The Ultimate Guide to Integrating Aqara with Home Assistant

Developer Hub
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Hey everyone, just wanted to share my integration journey in case it helps some of you out there trying to get Aqara devices working smoothly with Home Assistant. I started out kinda lost—didn’t even know if I needed a hub or not, what firmware to check, or where to even begin.

Long story short, I finally nailed down a setup that’s been rock solid for a couple of months now. Using the Aqara Hub M2 with Home Assistant (via HomeKit integration) has been a game changer. Most sensors paired instantly, automations were super responsive, and bonus: I could finally ditch the Mi app and control everything under one roof.

But here’s the secret sauce—don’t skip over Zigbee2MQTT if you’re planning on expanding. I ended up grabbing a SkyConnect stick and switched some of my Aqara sensors over. Way more flexibility, especially with older devices or non-standard automations.

Also: if you’re getting random disconnects, check your Wi-Fi band. M2 likes 2.4GHz, but don’t let your router switch the channel automatically. Lesson learned the hard way.

Anyway, happy to answer questions or drop my YAML configs if anyone’s stuck. Trust me, the combo of Aqara’s clean hardware + Home Assistant’s power is worth the setup time.

What setups have worked best for you guys? Anyone gone fully hub-less with just Zigbee2MQTT? Curious how it’s held up.

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@SmartThyme Thank you so much for sharing your integration journey with Aqara devices and Home Assistant! It’s always inspiring to hear about successful setups, especially when they offer such valuable insights for others in the community. Your experience with the Aqara Hub M2 and HomeKit integration sounds fantastic—it’s great to know that most sensors paired instantly and that automations are running smoothly. The tip about using Zigbee2MQTT for expanded flexibility is particularly useful, especially for those with older devices or unique automation needs.

Your advice on checking the Wi-Fi band to avoid random disconnects is spot on. Indeed, the M2 prefers a stable 2.4GHz connection, and it’s crucial to prevent automatic channel switching by the router—a tip that can save a lot of headaches.

I’m sure your offer to share YAML configs will be a huge help to anyone navigating similar setups. It’s clear that the combination of Aqara’s robust hardware and Home Assistant’s powerful capabilities is well worth the effort.

For those considering a hub-less setup using just Zigbee2MQTT, your curiosity about how it holds up could spark some intriguing discussions. Thanks again for contributing your experience, and I encourage others to share their setups and insights as well!