Intellihome
Matter
What it is: A smart-home standard from the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA): one protocol through which certified devices from different brands work together. It is built on IP and promises simplicity, interoperability, reliable local connectivity and security. CSA It has no radio of its own. It runs as an application layer over IPv6 on the LAN (Wi-Fi, Ethernet) or over Thread. Version 1.0 was released in October 2022, with Google, Apple and Amazon involved in its development. HA docs
How it works
Per HA docs:
- Local control: Matter devices are controlled locally, without internet and without the vendor's cloud. Some vendors still require an account before they enable Matter on a device.
- A controller controls Matter devices. Controllers include HA (the Matter Server app), Google Nest, Apple HomePod, Samsung SmartThings Station and newer Amazon Echo devices.
- A fabric is the Matter network of one controller. Multi fabric (multi-admin) lets one device be in Google Home, Apple Home and HA at once. The standard requires at least 5 fabrics per device. The CSA lists this interoperability as one of its pillars. CSA
- Commissioning (adding a device to a controller, the equivalent of Zigbee pairing) happens over Bluetooth from a phone. The phone hands the device its network credentials and then the device talks over Wi-Fi or Thread. You need the QR code or numeric setup code from the device.
- Matter over Thread: Thread devices reach the IP network via a border router. It only forwards data, and with Matter the data is encrypted. The border router can belong to another ecosystem (HomePod mini, Nest Hub); HA uses it only to access the Thread network. Typically it's an OpenThread Border Router, e.g. SMLIGHT SLZB in OTBR mode. SLZB-OS manual
- A Matter bridge exposes another ecosystem's devices via Matter (Hue Bridge, IKEA Dirigera, Aqara Hub M2, SwitchBot Hub 2). HA itself isn't a bridge and doesn't expose its devices via Matter.
Versions and standards
- Matter 1.0: October 2022. HA docs The CSA publishes the specification and the list of certified products. CSA
- In HA the supported path is HA OS with the Matter Server app. A standalone Docker container is unsupported. Thread-based Matter devices need HA OS 10+. HA docs
Gotchas
Per HA docs:
- Network: Matter needs local IPv6 and freely flowing multicast. It's designed for regular home networks and may not work well with VLANs, multicast filtering and faulty IGMP snooping. You don't need an IPv6 internet connection or DHCPv6, but IPv6 must be enabled in HA. HA's remedy: put Wi-Fi Matter devices and Thread border routers on the same VLAN as HA. HA Matter docs How to set this up in UniFi (IoT VLAN, firewall, mDNS proxy): VLAN.
- Thread logo ≠ Matter: a Thread device may use HomeKit or a proprietary protocol. Look for the Matter logo.
- Keep the QR code or numeric code. Without it you can't add the device again after a reset.
- A bridge may not help: e.g. Hue via Matter offers fewer features than HA's native Hue integration, which also runs locally.
- Synthesis: Matter doesn't solve the radio. Thread devices need a border router, Wi-Fi devices need working 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, see Wi-Fi 7.
Implementation and integrations
- Thread: the main low-power transport for Matter.
- Home Assistant as a Matter controller (Matter Server app, Matter integration). HA docs
- Border router: e.g. SMLIGHT SLZB in OTBR mode SLZB-OS manual, or Connect ZBT-2 in Thread mode.
Related
- Thread, Zigbee (protocol without IP, with its own radio), Home Assistant, Wi-Fi 7
Sources
- CSA: who publishes the standard and its principles.
- HA docs: the Matter integration in HA (controller, fabric, commissioning, bridges, network requirements).
- SLZB-OS manual: Matter over Thread via OTBR.