Evening everyone!
I thought I would share my current smart home setup and break down how all the layers work together and what my experience has been like.
Here’s my stack:
Network Layer:
- eero PoE Gateway with a couple of eero PoE wireless access points throughout the house
Thread Border Routers:
- 3 x Apple TV 4K devices
- eero PoE access points (also function as Thread border routers)
Matter Devices:
- Aqara U400 (with UWB) on my front door
- Aqara U100 on my back/basement door
- Aqara M3 hub (PoE-powered)
- Aqara Thermostat Hub W200 (to be added once available)
Additional PoE Devices:
- Ring doorbell at the front door
How the Stack Works Together:
The eero access points and Apple TVs all act as Thread border routers, creating a mesh network with multiple connection points. My U400 and U100 locks connect via Thread and communicate through Matter allowing Apple Home to control them directly.
Performance Note:
Coming from a previous WiFi-based smart home setup, the difference in responsiveness with Matter over Thread has been night and day. Commands execute almost instantly - no more waiting for devices to wake up or respond. The Thread mesh is just so much faster and more reliable than my old WiFi devices ever were.
About the M3 Hub:
The M3 isn’t strictly necessary for the locks since I already have plenty of Thread border routers. However, it adds:
- Another Thread border router for even more mesh density
- Zigbee bridge for any future Aqara Zigbee devices
- IR control capability for traditional devices
- Potential Aqara-specific features or faster firmware updates
The PoE Advantage:
The eero PoE Gateway powers my M3 hub, Ring doorbell, and all the eero access points - clean installation with no power adapters cluttering things up.
Would love to hear what others are doing and how many of you have made the move to Matter and what your journey has been like.
