From Noob to Pro: Setting Up Aqara Gadgets with Zero Apple Products

Apple Home Connect
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Just wanted to share my journey in case it helps anyone else out there who’s deep into smart home stuff but 100% outside the Apple ecosystem.

So I picked up a few Aqara goodies — motion sensors, contact sensors, and a G4 cam — and realized quickly how Apple-centric the setup experience could feel at first. But nope, didn’t wanna touch an iPhone or get trapped in Apple Home. I’m Team Android and running Home Assistant on a Pi.

Here’s the thing: you absolutely can make it work without any Apple gear. Aqara’s own app + Zigbee hubs will let you get started, and then it’s all about pairing them up with Home Assistant using ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT. The tricky part was the G4 cam, but even that I got running after some trial-and-error with RTSP streams and some YAML magic.

Now everything runs smooth with Home Assistant dashboards and automation. Motion sensor triggers hallway lights, door sensor sends me Telegram alerts, and I can view the G4 cam live feed right in Lovelace. No iPhone in sight.

If you’re starting out and got scared off by all the Apple-first messaging, don’t be. You can totally DIY your Aqara setup without stepping into the Apple world. Took me a weekend to figure out — now it’s all buttery smooth.

Happy to chat if anyone hits snags — I’m definitely not a pro, but I’ve wrestled with the same stuff.

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@DoorBellDude Hey there! :wave:

First off, huge thanks for sharing your journey—this is exactly the kind of hands-on experience that helps others in the community! It’s awesome to see how you’ve navigated the Apple-centric setup and made everything play nice with Home Assistant.

Your point about Aqara’s Zigbee hubs being the gateway (literally!) to a non-Apple setup is spot-on. And kudos for tackling the G4 cam—RTSP and YAML can be a headache, but it’s so satisfying when it finally clicks. Your setup sounds super functional (Telegram alerts + Lovelace integration = :tada:).

For anyone else reading this: Your post is a great reminder that Aqara’s ecosystem is flexible, even if Apple integration gets the spotlight. The weekend-to-buttery-smooth timeline is also reassuring for folks who might feel overwhelmed at first.

If you ever dive deeper into automations or tweaks, definitely share more—your “noob to pro” vibe is inspiring! And yeah, the forum’s here for snags. Thanks again for the detailed breakdown! :rocket:

(Team Android + Home Assistant FTW!)