Native HomeKit?

Agreed, PC probably isn't the most accurate term I could've used.

Basically anything that can run Linux, Windows or MacOS that's running 24/7.

Homebridge Github repo is a good source of info re: supported configurations.

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Just today, I did a lot of video watching at YouTube, and have decided to plunge right in using a Raspberry Pi 4 I have sitting here doing nothing, so, I will have that always-on PC available.

If I don't end up causing explosions and fires, I likely will be back with more questions. My main desire is using HK for dashboards and to get rid of the Alexa issue with "her" responding when I don't want, among other things.

Fingers crossed.

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Lots of people using homebridge successfully here, so ask away when you need any help.

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I got rid of Alexa for the same reason. I've been using Homebridge from the beginning and I started with the pre-built image. If you want to stay away from tinkering with the Pi, I would highly recommend it.

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First of, Rakeshg, this was very helpful, and I have a RPi 4 running Homebridge fine and dandy. I am using Ethernet and plugged it into one of my switches. I got the screen with the scan code, ran an update it wanted, and then followed the instructions for adding HomeBridge to my HomeKit. I scanned it with my iPhone, it latched onto the code with no issues, identified it as a bridge, and I went from there.

[Screech of tires here.] "Accessory Not Found. [further text here about making sure it is connected with an Ethernet cabled to my router.] So, I moved the Ethernet cable over to my router (an Asus standard router, not mesh), and... same thing.

Any ideas? It comes up fine and dandy in my browser (Safari) using 192.168.50.12, the fixed address to which it is assigned. It is reaching out to the internet just fine as I ran an update for the UI.

Now, one more thing: WHICH Habitat plugins do I want to add?

Thanks!

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This one has been easy for me to add/implement. He's even included

https://dantapps.github.io/

To build an initial config. Quite cool. :smiley:

I suspect your "not found" message might be related to having nothing selected.. which is done within the Hub tool.

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I just got it to connect by manually typing in the original code provided. Now, to see if I can figure out what you just sent me...!

It's a recipe.. start with creating a MakerAPI instance for HomeBridge. THEN add the Homebridge-hubitat-makerapi Plug-In to HomeBridge. (Nothing gets added to Home.)

THEN, you follow the recipe to connect the plugin to the hub with the MakerAPI details. That's when you want to use Dan's config builder. It will take what you supply and build a perfect starting config for HomeBridge.

On the Hub, open the MakerAPI instance for Homebridge and select the devices to mirror on to Apple's HomeKit. Maker/HomeBridge will converse at least every 5 mins for any new change to what's mirrored and those devices will appear in Home's Favorites page.

You left me with a cliff-hanger! What comes after that "Local IP address T..." I have that Maker API thing open and waiting now. Thanks in advance for the hand holding; I appreciate it.

Just click on the BLUE link and you'll see the full set of instructions.

ogiewon: I am good up to #2, Homebridge plugin installation. WHERE do I run these commands? I am so sorry to be so obtuse, but, this is one instance where my propellor beanie and bag of Doritos is letting me down.

Also, ** * Enable Include Location Events to support HSM and chaning of modes**, didn't find this, but found a switch labeled POST Location Events. I turned it on. No smoke or flames yet, so, did I do the right thing? And, if it would be easier to carry this over to private email I can send you an address, or provide a cell number.

Probably best to ask questions specific to @dan.t's Homebridge plugin over in his thread dedicated to this subject. Some of the answers will be dependent on exactly how you've chosen to run Homebridge ( on a dedicated RPi, on a Mac, on a PC running Windows or Linux, etc...) But in general, all of section #2 will be performed on the computer that is running Homebridge, often from a command line using admin/sudo rights.

It's on a Raspberry Pi 4. Let me tinker. if I blow it up, I can start again. Your patience with me is appreciated. I am a techie, but am so old I know how to change out a vibrator for a 1955 DeSoto radio!

EDIT: those 2019 instructions didn't quite work. I opened a Terminal in Homebridge and it showed different verbiage for the Homebridge installation. sudo commands barfed. It used wording like this:

Install Plugin: hb-service add homebridge-plugin-name
Remove Plugin: hb-service remove homebridge-plugin-name

The HomeBridge was already installed because I got this:

pi@homebridge:/var/lib/homebridge $ hb-service add homebridge
:heavy_multiplication_x: Invalid plugin name.

The HomeBridge shows up in Home Hubs and Bridges, under Bridges. Right there with my Lutron bridge. Yes, my Lutron stuff shows up in Home(Kit().

I may quit while I am ahead.

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@fgrizzly - if you are using the pre-built image, you do not need to install Homebridge.

To install plugin, go to the IP address of the Pi and you should see Homebridge running (if not, there is something else going on). Select "plug-ins" from the top bar and there is a search box to find and install plug-ins.

There really is no need to install any plugins from the command line in terminal

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OK, I understand that much. A few more questions, please?

  1. Which plug-ins DO I want? All I want to be able to do is use my Apple devices to control my Hubitat and the things connected to it. I want to use the Home dashboard on my iPhone and iPad, and to use Siri from those or from a HomePod mini I will buy if I can get this set up.

  2. For all who have been giving me help, I thank you, but, the more I dig into the reference materials, the more I am seeing all kinds of nasties with code filled with curly-braces and all manner of things I cannot comprehend. If this is stuff I have to write, I will back away from trying any of this and just call it a day. (I've not done any programming since my days of messing with Turbo Pascal)

  3. Is there a video on YouTube or one of the other video services that will take a tiro like me and take me through step by step?

Thanks again...

Yea, don't :smiley:

Use the Tool that Dan provides to build that curly-braces stuff. THEN just copy everything generated for you, into a file on your rPi 5.

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To do that, you only need the Homebridge Hubitat MakerAPI plug in. See the screenshot in my earlier post. You then add the Hubitat devices to the MakerAPI app in Hubitat, and if everything is configured correctly, they will show up in your Home app on iOS..

I did and they don't show. The key phrase here is "and if everything is configured correctly" I guess it's not. I just sent a long side note to Dan. Meantime, can anyone help me find some old X-10 stuff? <-- joking.

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There are a few different ones. They all basically do the same thing.

I think the ones from "dantapps" and "tonesto7" are from a similar code base and have some more granular setup control abilities (using that curly-braced script code you mention). They seem to be the most popular.

I have also posted a port of my own plugin (simply called "homebridge-hubitat") which is based on a plugin I previously wrote for HomeSeer. I think an advantage of this plugin is that setup is simpler - its configured via a config-ui-x graphic interface where you only need to plug in some makerAPI information and a few other miscellaneous items. No custom apps to install, etc. The plugin figures out the correct HomeKit device types to assign based on the Hubitat device attributes so there's no "curly-braces" type stuff.

You'll also see one or two plugins where people on github have "forked" the main branch and experimented with the code. Usually these are not kept up-to-date. Examples: "Homebridge Hubitat Dc" is an out-of-date fork of my plugin (so avoid it). I believe (not 100% sure) that "homebridge-hubitat-hubconnect" may be an older fork of the "tonesto7" plugin and hasn't been updated as recently.

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Two more hints / suggestions:

I recommend you set up your homebridge plugins in "Bridge" mode. This will run each plugin as its own task/process and cause less blocking between plugins. Go to your Homebridge plugins screen:

Then select the wrench icon for your homebridge plugin, then "Bridge Settings" and turn on the bridge mode. Once enabled, there will be a separate QR code found in each bridged plugin's Bridge Settings that you use to pair each bridged plugin with iOS.

Final suggestion.
If you're using a Raspberry Pi, the Raspberry Pi Imager software (get it here: Raspberry Pi OS – Raspberry Pi) can create a SD card image with Homebridge installed.
From "Choose OS", select "Other specific-purpose OS", then "Home assistants and home automation", then "Homebridge"

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