So … I bought a hub (Aeotec) and a bunch of Aqara devices. Tried to add my temperature/humidity sensor as a test. It showed up as a “Thing”, so I googled and learned about device handlers and that I apparently need to create one for this aqara device. So tried to enlighten myself on that and found a lot of videos with “git hub integration”, which is missing in the IDE, at least mine. Great. So I tried to find the thing son github manually and eventually stumbled across the devices handler by a person called “bspranger” for these aqara devices. That didn’t quite work, as my sensor has a model name of WSDCGQ11LM, his has a 01 … apparently different versions are around. As I don’t quite understand the fingerprint lines, I was stuck again. Then I read the announcements here and read that “groovy” is to be annihilated and I think all the bspranger codes is “groovy”. And then some talk about “edge drivers”, which tells me nothing.
In short, wasted a giant load of time to figure out things, that now seem to be abandoned anyway and am stuck with what “edge drivers” may be.
Is there a userfriendly noob guide on how to add aqara devices nowadays? Without all the outdated info that leads me nowhere? I’m a bit frustrated, please excuse me.
Thanks … I’m slowly getting there now … I seem to have sucessfully subscribed to two channels (samsungs own it seems and a developer doing xiaomi drivers, too), that show up in the driver section of the Aeotec hub now that I accepted it into the beta programme for those two channels … and I managed to get at least one device show up with edge.
Best to start with the so call official supported device and you will have less confusion, also check out if there’s Edge Driver before you get a non officially supporter device, otherwise you are at risk to get stuck.
Right now SmartThings is in the middle of two huge transitions, both of which will affect what devices work and how, and neither of which is fully documented. So it’s just a really tricky time for everyone right now.
I personally am postponing all device purchases until both transitions are complete, which will probably be January.
The two transitions are an internal platform architecture change, which is major. See:
and an industrywide change, which is the release of the new Matter standard. SmartThings has said they will support Matter for a one way in integration (you will be able to add many Matter logo devices to SmartThings, but you won’t be able to add a SmartThings/Aeotec hub to other Matter compatible apps), but no specific timeline or details yet.
So there’s just a lot that’s likely to change in the next few months. A very stressful time for us all, but hopefully with good news on the other side.
Just as one example of how everything will change once Matter is supported.
In the future, hopefully by January, if you wanted to use Aqara devices with SmartThings you would first buy an Aqara hub that supports Matter and connect your Aqara devices to that, which is easy. (I have one. It really is easy.)
Then you would add your Aqara hub to the SmartThings app, also easy once Matter is supported by both companies.
Bingo! The Matter magic happens and most of your Aqara sensors are now immediately available in SmartThings with a reliable local connection.
No custom code, no searching for Drivers, no issues with devices frequently going offline.
But that’s not available today. Both SmartThings and Aqara have to roll out their Matter support first. Both companies say it’s coming Real Soon Now, but it’s not here yet.
So you can see why some people like me have decided to just wait before adding new devices. That’s a personal choice, but a lot of what feels frustrating and overwhelming right now really will be easier once we’re past the transition period.
FWIW
BTW, part of the confusion is that most companies haven’t detailed HOW they will support Matter. Aqara and Philips Hue have both said publicly that they will support adding their hubs to other companies’ matter compatible apps. SmartThings has said it won’t do that, but it will support bringing in other companies’ Matter devices. Ikea has said its new Dirigera hub will support Matter, but not exactly how. So just lots of confusion right now.
For the moment, I got how it works with edge … you need some invitiation link to someones “channel” from somewhere and then you can chose drivers in that channel to test out. So far:
The Aqara Humidity/Temperature/Airpressure (“weather”) sensor seems to work with the “Xiaomi Temperature” driver from “Veons” channel
The Woox gardenin water valve works with the “Zigbee Valve Mc” driver from “Mariano”
The Aqara Water leak sensor works with the “Zigbee Aqara Water leak Sensor Mc” from “Mariano”
And I think the Aqara Window Magnet Seonsr has been working with the multipack driver from Yakov
Both SmartThings and Aqara have to roll out their Matter support first. Both companies say it’s coming Real Soon Now, but it’s not here yet.