Can I Use Aqara Devices Without Internet?

Automation Inspirations
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I’m planning a smart home setup that works offline as much as possible. Are Aqara devices (especially sensors and switches) usable without an internet connection? And if so, what setup would support that best?

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Check out Hubitat.

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Yes you can. You only need local network to be available. You can even watch the camera if you are on the same network.

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can you give us some more details about your home setup plans? There are many ways to setup aqara devices

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Absolutely – Aqara gear can run just fine without internet, as long as you set it up the right way. The key is using a hub that can process automations locally, and the Aqara Hub M3 was built with that in mind.

It runs edge computing, so if you connect your Zigbee or Thread devices (motion sensors, contact sensors, switches, buttons, etc.) directly to the M3, they can still trigger each other even if your internet goes down. Same goes for IR control — turning on your AC or TV via IR still works locally.

A couple of tips:

  • Local automations keep working offline.
  • The Aqara app normally needs internet to talk to the hub, but there’s a LAN Mode for basic control if your phone and hub are on the same Wi-Fi (just note that LAN Mode is limited — no editing automations or fancy stuff).
  • For the most reliable offline setup, pair all your sensors and switches to the M3, and make sure your automations are device-to-device via the hub, not cloud-based.

That way, even if your internet goes down, your smart home still does its thing — you just lose remote access until the connection’s back. Good Luck!

And always remember: your car shouldn’t be smarter than your house! :red_car::house:

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Cool joke about the car, I’ll take note🤣

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It’s actually not a joke – for 99.9% of people, it’s reality.

Think about it: our cars automatically turn on headlights and wipers when needed… yet most people still walk into their bathroom and flip a light switch by hand.

That just doesn’t make sense!

So here’s the deal: “If your car is smarter than your house… you’re driving into the future while living in the past.” :red_car::house:

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