daikin cable types for the X50A port

Want to know the moment your brand is released? Sign up to be notified through our contact page and tell us your brand and indoor model number. We email you once, when your variant goes live, and we can confirm compatibility for your exact model at the same time.

Sora is easy to install

The cable arrives already fitted to the module and there is no separate power supply, the module draws what it needs from the port on the indoor unit.

1. First, isolate power to the indoor and outdoor units.
2. Open the front panel and the electrical cover of the indoor unit to reach the PCB. On a Daikin this is usually behind the right-hand side of the indoor unit.
3. If the manufacturer's own WiFi adapter is already plugged into the port, unplug it. Sora takes its place.
4. Plug the Sora cable into the port. The plug only fits one way, so it cannot be connected incorrectly.
5. Tuck the module inside the unit or mount it in the tidy case, replace the covers, then restore power last and bring the module online.
   
   

Your remote and wall controller keep working. Sora does not replace anything. The infrared remote, the wired wall controller if fitted, and Sora can all adjust the unit, and Sora reports whichever setting is current.

Safety warning: You are working inside a live appliance. If you are not comfortable to open the indoor unit yourself, hire a professional installer.

What's included?

• Sora smart controller module with the cable for your selected brand and cable type already fitted
• Firmware choice preloaded
  

Multi-buy discount! Get a 10% discount when you purchase two or more modules or kits.

What is not included?

Sora does not include a mounting case. Most installs tuck the module inside the indoor unit, where there is usually room next to the PCB. If you would like it mounted outside the unit, add a tidy case or a tidy case and cable extension bundle for ducted units.

Have you chosen the right cable type for your Daikin? Daikin units use either the S21 port (Type A or B) or the S403 port (Type D or E), and the port decides the cable. Check the compatibility database or send us your indoor model number before you order. If the cable type turns out to be wrong, we swap the unit.

Have you made the right firmware choice for your Sora and system? Sora is flashed for the brand you select at checkout and the firmware is not interchangeable between brands. If you are unsure which brand variant you need, send us a photo of the indoor unit label and we can confirm.

Choose WiFi or Matter firmware builds for a solid Sora network

Your Sora is delivered with your choice of either WiFi or Matter firmware types which are selected at time of purchase. Soras are not generically set up but they are priced all the same. Soras are pre-flashed and quality tested by our trusty team, and in the future, there will be no firmware updates to manage because all arrive to you over the air. Bonus!

What this does not do

• Sora does not replace your remote or wall controller. It runs alongside them.
• There are no field settings. The installer-level configuration stays on the unit and its wall controller.
• There is no vendor app of our own, by design. The built-in web page is for setup and diagnostics. Use Home Assistant, Apple Home or whichever platform you have for daily use.
• Sensor coverage varies by brand and indoor model. Daikin units generally report the most. Some brands expose only the basic climate controls plus room temperature, and the telemetry list above is the best case rather than a promise for every unit.
• Sora is not for multi-head or commercial systems on a two-wire bus. Daikin ducted, Sky Air and multi-head systems controlled over P1/P2, and MHI systems on the X-Y bus, need the Faikin Ninja. Daikin Altherma heat pumps need the Faikin Oyu. ActronAir ducted systems need the Faikin Faiktron.
• Not every brand is covered yet. Hitachi and Toshiba are not currently supported on Sora. Sign up above and tell us your brand so we can let you know if that changes.
  
  

Specifications

• Connection: plug-in cable to the indoor unit PCB, Daikin S21 or S403, LG CN-REMO, Mitsubishi Electric CN105 / CN92 / CN100, MHI CNS
• Power: from the indoor unit port, under 1W, no separate supply
• WiFi: 802.11 b/g/n, 2.4GHz
• Control: web browser; Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, SmartThings, Aqara; Home Assistant and any MQTT client
• Size: 70 x 50 x 15mm
• Weight: approx. 35g
• Enclosure: black plastic
  
  

FAQ

Will it fight with my remote or wall controller?

No. Your infrared remote and any wired wall controller keep their full function. Sora is an extra way to control the unit and it reports whichever setting was changed last, by whichever controller changed it.

I already have the manufacturer's WiFi adapter. Can I keep both?

Not in the same port. Sora uses the same connector the OEM adapter uses, so the adapter comes out and Sora goes in. You lose the manufacturer's cloud app and gain local control, Home Assistant and the telemetry. On Daikin S21 units a three-way cable that keeps both is available on request, ask us before you order.

Which cable type does my Daikin need?

The port on the indoor PCB decides it. S21 port units take Type A or Type B, S403 port units take Type D or Type E. Look up your indoor model number in the compatibility database or send it to us. LG, Mitsubishi Electric and MHI each use one universal cable, so there is nothing to choose.

Can I change from WiFi to Matter later?

No. They are different firmware builds. You would negotiate to purchase and try the other type.

Can I change from one brand to another later?

No. The firmware and cable are specific to the brand you select at checkout. If you move house to a different brand of aircon, contact us about a swap.

Do I need Home Assistant?

No. The built-in web page works on its own, the WiFi build works with Apple Home, and the Matter build works with Apple Home and the rest without Home Assistant anywhere. Home Assistant is the best and most useful app to run the Sora.

Can I flash it myself?

No. The Sora is pre-flashed and tested for the brand and system you chose.

Does it need internet?

You only need internet for firmware updates. Local control keeps working with no internet connection at all.

My Daikin is a ducted system with a wall controller. Is that a Sora?

Only if the indoor unit has an S21 or S403 port, which most residential ducted units do. If your system runs on the two-wire P1/P2 bus with a BRC1E type wall controller and no port, or it is a multi-head or Sky Air system, you need the Faikin Ninja. Send us the indoor model number and we will tell you which.

I have an Altherma heat pump, it's not an air conditioning unit.

The Sora will not control a heat pump. See the Faikin Oyu for Daikin Altherma.

Installation and guides

Faikin installation guide for wiring, WiFi setup and control options. See the Matter and Apple Home pairing guide for hub requirements and pairing steps. Contact us for compatibility checks before you order.

Independent product notice: Faikin Australia is an independent brand and Sora products are not affiliated with, or endorsed by, Daikin Industries LIMITED, LG Electronics, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation or Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Brand names and related marks are trademarks of their respective owners.