HomeKit Homekit Flaws

[Shmuco]

So I have Phillips hue and I love it. Im eating to get a motion sensor to control them and I was looking for the cheapest HomeKit compatible motion sensor and I came across the Aqara Human Body sensor which seems perfect. However, after doing some reasrech it transpires I need to buy there hub for it to work.
This got me thinking. Do I need to buy a hub for every device I buy if they are not from the same company? and if so, this is crazy my house will be filled with Hubs.

I think this is a massive flaw in HomeKit.

Whats everyones thoughts or suggestions on how I can work around this.

 

[Itinj24]

So I have Phillips hue and I love it. Im eating to get a motion sensor to control them and I was looking for the cheapest HomeKit compatible motion sensor and I came across the Aqara Human Body sensor which seems perfect. However, after doing some reasrech it transpires I need to buy there hub for it to work.
This got me thinking. Do I need to buy a hub for every device I buy if they are not from the same company? and if so, this is crazy my house will be filled with Hubs.

I think this is a massive flaw in HomeKit.

Whats everyones thoughts or suggestions on how I can work around this.

Why not just get the Hue Motion sensors since you already have the Hub? Not everything needs a hub though. I believe the Eve and Fibaro stuff doesn’t but those are more expensive. I have a few Hue Motion sensors and a few of the Aqara Motion sensors and door and window sensors. The Aqara hub is actually more than just a Hub. It can be used as an alarm system and a nightlight. The accessories for them are nicely priced and there’s a nice variety. If you could splurge for an Aqara Hub, I would go that route. Not everything needs a Hub though.

 

[Bgosh]

If you're not intimidated by a DIY approach, a lot of folks use homebridge as a solution. You can load a variety of plugins to a small computer like Raspberry Pi that acts as a universal hub of sorts. It would allow you to connect some unsupported devices as well. There is a ton of documentation on setting up homebridge. Alexa supports more devices so if having some hubs is a deal breaker you might want to invest in that ecosystem. There are devices that require a hub regardless of whether its HomeKit, Alexa or google home, so in some instances its unavoidable.

 

[waw74]

you may or may not needs more hubs. And needing a hub is not a homekit problem.
A hub just allows devices to connect to talk to other things. Normally a connection between your home network, and smart devices.

some devices won't need a hub, like lifx bulbs, since they speak wifi

some devices don't have the hardware to "speak" wi-fi, so those will need a hub in order to control them remotely

some hubs talk the same language as others, like hue bulbs, and the Ikea smart bulbs.
it takes a little tweaking, but the same hub can talk to both.


And if you really get technical, the life bulbs also use a hub.
The same hub used by your laptop and phones.
your router.


====

homebridge won't help with the need for hubs.

if a device can't connect to your home network, then homebridge has no way to connect and control the devices.

 

[Bgosh]

homebridge won't help with the need for hubs.

if a device can't connect to your home network, then homebridge has no way to connect and control the devices.

You’re correct about the different protocols requiring a hub to connect to the internet, but homebridge would help with devices that connect to WiFi that require a hub or bridge to connect to HomeKit specifically right? Like WeMo for example.

 

[waw74]

You’re correct about the different protocols requiring a hub to connect to the internet, but homebridge would help with devices that connect to WiFi that require a hub or bridge to connect to HomeKit specifically right? Like WeMo for example.

yes.

with a couple things to keep in mind
- The settings and functionally may differ from native hub to homebridge. (could be a plus or minus depending on which way it goes)
- The native hub will probably be easier to set up for the less technically inclined
- homebridge isn't supported by apple, and there's always the chance they could "flip a switch" and kill it.

 

[malizivko]

So Aqara products (sensors) work with Apple homekit?

 

[Itinj24]

So Aqara products (sensors) work with Apple homekit?

Yes they do... PM sent

 

[bbednarz]

Hubs are not a HomeKit flaw and really have nothing to do with HomeKit. There are plenty of hub-less HomeKit devices. I prefer the hub because I like to know every device that is on my network. If each of my bulbs/smart home accessories needed to connect separately it would be a pain to manage. An easy solution is to grab a cheap ethernet switch and just connect all your hubs to that and keep it out of sight. That's essentially what I do.