HomeKit integration breaks approximately every day

[graham5]

Hi,

Platform version: 2.3.9.158
Hardware version: C-7

I'm using the Apple HomeKit integration app. I've found all the devices go "No Response" nearly every day. This is true despite me enabling the "restart hourly" option. I've found I have to restart the entire Hubitat device for it to recover from this failure mode.

This has become a serious drag. Is there anything to do?

[jtp10181]

Here is a possible work around. I think after playing with it more he has it doing the ping test only every 6 hours now and still working. Its possibly overly complicated what he came up with, might be as easy as having a virtual switch you just flip on and off every hour to keep the connection alive.

Done with Hubitat Homekit for now

Not sure if it’s just wishful thinking, but after weeks of “No Response” and HE reboots, I haven’t had the issue for several days. While trying to debug this issue, I created a “is HomeKit connected” rule. I created two virtual switches, pingHome and pingAck, and shared them with HomeKit. I added a simple HomeKit Automation that turns on pingAck whenever pingHome is turned on. In the rule, I first turn off both switches and delay for a couple of seconds. Then I turn on pingHome and wait for…

[kewashi]

I’m having this exact same issue on both my C7 and C8 Pro hubs. Will try the ping trick and report back.

[dJOS]

@thebearmay wrote a small device driver that allows you to schedule a HomeKit service restart whenever you like. I run it at 4:30am everyday via RM. I found the hourly option in HE caused more issues than it solved, and my feedback to the team that every 24 hours was ideal, apparently fell on deaf ears.

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/thebearmay/hubitat/main/hkRestart.groovy

[TArman]

Been running the “ping” every 6 hours since April 30 (see link above) and have had ZERO “no response” issues.

[dJOS]

The daily service restart solved it for me too.

[Ken_Fraleigh]

This has got me thinking. I have never had issues with unresponsive Hubitat devices on either of my hubs in Apple Home, but I have about a dozen automations setup in Apple home. They’re mostly for virtual presence sensors, but I have 4 kids and someone is always coming or going. I wonder if you could get away with only having the switch automation in the Home app.

[TArman]

We use SIRI a lot to control lights, garage door, locks, etc., but still got regular “no response” lockups until started the ping/ack. YMMV

[dJOS]

Same for us.

[hydro311]

The only automation I have in HK is for the presence-related virtual switch for me & the wife, and there are stretches were we're both home for a couple/few days, so those switches don't see guaranteed daily use.

I've never had a HK unresponsive event (that I know of!), so I'm definitely curious to hear what finally resolves this for folks.

[Slate]

Another data point to drive you all crazy. I have 7 hubs with HomeKit Integration. None of them get in the unresponsive state. None of them have the 1 hour restart enabled.

[TArman]

[write2connor24]

Hi @dJOS,
I am having the same problems and I am attempting to use your fix and mirror what you have.
That being said I am not seeing anything listed under actions that would allow me to use push() on HomeKit Restart Service.

Did you add a virtual switch to make that appear?
Also under the local variables I am not showing a device in the drop down for the type and the closest thing I was able to get was string.

I am clearly doing something wrong and am new to the habitat/smart home world

Thanks!

[dJOS]

@write2connor24

That being said I am not seeing anything listed under actions that would allow me to use push() on HomeKit Restart Service.

The button device type is actuator.

Just use the “Run custom action” option Rule Machine.

[dJOS]

Looks like this should be fixed now - I’ve turned off my service restart and will see what happens.

Release 2.3.9 Available

Release 2.3.9.162 Available Changes from 2.3.9.160 Platform Changes Modified the endpoints to limit access to the hub to a set of IP addresses to allow /apps/api requests while keeping the rest of the UI inaccessible. Added periodic push to the HomeKit integration to keep AppleTV/HomePod connections alive. Modified Easy dashboards navigation (compass button) to show item list vertically and avoid clipping. Bug Fixes Fixed a bug preventing attribute writing for Matter devices.

• Added periodic push to the HomeKit integration to keep AppleTV/HomePod connections alive.

[JBrown]

They have not sad how much overhead this will be? Is any better than using homebridge?

[dJOS]

It’s unlikely to be noticeable or measurable at all, it’s just a simple, scheduled keep alive message.

I haven’t used the Hubitat HomeBridge integration for quite some time, so I really can’t compare the two any more. Once the Hubitat HomeKit integration did everything I need it to, I ditched the integration. I do still run HomeBridge, but only for camera integration to thethe Home app.

[Jann]

Thank heavens! I hope this fixes it!!! I will turn off my hourly reboot to see if this fixes it too, @dJOS! I really hope so! Rebooting my hubitat every two hours (and that still wasn't enough) was tiresome!

BTW: This is how I hacked to reboot (crontab on my Mac):

# Reboot Hubitat
###10 * * * * /opt/local/bin/curl -X 'POST' 'http://hubitat.local./hub/reboot' 1>/dev/null 2>&1

[dJOS]

@Jann

my hourly reboot to see if this fixes it too, @dJOS! I really hope so! Rebooting my hubitat every two hours (and that still wasn't enough)

If that’s what you needed, I’d suggest you had a much bigger problem. Have you asked @bobbyD or @support-agent to take a look at your engineering logs?

I haven’t had my HomeKit integration fall over since upgrading to .162, so the keep alive messaging seems to be working well.

[TArman]

@dJOS

I haven’t had my HomeKit integration fall over since upgrading to .162, so the keep alive messaging seems to be working well.

Same here. The PING is dead, long live the Keep-Alive!