Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple HomeKit on a three floor's house

H

HMonivar

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 22, 2011
15
0
Hello,

I have just installed a new Elgato Eve Energy switch to control a computer in my office. Everything is fine when I'm next to it but, it does not work when I'm away.

It is a big three flour house and the Apple TV (latest gen) is on the main floor, whereas the switch is two floors upstairs. The Apple TV is on the main floor wired connected to an also wired AirPort Extreme. On the second floor there is a wired Airport Express. And finally, on the third floor there’s a wired Time Capsule.

I also a have a third generation Apple TV on the second floor but, it appears as "not active" in the House App.

I assume the problem is produced because of the distance between the switch and the Apple TV (not within Bluetooth range), even though the Apple TV is on a wired LAN connection.

So, the question now is if there is any way to increase the coverage, so that the the Apple TV and the Eve Energy are able to connect. Would it work if I use a secondary 4th generation Apple TV on the second floor?

Is there anyway way to solve this problem?.

Can you please help me?

Thanks.

Hugo

PS: I include two screenshots (in Spanish, sorry) of the Home App

IMG_2722.PNG IMG_2721.PNG
 
You can use a 2nd Apple TV or iPad (setup as a HomeKit hub) closer to the Elgato switch in the near term. However, Elgato and maybe another company or two announced Bluetooth extenders for their Bluetooth HomeKit devices at CES a week or two ago, so a less expensive method of extending is coming.
 
  • Like
Reactions: drobuck23 and HMonivar
BT Repeaters will be coming out from ConnectSense and Elgato Eve. I know ConnectSense will also have a BT water detector - and pretty sure Elgato said they will too. And Chamberlain will have a wi-fi garage door HK opener.

I'm guessing we will see them start appearing in the Apr-Jun timeframe - hopefully sooner - along with other HK devices.

Not sure a second ATV will help - my understanding is you can only have one hub.

UPDATE: See profets post: Yesterday at 2:53 PM I was wrong - you can have multiple ATV's as hubs!

Also - see: https://www.cnet.com/pictures/the-l...ekit-things-gets-longer/?query=homekit&page=1
And some listed here in MR: https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/ces-2017/
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: profets and HMonivar
My HomeKit thermostats suffer just the same. I never understood the decision to use Bluetooth and not something more robust like z-wave which builds a mesh network where the powered devices can function as repeaters. My z-wave devices are never offline with a central hub about 100 ft from the furthest device.
 
  • Like
Reactions: profets and HMonivar
jljue said:
You can use a 2nd Apple TV or iPad (setup as a HomeKit hub) closer to the Elgato switch in the near term. However, Elgato and maybe another company or two announced Bluetooth extenders for their Bluetooth HomeKit devices at CES a week or two ago, so a less expensive method of extending is coming.
Click to expand...

I've got a secondary ATV but it appears as "deactivated" on the Home APP. Do yo know how to activate it?
 
HMonivar said:
I've got a secondary ATV but it appears as "deactivated" on the Home APP. Do yo know how to activate it?
Click to expand...
Is your secondary Apple TV a 4th gen? My spare 3rd gens used to be listed but since the latest iOS, they don't work anymore. I believe only the 4th gen models work now.
 
BorderingOn said:
My HomeKit thermostats suffer just the same. I never understood the decision to use Bluetooth and not something more robust like z-wave which builds a mesh network where the powered devices can function as repeaters. My z-wave devices are never offline with a central hub about 100 ft from the furthest device.
Click to expand...

I've recently been looking at Elgato's homekit products (they do have a nice line up), but having bluetooth as the only connectivity does worry me. A friend of mine was trying an Elgato Eve outdoor sensor, and it barely stayed connected, even with a new Apple TV that was 30' from it.

I need to find a light switch to replace a Wemo light switch that failed on me recently. I'd like to future proof with Homekit compatibility, but I don't see anything besides the Elgato option.
 
profets said:
I've recently been looking at Elgato's homekit products (they do have a nice line up), but having bluetooth as the only connectivity does worry me. A friend of mine was trying an Elgato Eve outdoor sensor, and it barely stayed connected, even with a new Apple TV that was 30' from it.

I need to find a light switch to replace a Wemo light switch that failed on me recently. I'd like to future proof with Homekit compatibility, but I don't see anything besides the Elgato option.
Click to expand...
Leviton are releasing HomeKit dimmer switches right away that won't need a hub
 
HMonivar said:
I've got a secondary ATV but it appears as "deactivated" on the Home APP. Do yo know how to activate it?
Click to expand...

Have you made sure that your other Apple TV is signed into your iCloud account? Somewhere under Accounts on the Apple TV you can see whether Homekit is enabled. Can't remember exactly where though.

robnbill said:
You can only have a single ATV active as a hub. You can't activate a second.
Click to expand...

All 3 of my 4th gen Apple TVs show up as connected:

nfns0l.jpg


chuyn said:
Leviton are releasing HomeKit dimmer switches right away that won't need a hub
Click to expand...

Thanks, good to know. I ended up trying out the Elgato Eve switch which is bluetooth only. Surprisingly it's been very stable and always quick to respond, even remotely and via automation.
 
profets said:
Have you made sure that your other Apple TV is signed into your iCloud account? Somewhere under Accounts on the Apple TV you can see whether Homekit is enabled. Can't remember exactly where though.



All 3 of my 4th gen Apple TVs show up as connected:

nfns0l.jpg




Thanks, good to know. I ended up trying out the Elgato Eve switch which is bluetooth only. Surprisingly it's been very stable and always quick to respond, even remotely and via automation.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I was wrong :( on using multiple ATV's. My ATV3 shows as disabled. I don't think I have two-factor enabled on it. I'll check. The ATV4 shows connected - and works fine with the BT devices - middle floor of a three floor house. There are some BT repeaters coming out - one form Elgatao / Eve and one from ConnectSense. I will be adding BT water sensors in multiple locations - a repeater might help ensure solid communication with them.
 
robnbill said:
Thanks. I was wrong :( on using multiple ATV's. My ATV3 shows as disabled. I don't think I have two-factor enabled on it. I'll check. The ATV4 shows connected - and works fine with the BT devices - middle floor of a three floor house. There are some BT repeaters coming out - one form Elgatao / Eve and one from ConnectSense. I will be adding BT water sensors in multiple locations - a repeater might help ensure solid communication with them.
Click to expand...

Not a bad idea from Elgato to have a BT repeater, especially since most of their devices are Bluetooth only for HomeKit.
 
robnbill said:
Thanks. I was wrong :( on using multiple ATV's. My ATV3 shows as disabled. I don't think I have two-factor enabled on it. I'll check. The ATV4 shows connected - and works fine with the BT devices - middle floor of a three floor house. There are some BT repeaters coming out - one form Elgatao / Eve and one from ConnectSense. I will be adding BT water sensors in multiple locations - a repeater might help ensure solid communication with them.
Click to expand...
I read on apple's support page that while the 3rd gen is usable for a hub, once a 4th gen is added, the 3rd gen can no longer be used.

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT207057

"If you add an Apple TV (4th generation) to a home that has an Apple TV (3rd generation) set up, the Apple TV (3rd generation) will stop being used for HomeKit remote access."
 
  • Like
Reactions: HMonivar
chuyn said:
I read on apple's support page that while the 3rd gen is usable for a hub, once a 4th gen is added, the 3rd gen can no longer be used.

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT207057

"If you add an Apple TV (4th generation) to a home that has an Apple TV (3rd generation) set up, the Apple TV (3rd generation) will stop being used for HomeKit remote access."
Click to expand...
Thanks - my ATV3 shows disabled - that explains it.
it sounds like "profets" has three connected ATV's - all ATV4's??
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back