How to Install Home Assistant on an Industrial IoT Gateway (EG5120)

So, you've decided to build a smart home or office using the powerful, open-source platform,   Home Assistant  . That's a fantastic choice. The next question is: what hardware should you run it on? While many people start with a Raspberry Pi or a small PC, I've seen countless users run into stability and performance issues as their smart home grows.

What if you could run your entire smart home on a piece of hardware designed for 24/7 reliability in the most demanding environments? That's what this guide is all about. We're going to show you how to  install Home Assistant on a IoT   gateway   built for industrial use—the  Robustel EG5120 Industrial IoT Edge Gateway . By using its powerful processor and reliable storage, you can build a smart control center that is both incredibly powerful and exceptionally stable.

The EG5120 is the ideal hardware foundation for a high-performance Home Assistant hub. It's an industrial-grade device engineered for reliability and powerful edge computing.

Key EG5120 Specifications:

• Processor:  Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A53, 1.6 GHz (NXP i.MX8)
• Memory & Storage:  8 GB DDR4 RAM & 64 GB eMMC Storage
• Operating System:   RobustOS Pro  (based on Debian 11 with Long-Term Support)
• Interfaces:  2x Gigabit Ethernet (LAN/WAN), Dual SIM slots, 2x RS232/RS485 Serial Ports, Digital I/O.
• Industrial Design:  Rugged aluminum housing with a wide operating temperature range (-40°C to +70°C).

Its powerful processor ensures a smooth Home Assistant experience, while its industrial interfaces allow for future expansion with professional-grade sensors and equipment. For more details, visit the official   EG5120 Industrial IoT Edge Gateway product page  .

Before you begin, let's make sure you have everything ready. This will ensure a smooth installation process.

• Hardware List:
  • 1 x Robustel EG5120 Industrial IoT Edge Gateway
  • 1 x Power Supply (e.g., 24V DC/2A recommended)
  • 1 x Ethernet Cable
  • An active internet connection for the gateway (via Ethernet or a SIM card)
• Software/Firmware Version:
  • The EG5120 should be running  RobustOS Pro  (which is based on Debian 11).
• Information Needed:
  • The IP address of your EG5120 on your local network (default is 192.168.0.1).
  • Login credentials for the EG5120 (default is admin/admin).
• Knowledge Needed:
  • Basic familiarity with the Linux command line.
  • A general understanding of what  Docker  containers are.

This guide will walk you through the entire process, from initial login to having a running Home Assistant instance with extended capabilities.

First, we need to log in to the EG5120's management page and ensure it's ready for software installation.

1. Connect your computer to the EG5120's LAN port and open a browser to the default management address: http://192.168.0.1.
2. Log in with the default username (admin) and password (admin). You will be prompted to change this on your first login for security.

3. Ensure the device is connected to the internet. You can check the "Internet Status" on the homepage.

4. Navigate to System > User Management  and create a new sudo user . This user will be used for installing software via the command line. Set a secure password.

Next, we'll log in via SSH and install the Docker engine, which will run our Home Assistant container.

1. Use an SSH tool (like Windows Terminal or PuTTY) to log in to your EG5120 with the sudo user credentials you just created.

2. Run the following commands to update your system's package lists and install Docker's dependencies:
   

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3. Add Docker’s official GPG key to ensure the software is authentic:

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4. Set up the Docker repository and install the Docker engine:

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5. Verify the installation by checking the Docker service status:

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You should see an "active (running)" status.

Now for the exciting part! We will pull the official Home Assistant image and run it as a container.

1. Run the following docker run command in your SSH terminal.

• Note:  We are mapping a local folder /usr/local/HAconfig on the gateway to the /config directory inside the container. This ensures your Home Assistant configuration is safely stored on the gateway's main storage.

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2. The image is large, and the initial setup may take a few minutes.

1. Once the container is running, open a web browser on the same network and go to: http://:8123 (e.g., http://192.168.0.1:8123).
2. You will be greeted by the Home Assistant onboarding screen. Create your primary user account.

3. Home Assistant will automatically discover many smart devices on your network. You can now begin adding your devices and building automations.

1. Log in to the EG5120 via SSH and navigate to your Home Assistant config directory:

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2. Create the custom_components folder if it doesn't exist:

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3. Download the latest HACS release from  GitHub . (You may need to install wget and unzip first: sudo apt install wget unzip)

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4. Create the hacs folder and extract the archive into it:

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5. Go to the Home Assistant web interface, navigate to Settings > System , and click Restart .

6. After restarting, go to  Settings > Devices & Services > Add Integration , search for "HACS", and follow the on-screen instructions, which will require you to link HACS to your  GitHub account .