Intellihome
Intellihome
Knowledge
Guides and background on smart homes, UniFi networks and Home Assistant. What we recommend, we run ourselves.
Tools and services
Apple Home (HomeKit)Apple Home (HomeKit): home hub, new architecture, Matter and Thread, ways in via Homebridge and Node-RED/NRCHKB, networkDockercontainers for the homelab: concepts, Compose, restart policies, volumes and backups, ports, logs, securityHome Assistantlocal smart-home platform: installation types, concepts, backups, integrationsHomebridgeHomebridge: HomeKit bridge for devices without HomeKit via plugins; child bridges, mDNS, Matter in v2, UmbrelNode-REDlow-code flow-based automation: concepts, HA connection, functions, context, install, security, backupsPostgreSQLPostgreSQL in Docker for the smart home: PGDATA change in 18, backups with pg_dump, major upgradesUniFiUniFi for the smart home: consoles, Network, Protect, Access, Wi-Fi settings for IoT, Home Assistant integrationsZHA (Zigbee Home Automation)Zigbee directly in Home Assistant: coordinator, groups, OTA, backups, migration, quirks, limitsZigbee2MQTTstandalone Zigbee ↔ MQTT bridge: converters, frontend, binding, configuration, adapters, gotchas
Protocols and standards
MatterCSA smart-home standard over IP (Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Thread): local control, controllers, multi-fabric, network requirementsMQTTpublish/subscribe protocol: topics, wildcards, QoS, retained, LWT, HA discovery, Mosquitto securityThreadlow-power IPv6 mesh protocol on 802.15.4, transport for Matter and HomeKit; border routers, channels, IPv6Wi-Fi 7Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be): new features, Wi-Fi 6 comparison, 6 GHz in the EU, why the smart home needs Wi-Fi 4Zigbeesmart-home mesh protocol (IEEE 802.15.4), roles, ZCL, interference, backups and migration in ZHA
Devices
Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2Nabu Casa USB Zigbee/Thread adapter for HA (MG24): ZHA, Z2M, OTBR, reset button, repeater firmwareSLZB-MR3network Zigbee coordinator: SMLIGHT multi-radio (CC2674P10 + EFR32MG24), Zigbee and Thread at once, PoEUmbrel Homehome server running umbrelOS: hardware, how apps run, Node-RED/HA/Homebridge apps and their gotchas
How-tos
Home Assistant Connect SLZBconnecting an SMLIGHT SLZB network coordinator to Home Assistant over PoE: SMLIGHT integration + ZHA/Z2M + ThreadPostgreSQL backup with pg_dumpRegular consistent pg_dump of PostgreSQL in Docker, with retention, restore test and Umbrel notesZigbee coordinator migrationmoving a Zigbee network to a new coordinator or from Z2M/deCONZ to ZHA without re-pairing