Is it possible to use Homekit on iPhone without any Internet in a home?

[Starfyre]

I have an iPhone I can set up a hotspot with, I want to get some homekit enabled smart devices like lightbulbs and switches. I don't have internet at home (just a router with no internet connection).

I don't care about being able to control my lights when I am away from home, but I want it so when I walk into the house, I can control all my devices with homekit since my cell has internet connection.

Does this require all devices to be connected to my phone as a hotspot? Or can I get all homekit devices to connect to my 'non-internet-connected' router, and have my phone somehow talk to the devices through it?

What I really need to know is if I can use Homekit or buy homekit devices and not need a internet connection wired to my home. If this is not possible, will having an Apple TV make a difference? (again, not connected to home internet).

 

[riverfreak]

I believe for your use case, you just need a local network. Your phone would also need to be on that network to control your devices. I don’t know convenient that would be in practice.

 

[VforVelveta]

I think the problem you’re going to run into is that, when you turn your phone into a hotspot, it can no longer connect to the router, since the wifi chip is being used to essentially turn your phone into a router.

The best way I think you’ll be able to do this is to use Homekit devices that use Bluetooth instead of wifi. That way, your phone can still act as a hotspot, but then can communicate with the HK devices over BT. If you have HK stuff that goes over wifi, I’d think you’d have to shut off your hotspot and connect to the router every time you wanted to control them.

I think all of the Elgato Eve devices use Bluetooth, and if you’re looking for light bulbs the ones sylvania makes have pretty good reviews and also use Bluetooth (links below)

Eve | elgato.com

SYLVANIA SMART + A19 Full Color LED Bulb, Works with Apple Homekit and Siri Voice Control, No Hub Required, 74484 (Bluetooth Edition) - - Amazon.com

 

[Starfyre]

I think the problem you’re going to run into is that, when you turn your phone into a hotspot, it can no longer connect to the router, since the wifi chip is being used to essentially turn your phone into a router.

The best way I think you’ll be able to do this is to use Homekit devices that use Bluetooth instead of wifi. That way, your phone can still act as a hotspot, but then can communicate with the HK devices over BT. If you have HK stuff that goes over wifi, I’d think you’d have to shut off your hotspot and connect to the router every time you wanted to control them.

I think all of the Elgato Eve devices use Bluetooth, and if you’re looking for light bulbs the ones sylvania makes have pretty good reviews and also use Bluetooth (links below)

Eve | elgato.com

SYLVANIA SMART + A19 Full Color LED Bulb, Works with Apple Homekit and Siri Voice Control, No Hub Required, 74484 (Bluetooth Edition) - - Amazon.com

I am looking at a product like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nanoleaf-NL22-0003TW-9PK-Aurora-Smarter-Kit-New-Unopened-Ships-in-24-Hours Do you know if this supports a "Bluetooth w/o Wifi"?

Thanks for the product postings, I will take a look at those.
My goal is to make a fully automated smart home without the need for internet connection built in to my home.

Eve looks very handy with it's bluetooth capability and looks reputable compared to other brands. Ordered a switch! (If anyone knows of other products like this, please share!)

 

[VforVelveta]

I am looking at a product like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nanoleaf-NL22-0003TW-9PK-Aurora-Smarter-Kit-New-Unopened-Ships-in-24-Hours Do you know if this supports a "Bluetooth w/o Wifi"?

Thanks for the product postings, I will take a look at those.
My goal is to make a fully automated smart home without the need for internet connection built in to my home.

Eve looks very handy with it's bluetooth capability and looks reputable compared to other brands. Ordered a switch! (If anyone knows of other products like this, please share!)

Looks like the Nanoleaf uses wifi, so if you wanted to control them directly you'd be jumping between hotspot and router.

Not quite the same thing as the Nanoleaf, but Sylvania has some LED flex strips that work over Bluetooth if you wanted to make some accent lighting.

Amazon: Sylvania Smart Flex Strip

As for making a fully automated smart home, if you're going to try and do it without an internet connection, you're going to need some sort of hub to sit at home to control everything. If you stick with Homekit, your options would be an Apple TV, an iPad that stays at home, or eventually the Homepod when it comes out.

That said, making a fully automated smart home with no internet connection is going to be quite the uphill battle. Not saying it can't be done, but I think you're going to find a lot of instances where you're going to be jumping through hoops to perform simple actions that'd be easier to do the old fashioned way.

 

[DoubleFlyaway]

Also... if you want to set up automations (i.e., having your lights automatically come on when you get home) you need to have an ipad or appletv 4th gen or later set up as a hub.

 

[thesaint024]

That said, making a fully automated smart home with no internet connection is going to be quite the uphill battle. Not saying it can't be done, but I think you're going to find a lot of instances where you're going to be jumping through hoops to perform simple actions that'd be easier to do the old fashioned way.

Agree. I don't want to sidetrack this, but isn't even the cheapest, slowest internet an option? I don't know where you live or if there are even cheap options for you, but even a super slow internet connection is adequate for most smart home devices. The devices just need to check in once in a while to occasionally get some data, etc. For many devices, the internet provides much of the functionality.

 

[Starfyre]

It is not an option, I want to have a setup where I walk into the home and the only source of internet... is my phone.