Standard Make a difference has been gaining popularity lately. It was created to make it easier for gadgets from different manufacturers to work in one home.
What does support for Matter and Thread smart home standards mean?
If you have a hub with Matter support, you don’t need to build a smart home around just one gadget; you can combine devices from different manufacturers. All new home devices require Matter.
Akara Hub M3 – just such a hub. It supports the new Matter standard and acts as a connecting link between gadgets, ensuring their interaction and automation. In addition, the hub supports Zigbee, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which means you can connect almost any smart gadget to it.
In the article we will look at all the capabilities of the Aqara hub, its importance for a smart home, as well as features and features with various devices and ecosystems.
Characteristics of Aqara Hub M3
Here are the main parameters and corresponding communication protocols of the new Aqara hub:
► Wired or wireless connection
► Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2.4/5 GHz
► Zigbee/Thread IEEE 802.15.4
►Bluetooth 5.1
► Built-in IR receiver/transmitter
► Loudspeaker up to 95 dB
Hub size: 105×105×36.5mm
The hub can be powered via Type-C: 5V 2A or via PoE (RJ45) 48V 0.27A.
Please note that the power supply is not included and must be purchased separately. You can provide a Type-C connector or power via a network cable at the location where the device is installed.
For this you need an Akara hub in a smart home
The Akara hub is a key device in the smart home ecosystem; without it, smart devices will act as elements and will not be able to interact with each other. Here are the main functions of the Aqara hub:
► Centralized device management: Sensors, lamps, locks and cameras are connected to the smart home through the hub; they can be controlled through one application on a smartphone or voice assistants.
► Setting up automations: hub Allows you to configure device interaction parameters. For example, when a motion sensor is triggered, it can turn off the lights or notify the owner of what is happening in the house.
► Working via Zigbee: Aqara hub supports the Zigbee protocol, which allows gadgets to connect autonomously, with low power consumption and without a constant connection to the Internet. This makes the system more reliable.
► Integration with other platforms: life work hub Home by Apple And Google home page. This makes it easy to connect the Aqara device to an existing home control system and control them in a familiar application with all the features of your favorite ecosystem.
► Voice control: the hub integrates with voice assistants from other manufacturers. Devices connected to it can be controlled using Alice, Marusya or Salute from Sber, if there is a corresponding speaker in the house.
What else can the new Akara hub do?
In addition to the described features, the new hub has several additional features. One of them is IR remote mode. The hub has a circular signal receiver-transmitter in IR, which means it can control devices instead of a remote control.
The best application in this case is connecting an air conditioner. The Akara Hub can control them directly. To configure there is a special section in the parameters; you need to select the manufacturer and model of the design. If you have some exclusive air cooler that is not on the list, you can teach the IR remote control commands manually using your original air conditioner remote control.
Support supports IR communication, if the air conditioner or setting mode is by remote control, the settings will be displayed in the APP. The connected air conditioner is sold in other smart home control systems, such as Home by Apple.
Another useful feature is built-in loudspeaker. The hub can turn on a video alarm when no one is home, display important notifications in a smart home, or become a smart doorbell along with a wireless key.
In the hub system, you can select the lighting level and turn on do not disturb mode to avoid beeping at night.
How to connect and configure Aqara Hub M3
There were no problems with the connection. In addition to the hub itself, the kit includes a power cable and a wall mount. We simply connect the hub to the power source and begin the transition.
1. Install the Aqara Home application on your smartphone from the App Store or Google Play.
2. Log in to your account or register if you don’t have one.
3. In the application, click “+” to add a new device and select Akara Hub M3.
4. Connect the hub to your Wi-Fi network. If necessary, update the hub firmware.
5. Set the hub name, room location, region, and time zone to have routine operations handled by automation.
All! The setup is complete, you can start adding smart devices.
How to connect a device to the Aqara hub
If your smart home already had Aqara devices that work via Wi-Fi, you do not need to connect them to the hub. Smart devices themselves will “make friends” in the application. You need to connect or reconnect devices running via ZigBee or Thread to the hub. These are all kinds of sensors, switches, light bulbs or sockets. Previously, they could already be connected to a hub or speaker that supports these protocols.
The device is connected to the Aqara hub through the Aqara Home application in this way:
1. Make sure the hub is turned on and connected to the Wi-Fi network.
2. Turn off the connected device and bring it closer to the hub. During operation, the gadget can be placed further, but when connecting, it is better to keep the hub and gadget nearby.
3. Put your device into connection mode. Usually, to do this you need to hold down the button on the case for 5-7 seconds. Sometimes the gadget is switched to connection mode, otherwise this needs to be done in the instructions.
4. In the Aqara Home application, you can search for devices and wait for the hub to be a gadget.
5. Then support the person and complete the device connection.
How to set up automation in a smart home
Here you need to determine which application will be your main one for controlling your smart home. A common mistake newbies make is setting up different automation scenarios in separate applications. So, after a while, it is very easy to become confused as to why a certain light bulb turns on or why the curtains open in the living room. Scripts of different applications can be compared with each other or download smart home duplicate commands.
In the presence of the Aqara hub, you can choose one of the options:
Install everything in the Aqara Home application. In this case, you will need to connect devices, link them together and set up automation in this program.
Automation in Applications Akara House use the usual method. In a similar section, create a new script, select the condition and action that will be performed. For example, pressing a switch turns on the lights in the living room.
Forward everything in Apple’s Home. To do this, you need to link your Aqara account to HomeKit in the Aqara Home app, and then set up all the automations in the Home app on your iPhone or Mac. In this case, two applications are used: Aqara Home for updating the firmware of smart devices and finer settings, and Home for setting up automations and controlling gadgets.
Managing gadgets through the Home app is better integrated into the Apple ecosystem and allows, for example, to turn devices on or off from Control Center, view their status in widgets, or manage settings from the iPhone lock screen. but some finer settings are missing in this system. For example, you won’t be able to set up a robot vacuum cleaner.
Link your device to your voice assistant. For example, it could be Alice from Yandex. Then, in the Home with Alice application, you need to link your account to your Aqara account and forward the hub with the connected devices there. Automation setup will need to be done in the Yandex application.
As in the previous case, the campaigns are served by two applications: “Home with Alice” and Aqara Home. First of all, you start setting up automation, and secondly, update the firmware and control the settings of gadgets.
What’s the result?
The new Aqara Hub M3 is a powerful multifunctional device that can connect gadgets from different manufacturers in the home and even replace some of them.
The hub is suitable for creating a centralized smart home system and allows you to control light bulbs, sensors, switches, locks and other smart devices through one application. The hub supports Zigbee and Matter protocols, which makes it compatible with most current devices. An important advantage is the ability to work locally without the Internet, which increases the stability and security of the system.
The hub can also integrate with other smart home control groups and voice assistants. At the moment this is one of the most universal solutions on our market.
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Source: Iphones RU
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
