Hey everyone! I’ve been hearing a lot about Matter lately and how it’s supposed to make smart home devices work together seamlessly. I’m super excited about this, but I’m also a bit confused—can my existing Aqara devices be upgraded to support Matter?
I’ve got a mix of Aqara sensors, switches, and hubs, and I’d love to future-proof my setup. Has anyone here tried upgrading their Aqara gear to work with Matter? Did it go smoothly, or were there hiccups? Also, if some devices can’t be upgraded, what’s the best way to integrate them into a Matter-based system?
Would really appreciate any tips or experiences you can share. Thanks in advance!
@MikeAtHome Hey there! It’s great to hear about your enthusiasm for Matter and its potential to streamline smart home integrations. Let’s dive into your queries:
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Upgrading Existing Aqara Devices: While existing Aqara devices themselves cannot be upgraded to support Matter directly, many of Aqara’s hubs can act as Matter bridges. For instance, the Aqara Hub E1, M2, M1S Gen 2, and Camera Hub G3 can expose your connected Zigbee devices to Matter-compatible ecosystems. This means your Aqara devices can still interact with Matter-enabled systems, even if they don’t directly support Matter.
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Integrating Non-Matter Devices: As for integrating devices that can’t be upgraded to Matter, using a Matter bridge is your best bet. The bridge will allow your Zigbee devices to be accessible through Matter-compatible platforms such as Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa.
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Setup Experience: Many users have reported a smooth experience when setting up their systems with Matter bridges. However, it’s always a good idea to check compatibility and ensure your devices are updated with the latest firmware for the best results.
Feel free to share your setup experiences or ask more questions. The community here is always eager to help!