I have quite a few Cync bulbs in my place. Can’t get them added to Smartthings. Wifi scan didn’t pick them up, QR code and typing in the “matter” 11 digit code didn’t work - tells me I need a Hub. The host Cync app, Alexa, and Google Home don’t seem to need a hub. What’s up with this?
Yes, you need a ST hub to add Matter devices to SmartThings.
You Echo Dot and Google Next devices are acting as your hubs for those systems.
2 Likes
See the community FAQ:
FAQ: What do I need to add a Matter device to the SmartThings app? Do I need a bridge router device?
No, the echo and next devices are not hubs for the Cync bulbs. One or more of the bulbs acts as a hub for the surrounding bulbs within BT range and allows control via the Cync app. The Cync app is then linked to Alexa and Google Home via the internet. What I may have to do is climb up and get the QR or numbers off that particular bulb and see if ST will add it as a hub or just not have these lights in in ST.
A Cync bulb will not work as a Matter hub in SmartThings (ST).
You need a ST v2, ST v3, Aeotec, ST Station, or one of the hubs built into Samsung appliances or TVs to link Matter devices to SmartThings (ST).
1 Like
Each platform that supports matter has its own devices that act as “matter controllers“ for that platform and that platform only.
In order to use any matter device with a Home Automation platform, you must have one of its controller devices. These are not shared between platforms.
So in order to have matter devices show up in the Alexa app as matter devices, you must have one of the echo devices that acts as a matter controller for the Alexa platform.
In order to have matter devices show up in the Google home app as matter devices, you must have one of the Google home devices that acts as a matter controller for the Google home platform.
In order to have matter devices show up in the Apple home app, you must have a HomePod mini or an apple TV model that works as a matter controller for the Apple home platform.
And in order to have matter devices show up in the SmartThings app as matter devices, you must have one of the SmartThings devices like a SmartThings hub that works as a matter controller for the SmartThings platform.
There isn’t any way around this: it’s just the way matter works. Each matter-compliant platform has its own app and its own “matter controller” devices.
Again, see the community FAQ
FAQ: What do I need to add a Matter device to the SmartThings app? Do I need a bridge router device?
This works, but it is not using matter. It is using unique integrations built for each of those platform combinations.
GE never built a unique integration specific for the SmartThings platform, so you can’t do it just with the Internet or just with an app.
The only way to bring them into your SmartThings account is using matter, and in order to use matter, you must have a SmartThings matter controller.