Any benefit to using the IKEA hub?

I successfully paired a load of IKEA tradfri lights / motion sensor / button directly to my ST hub, but now wondering whether it is worth connecting them through the IKEA hub instead.

I tried updating the firmware on the tradfri devices through ST and it didn’t seem to do anything. I read something that indicated you could only do that through the IKEA hub. I’d like to understand whether that is true, and whether it really matters anyway? Am I likely to need to update the device firmware?

There are arguments to be made to go either way. Using both hubs increases the possibility of interference with each other and your wifi. From an interference point of view w/o proper planning this can be an issue. Unless your ikea devices are having an issue you may never need to do a firmware update. If this changes then you may need the ikea hub to update the firmware to resolve the issue.

I think the best compromise is to keep the ikea hub for now and leave it powered off until the need arises to update firmware.

This is interesting, as I had thought the main issue would be about firmware vs. wifi (or other) interference.

I have actually noticed my wifi slowing down a bit since setting up all my devices - I’m using a Tp-link deco whole home setup, but not looked into optimising this at all - do you have any direction you could give into planning for interference etc.?

Ikea tradfri bulbs Connected to the IKEA gateway will not be visible to smartthings. Unlike Philips Hue, there is no integration available for the hub. You have to choose one or the other, not both.

To use IKEA Tradfri bulbs with Smartthings, you either have to join them directly to the SmartThings hub or you have to use them with a hue bridge.

https://support.smartthings.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005937923-How-to-connect-IKEA-bulbs

Note: IKEA bulbs previously connected to the IKEA Trådfri Gateway must first be disconnected from the Gateway before they can connect with the SmartThings Hub.

If you want to get a gateway solely for the purpose of updating firmware, you can. Some people have done that. But if so, each time you want to update firmware you have to first reset each individual device so it is no longer connected to SmartThings, then connect each to the IKEA Gateway, do the firmware update, reset each individual device again, and then reconnect each to the smartthings hub.

An ikea Device connected to an IKEA gateway cannot be used with smartthings at this time.

3 Likes