All of my HomeKit stuff is set up over Wi-Fi. I have two HomePod Minis in my home and one Wemo Mini (WSP100) smart plug that is supposed to work over Thread. I also have Eero routers/beacons with Thread turned on. But I can’t figure out if Thread is working or not. This wemo plug has a very intermittent success rate so I was hoping Thread might help.
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HomeKit How do I set up Thread?
- Thread starter TonyC28
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Thread in the eeros is not compatible with HomeKit’s thread. Ridiculous, I know but hopefully this will change with the Matter roll out. You’re probably better off disabling it. I’ve read stories of it screwing with people’s HomeKit setup on Reddit.
The Eve app has a Thread network map built in, but you need an Eve Thread device (specifically a border router) to activate the topology map. This is any Eve device that plugs into mains and not a battery operated end point.
As far as WeMo device, I wouldn’t trust them as far as Incan throw them lol. I have one of those Stage Scene Controller (with Thread) and it’s worse than Bluetooth.
I still have my reservations about Thread. I think it’s overhyped but I hope I’m proven wrong.
Ok maybe now isn't the time to mess with Thread. This damn Wemo plug keeps glitching out on me once every couple weeks or so. It shows as connected but then starts operating slowly and then not at all.
Yours might switching from Thread to Bluetooth. Just a thought. Try disabling Thread on the eero and see what happens. it’s not doing anything for your HomeKit setup anyway.
So I restarted my OG HomePods which forced my HomePod Minis to be the hub and now the Wemo is working fine and shows as a thread router in the Eve app. I bet the next time the OG HomePods take over it will glitch out again.
Do you have an Eve Thread router in your setup? I could never get the thread map on the Eve app to work. I was under the impression you need an Eve Thread router.
I don’t think so. I don’t really understand this Thread stuff other than some things work together and some things don’t so I don’t really see the point.
There’s an imminent Thread 1.3.0 update that among other things, standardises Thread border routers so that those from different manufacturers all communicate together, even over your Ethernet/Wi-Fi network, forming a single network per home.
It’s also worth pointing out that a Thread Router is now called a Thread Mesh Extender so that it’s not confused with a Thread Border Router in general conversation.
It’s also worth pointing out that a Thread Router is now called a Thread Mesh Extender so that it’s not confused with a Thread Border Router in general conversation.
So the eero thread function should work with HomeKit after this update?
Edit* just actually read the article and it does mention eero lol. Thanks for the heads up!
Well here we go again, but this time I know what to look for. Communication between my Wemo Mini smart plug and HomeKit is glitching again. At first it showed that the outlet was turned on even though it isn't. But now I'm getting the dreaded "no response."
Checking the Eve app I can still the outlet listed under Thread devices but it's not showing as a router anymore. That part is just blank.
I checked my Home hubs and it turns out one of my damn OG HomePods took over as a hub.
So, I restarted the OG HomePods which then forced one of my HomePod Minis to take over as the hub. And golly Bob the plug started working again immediately and is showing as a Thread router again in the Eve app.
Conclusion: Apple FFS will you please let us decide which devices can be hubs since some clearly work better than others!
HomePods do not have such a setting. Apple’s software decides which hub should be active and it’s often wrong creating a lot of performance issues with HomeKit.
Ideally, I always found that my hardwired ATV’s perform best as hubs but if I can’t disable the HomePod, then it’s useless.
For some reason a Homepod mini in the farthest corner of the house is always made the home hub. Consequently, home devices (mostly lights) drop off (“not responding”) intermittently. I wish I could force the ATV to be home hub.
It’s absolutely mind boggling. This has been a request from HomeKit users or quite some time. I believe I made a thread about this back in 2019. Wish we can select and make them stick. There is absolutely no logical reason for Hub to switch when my HomeKit is running the way it should.
The peculiar thing is, if you go to settings>home hubs, to the right of each home hub device, there’s an arrow like it’s meant to be selectable with more options. Been there for as long as I can remember but it’s always been grayed out.
I have two Schlage Encore Plus locks and I want to know if they are connecting to my network via thread or via wifi. How can I see how they are connected? TIA.
Try downloading the Eve app and navigate to Settings -> Thread Network. You should be able to find your lock there and it will say if it’s using Bluetooth or Thread.
You also need an Eve device that is connected to mains power I believe. These plug in devices (as opposed to battery powered) are also border routers. An Eve Energy smart plug is an example. I bought one just to see my Thread network in the Eve app because it didn’t work before that with just several HomePod Minis.
IIRC you should only need a mains-powered Eve device if you also want to see your HomePod and Apple TV. That was mostly the reason I got a single Eve Energy since I was already able to see a good overview of my Thread devices, but I also wanted to see the hubs. It's old so things may have changed recently, but there's this screenshot from 2y ago of a user browsing the Thread Network with only Nanoleaf lights.
Ok, that makes sense too since at the time I got the Eve Energy, my only Thread devices were the HomePod Minis and AppleTVs.
The Thread “map” or whatever they call it isn’t the greatest either. Nothing is labeled beyond “Router” or “Apple Thread Router” with a couple digits that I can’t decipher. I can imagine this will make troubleshooting difficult.