I recently tried to configure my first Matter/Thread network using HA OS connected to a Connect ZBT-2. Setting up the OpenThread Border Router was straight forward. But I had problems commissioning my first device. The docs say that a full HA companion app with google-Play-Services is needed. Here I want to report on how to do it without.
Because I do not consent to Gs Terms of service I have no google account I use a “de-googed” android cellphone with custom ROM which uses microG in lieu of the Play-Services. When I try to commission a new Thread device from the app the option “new thread device” is grayed out. The work-around is to use the Matter Server directly via its WebUI:
click Settings → add-on → Matter Server → open webUI → commission Node- > commission new Thread Device
if this option is still grayed out as happened to me it indicates that the port of the matter server ( 505 ) is not opened or the server has no access to a Bluetooth LE adapter.
click Settings → add-on → Matter Server → configuration → show unused options
add the Bluetooth adapter ( only the integer e.g. 0 for hci0 ), you can find it installing Bluetooth integration and have it discovered;
add the matter server socket port ( default 5580 ) and restart the matter serve which may take a few minutes.
Now it should be possible to commission a new Thread Device. You need to provide:
- the Thread credentials which you find under settings → devices ->Thread → configure → ha-thread-5260 → i Active dataset: It is a long Hex number; Copy /paste it. It is needed only once for the first device,
- the Pairing code which you usually find printed on the device E.g Matter : 1560-380-6717. Before you press “commission” make sure the device is in pairing mode and close to the host because commissioning uses Bluetooth LE which has a short range. Leave it there even after it stopped blinking because the “interrogation” takes some time.
That’s it.