I have a C7 hub that has been running several devices for a couple of years, it is very stable [quote="Farris, post:1, topic:131834, full:true"]
I have a C7 hub that has been running several devices for a couple of years, it is very stable and I have had no issues. I also have the Apple Home Kit intergration as well. I decided to add a new OREIN RGBW bulb. I added it through home kit and it works perfectly from my Apple devices. I want to add it to hubitat so I can utilize it with some of my automations.
I have restarted the intergration and the hubitat but I cannot get it to show up on the hubitat.
Can anyone provide any insight of what I need to do?
[/quote]
and I have had no issues. I also have the Apple Home Kit intergration as well. I decided to add a new OREIN RGBW bulb. I added it through home kit and it works perfectly from my Apple devices. I want to add it to hubitat so I can utilize it with some of my automations.
I have restarted the intergration and the hubitat but I cannot get it to show up on the hubitat.
Can anyone provide any insight of what I need to do?
If I’m find the right bulb in my search this is a Matter over WiFi bulb. The C-7 doesn’t currently support Matter unless you’re running the Beta version (2.3.8.x currently). So two choices, wait for the Beta to go public or send @bobbyD a PM requesting to join the Beta.
They do say Matter but I thought that since they also said Homekit, Smart Things, Alexa, Aidot and Google Home, I thought they would work with it seamlessly. Do any of those other platforms make a difference. I don’t have any issue with using the beta but I hate how fidily things get with any beta.
Hubitat's HomeKit integration, allows for Hubitat-connected devices to be added to HomeKit. The reverse is not possible, except through the use of some workarounds with virtual devices and a bunch of HomeKit automations.
Matter devices are different, in that they are added to your Apple Home as either "Matter over WiFi/Ethernet" or "Matter over Thread". Matter devices can be shared from Apple Home with other "Matter Controller" devices, like Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, and Hubitat Elevation (C8 only, for now. C5/C7 in beta testing.)
It is important to note that any devices added to your Apple Home as "HomeKit over WiFi/Ethernet" or "HomeKit over Thread" cannot be shared to other "Matter Controllers" on your home network. Only "Matter" devices can be shared with other "Matter Controllers".
It sounds like that I should have added the bulb to Hubitat first and then it would have been migrated over to Homekit…
I did look at that first but I wasn’t sure how to add it because it gives the choice of Zwave, Zigbee or Virtual and i was not clear which one to pick. I am open to removing from home kit and adding it to Hubitat first but just not sure how to do that.
Unfortunately, you cannot add that particular Matter over WiFi bulb to Hubitat directly. And, not to a C7 hub at all until 2.3.8.x is released.
Your bulb is a Matter over Wifi bulb. It must be added to a Matter network via a device that supports "Matter Commissioning". This feature is not currently supported by Hubitat (regardless of the HE hub version.) Thus, to add any "Matter" devices to Hubitat, one must first add it to Apple Home, Google Home, or Amazon Alexa. Then, from that system, one can 'share' a Matter device with another "Matter Controller", like Hubitat.
Your OREIN RGBW bulb is not a "HomeKit" device. It is a "Matter" device. That is a very big distinction that I was trying to make clear in my earlier post. I hope this post helps to clarify it?
Also, even if it was a "HomeKit" device, you could not pair it directly to a Hubitat Elevation hub. Hubitat's HomeKit integration allows Hubitat-connected devices (like Zigbee, Z-Wave, etc... (i.e. not HomeKit) ) to be added to an existing Apple Home via the HomeKit protocol.
Just wanted to add, this is in beta right now and expected to be a shorter beta. So the wait hopefully will not be very long. Once you can use Matter on your HE hub, the bulb will need to stay paired to Apple Home via Matter as the commissioning hub, you can get a pairing code from HK that will allow you to also add it to HE in multi-admin setup. Then both HK and HE will have direct local control of the device.
Matter devices can be shared from Apple Home with other "Matter Controller" devices, like Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, and Hubitat Elevation (C8 only, for now. C5/C7 in beta testing.)
In the future, when the update is made that enables my C7 to utilyze devices that are “Matter”, you mention the devices can be shared. How is that enabled; is it something that is done on the Hubitat interface or Homekit App?
Just wanted to add, this is in beta right now and expected to be a shorter beta. So the wait hopefully will not be very long. Once you can use Matter on your HE hub, the bulb will need to stay paired to Apple Home via Matter as the commissioning hub; you can get a pairing code from HK that will allow you to also add it to HE in multi-admin setup. Then both HK and HE will have direct local control of the device.
I was wondering if I should participate in the beta? Not sure what the experiences have been like. I don’t know who or what HK is, can anyone add any addition color to this?
It is something you will do via the "Apple Home" app on your iPhone. If you go into the Apple Home app right now, and select the new Matter RGB Bulb, then click the Gear Icon in the bottom right corner, and scroll down to the bottom... I believe you will find a recently added section where you can share a Matter device with another Matter Controller. (Note: I currently do not have any matter devices, but I did just order one to play around with! ) Once you have the pairing code for the device from Apple Home, you will then use that to add the device to your Hubitat hub as a new Matter device.
The great part about Matter over WiFi devices, like you bulb, is that Hubitat will communicate directly to the bulb over your home network. The Apple Home system is not required as a 'man-in-the-middle' once the Matter pairing is done. No reason to remove it from the Apple Home system, though. Both systems can communicate with the bulb, and both will receive instant updates from the bulb.
Note: "Matter over Thread" devices are handled a little differently versus "Matter over WiFi" devices. "Matter over Thread" devices require a device on your home network to perform the role of a Matter "Thread Border Router" or TBR for short. The TBR essentially acts as a bridge between a Matter Thread mesh network (very similar to a Zigbee mesh network) and your normal home network. Certain models of Apple TV 4k boxes, as well as Apple HomePod Mini speakers, can perform the TBR function. Once a "Matter over Thread" device is connected to your Apple Home, those Matter devices can also be shared with Hubitat, just like your Matter bulb. However, in the case of a "Matter over Thread" device, the "Thread Border Router" device is always required to be up and running for the communication between Hubitat and the Thread device to work. Once nice feature is that if you have multiple Apple TVs and or HomePods, they will all be part of the Thread mesh network, and will take over the role of TBR should one of them get powered down. It is nice to have some level of redundancy in the architecture.
That is just an abbreviation for Apple HomeKit (HK). It should be noted that Apple used to call its entire home automation platform "Apple HomeKit". However, now that Matter has been released, Apple has chosen to re-name their home automation platform as "Apple Home". Some users still refer to "Apple Home" by the old abbreviation of "HK".
) Once you have the pairing code for the device from Apple Home, you will then use that to add the device to your Hubitat hub as a new Matter device.
