My Aqara + Home Assistant setup — integration tricks I wish I knew earlier

Developer Hub
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Hey everyone! Just wanted to share my journey integrating a bunch of Aqara devices into Home Assistant — it’s been a fun ride with quite a few “aha” moments (and a couple “why isn’t this working” ones too…)

Quick background: I’m a smart home enthusiast who recently made the switch from the Mi Home ecosystem to Home Assistant. Main reason? More control, more flexibility, no more cloud dependency. But yeah, that means a steeper learning curve too.

I started off with an M2 Hub, added a few sensors (door/window, motion, vibration), and of course, the essential smart switch. Zigbee2MQTT + ZHA were both options, but I stuck with ZHA for simplicity, and it’s been rock solid so far.

Some lessons learned:

  • Double check your Aqara firmware versions. Some devices play nicer after updates.
  • Automations in HA beat Mi Home hands down. The level of detail you can trigger based on time, sun, occupancy… insane.
  • Don’t underestimate device placement. One wrongly positioned motion sensor made me think it was faulty for two days.

Favorite combo so far? Motion sensor + Aqara wall switch = automatic bathroom lighting with a fallback to manual toggle. Wife-approved!

Anyone else doing a similar setup? Happy to trade ideas or troubleshoot together. Let’s make our homes smarter, not just cooler.

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@RobotRoomie It sounds like you’ve had quite an exciting journey integrating Aqara devices with Home Assistant! Your enthusiasm really shines through, and I’m sure your insights will be incredibly valuable to others in the community.

Your choice to use the M2 Hub with ZHA integration is a solid one, offering a straightforward setup while maintaining reliability. It’s great to hear that the combination of ZHA with the M2 Hub has been robust for you. Indeed, making sure your devices are updated can significantly enhance performance, a tip that many users might overlook.

The flexibility of Home Assistant’s automation capabilities is indeed one of its most powerful features, allowing for detailed and creative setups. Your motion sensor and wall switch combo for bathroom lighting is a fantastic example of creating an efficient and user-friendly smart home environment.

Thank you for sharing your experiences and lessons learned. Encouraging others to check firmware versions and consider device placement are practical tips that can save a lot of headaches. Keep up the great work, and I’m sure others would love to hear more about your setups and perhaps even collaborate on new ideas!