When I first dove into the Aqara ecosystem a year ago, I thought everything would “just work.” Spoiler alert: it didn’t. But after a few hiccups (okay… maybe more than a few), I’ve landed on some solid strategies that might help someone out there struggling with connection issues—especially with sensors dropping off or the hub suddenly going MIA.
Biggest tip I wish someone told me earlier: don’t put the Aqara Hub near your router. I know it seems logical, but I had constant disconnects until I moved it a few feet away—night and day difference.
Another lesson: Zigbee really doesn’t like thick walls. I started using a few smart plugs as repeaters and it seriously changed the game. My basement temp sensor actually responds now!
Also, for those dealing with HomeKit syncing issues, try adding the hub in the Aqara app first and then sync to HomeKit. Not the other way around—it caused all kinds of chaos for me.
If anyone else has beat these kinds of issues, drop your hacks below. Would love to hear what worked for you!