Skip to content

Commit

Permalink
Matter: merge bridge sections (home-assistant#31044)
Browse files Browse the repository at this point in the history
* Matter: merge bridge sections, remove duplication

* Remove original section on bridges
  • Loading branch information
c0ffeeca7 authored Jan 25, 2024
1 parent a745aa6 commit eca726c
Showing 1 changed file with 2 additions and 9 deletions.
11 changes: 2 additions & 9 deletions source/_integrations/matter.markdown
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -46,15 +46,6 @@ Unlike other common radio-based protocols for IoT, (like Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Blu

Home Assistant is a so-called "_controller_" in a Matter ecosystem, meaning that it can control Matter-based devices. Other examples of Matter controllers are the Google Nest products, Apple HomePod speakers, Samsung SmartThings Station, and some newer Amazon Echo devices.

## Bridge devices

One of the great things about Matter is that you can have both Wi-Fi and Thread based devices on the same controller.
Next to actual devices (like actors or sensors), you will also see bridges. The bridge connects the network over Ethernet or Wi-Fi and bridges multiple devices into a Matter network. A great example is the Philips Hue V2 bridge, which is a Zigbee hub and a Matter bridge. This bridge exposes all Zigbee devices already connected to the bridge as Matter devices on the network. Also, Aqara, SwitchBot, and IKEA have launched such Hub devices.

<div class='note'>
Home Assistant, as a Matter controller, only supports **control** of Matter devices. Home Assistant is not a bridge itself and it cannot turn existing devices within Home Assistant into Matter compatible devices.
</div>

## Thread

Matter goes hand-in-hand with (but is not the same as) {% term Thread %}. {% term Thread %} is a low power radio mesh networking technology. Much like Zigbee, but with the key difference that it is _IP-addressable_, making it the perfect companion transport protocol for Matter.
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -230,6 +221,8 @@ To allow Home Assistant to control the Matter device that has previously been ad

For some ecosystems, you can add some of their non-Matter devices into Home Assistant via a *Matter bridge*. Examples of Matter bridges are the SwitchBot&nbsp;Hub&nbsp;2, Aqara&nbsp;Hub&nbsp;M2, Ikea&nbsp;Dirigera, or the Philips Hue Bridge. Using a bridge allows you to keep controlling these devices via their native App, while having them available in Home Assistant at the same time. The Aquara Hub, for example, uses a cloud-based integration. By bridging it into Home Assistant via Matter (instead of using their cloud-based integration), you can make it use local communication.

Home Assistant, as a Matter controller, only supports **control** of Matter devices. Home Assistant is not a bridge itself and it cannot turn existing devices within Home Assistant into Matter compatible devices.

#### How to add a Matter bridge to Home Assistant

How you add a bridge to Home Assistant depends on the device. Check the documentation of that device for the specific steps. In case of SwitchBot&nbsp;Hub&nbsp;2, for example, you need to enable the Matter-paring mode within the app. It then gives you a pairing code and tells you to set the actual device into pairing mode. You can then add that bridge device to Home Assistant as a Matter device. There is no guarantee that all the devices from that ecosystem can be used in Home Assistant. SwitchBot Hub 2 V1.5, for example, allows you to use curtain, lock, and blind via Matter, but not light.
Expand Down

0 comments on commit eca726c

Please sign in to comment.