Hello!
I killed on this task about 3 days. Please help.
I have configured HA with HomeBridge. I can share my devices, and all works fine.
But when wifi on iPhone is disconnected, all devices are off. I also figured out, that I cannot scan QR code, when I switch off wifi on my phone.
What I have
HA is available via internet (but I use different port, not 8123)
I do not have any HomeKit gateway and devices like HomeKit.
All devices in HA are connected via zigbee protocol.
I support I need to purchase some HomeKit gateway (or apple HomePod), but need confirmation, that this is the case.
Yes, you need a HomeKit Hub of some kind. if you don’t have some kind of HomeKit hub (either a HomePod, an AppleTV, or an iPad that never leaves your house), then you will see the behavior you describe. I have an AppleTV, and the connection between HA and HomeKit never breaks even when I take all my mobile devices out of the house.
So now I’m thinking the iPad might not be able to act as a hub anymore. Here’s an Apple Support article that has iPad in the title, but there are no instructions for setting up an iPad.
So I think you might have to buy a HomePod or AppleTV if you continue down this path.
Is there a reason you can’t just use the built-in HomeKit support in Home Assistant to add Homekit devices to HA instead of using Homebridge? That would allow you to use HomeKit devices without having to buy something else from Apple.
I suppose problem here is that not all zigbee devices can be used by HomeKit. For example relay, window sensors from Aquara/ Xiaomi, zigbee relay meter and others. That’s why I suppose this integration is needed.
Anything you pair to HA can be pushed into HK. If you are using HA you no longer need homebridge. Your zigbee and homekit devices paired directly to home assistant can be exposed to homekit using the HA homekit bridge integration.
Correct. But it works only if I’m In one wifi network. If I switch off wifi on my phone - all devices at HK are not availible.
I even tried to scan QR code, when wifi on the phone was disabled - it didn’t worked.
I guess I’m not asking my question right. Why do you need to use the Apple Home App on your phone at all? If you have all your Zigbee stuff in Home Assistant, just use the HA app for iOS. And if you have HomeKit devices, just pair them directly to Home Assistant using the HomeKit Device integration and then use the Home Assistant mobile app for those too. Doing that, you don’t need Homebridge at all because you won’t be using the Apple Home app in any way.
If you feel like you have to use the Apple Home App, then you need to buy a HomePod or AppleTV to act as a permanent Apple Home Hub. Otherwise every time you leave the house with your phone, HomeBridge won’t be able to talk to the Apple Home App at all.
Some features I want from HomeKit - for example, close the garage gate by voice. “Siri, close the garage gate”
I didn’t found any option with HA for this case.
Alex - I have done this HomeKit thing for years now. So,
Is this statement true? You can control the zigbee devices under HA, using HA app for iOS, when you are outside of your home wifi…?
When you said this, what do you mean? Sharing from where to where?
What are the things you have got in HomeBridge? Can you list the plugins you have under HomeBridge?
Do I understand it correctly that you would like to control your HomeKit devices, via the Home app on your iPhone, when you are outside of your home wifi network?
If yes to #3 above, then yup, you will need a HomeKit gateway that is made by Apple. This means an Apple TV or a HomePod, connecting to the same Apple ID as your iPhone. Whatever other “HomeKit gateways” would not work.
If no to #3, then maybe I misunderstood what you are asking for. If you could elaborate further that would be great.
And rouxdoo is correct. If what you really need is to use Siri to close the garage gate (that is controlled by HA), then you do not actually need to buy any HomeKit hub hardware. With some configuration, you should be able to do use Siri.