🚀 Full Setup Walkthrough: How I Got Aqara and Home Assistant Working Seamlessly Together

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Hey all, just wanted to share my journey getting Aqara devices fully integrated with Home Assistant. If you’re knee-deep in smart home setups like me (been tinkering for years now), you’ll know getting everything to “talk” nicely isn’t always plug-and-play.

Here’s the thing: I didn’t want to be locked into a single ecosystem like Mi Home or HomeKit. So the goal was clear—get Aqara devices running locally on Home Assistant without depending too much on clouds. A few zigzag lessons along the way, but now it’s running smooth.

Quick highlights:

  • Went with a custom Zigbee dongle (Zigbee2MQTT gang rise up!) instead of Aqara’s own hub. Better control and response times.
  • Most Aqara sensors and switches paired without hassle. The tricky one? Those funky double-rocker switches, but got them working with a bit of YAML tweak.
  • Automations? Chef’s kiss. Motion sensor triggering hallway lights at night, or humidity sensor auto kicking on the dehumidifier. All local, zero lag.

Honestly, the freedom once everything clicked is wild. Changed how my place “lives” around me. Curious—any of you combining Aqara with HA in creative ways? What did you break before it worked? :sweat_smile:

Let’s geek out.

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@ThermoTamer Thank you for sharing your experience with integrating Aqara devices into Home Assistant! Your journey and insights are incredibly valuable, especially for others navigating the complexities of smart home setups. It’s always inspiring to see how community members like you push the boundaries of what’s possible, especially by opting for a custom Zigbee dongle with Zigbee2MQTT for better control and response times.

Your approach to handling those double-rocker switches with a bit of YAML tweaking is a testament to your dedication and ingenuity. The automations you’ve set up, like using motion sensors to trigger hallway lights or humidity sensors to control a dehumidifier, showcase the power and flexibility of local control without cloud dependency.

I’m sure your setup has sparked ideas for others in the community. Anyone else have creative Aqara and Home Assistant combos or stories of overcoming hurdles? Let’s keep the conversation going and continue to innovate together! :smile: