Getting started with Thread / Matter - What do I need

Configuration Matter/Thread
1

All,

I am trying to get started with Matter devices after I recenently purchased one of the new IKEA temp/hum sensors.

My current setup is running HA on a mini pc using ProxMox (So I believe HA is in a container, forgive me on this one for the exact terminologiy). I have a Zooz zwave stick and a Sonoff Zigbee 3.0 for my zigbee items.

What do I need to get a Thread Router. Note I tried to add the Matter integration to HA and when I took a picture of the code on the Matter device it told me I need a thread router.

  1. Do I need another peice of hardware
  2. Can the Sonoff be flashed to something new to run Thread/Matter and still keep my current Zigbee devices working
  3. If I get new hardware can this be both a thread router and a zigbee coordinator?

Thanks in advance

2

You need a Thread antenna, like a Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 f.ex.

You could maybe also convert your Sonoff Zigbee 3.0 to Thread, but then you would lose the Zigbee functionality. (There are multipan support on some of those antennas, but it is generally not advised and NabuCasa dropped development of it, but Sonoff continued, so Sonoff have some help files for it, if you want to take the fight).

3

Can I use the Ikea DIRIGERA and have Home Assistant run everything?

4

The Dirigera will run the Matter network then, but HA can run all the stuff it normally does, like automations and GUI and so on.

1 Like
5

Off to Ikea it is :slight_smile:

6

For future readers, if you have a recent Apple TV, HomePod, a Google TV 4K, or a bunch of other devices [1], you can use it as a Thread Border Router and it will work with the HA Matter integration.

[1] Thread (network protocol) - Wikipedia

7

Do these also work ?, looks like a cheaper option.

8

This Aqara hub worked for me. I connected it to HA as a Matter device.

I now just now managed to get a Matter plug from another supplier connected to HA as well.

And I tried to get it working on Alexa. I could get the Matter plug working on Aqara and the Alexa app (using pairing codes I obtained via sharing on home assistant).

Will retry with another Matter plug and also on Google Home to see if I can get it working… So far I connected Google Home to HA Nabu Casa.