Few newbie questions about my potential SmartThings setup, especially with Xiaomi and Tradfri devices

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Hi,

I’m adding Smartthings hub “brains” to my existing “brainless” system.

Few newbie questions. I hope that some one would kindly guide me through.

  1. Should I connect every device just straight to Smartthings hub or is there exceptions that I need to know?
  2. Is it possible to connect Xiaomi vacuum cleaner to Smartthings hub?
  3. Is there something that I need to know about Xiaomi Aqara door sensors?
  4. Do I need Ikea Trådfri gateway or can I leave it out from the system? (Hue now commands Ikea light without Trådfri gateway)
  5. Is there a way to use Ikea light switch (Using with Hue bridge is not possible)

Here’s attachment.

EDIT: January 29th -18

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1 Like
2

Hi there,

Welcome
I will be answering to those where i have personal experience dealing with

1. Should I connect every device just straight to Smartthings hub or is there exceptions that I need to know?

  • Personally i you can/possible, try to go for a direct connection
  • Your Harmony hub and philips hue can be linked to smarthings (instead of using each individual ones)

2.Is it possible to connect Xiaomi vacuum cleaner to Smartthings hub?

  • I am interested to know that as well

3. Is there something that I need to know about Xiaomi Aqara door sensors?

  • You will need to instead a custom device handler for this, plenty of guide out there on how to set this up
  • It is a very good and cheap sensor that you can buy @ gearbest.com, i do recommend it, tho setup can be a hassle
  • Battery life is on point, i have not changed mine for 8 months so far
  • I have some issue knowing the right battery level, but whatever

Location awareness - Yep you can add multiple phone it to smarthings, comes by default with geo location, but theres also other custom device handler and the app LIFE360

Point 4 and 5, Cant help you there :frowning:

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Thanks GGexe! Direct connections then if possible. That was great information about Xiaomi sensors. Have to read that guide.

4

I finally got my Smartthings hub.
I connected Philips Hue hub to Smartthings hub. Smartthings listed my Hue hub and all bulbs under “things”.

  • Is that how it is supposed to be?
  • It didn’t import rooms or scenes from Hue, why is that?

I connected Harmony hub to Smarttings hub. Smartthings listed Harmony hub and both activities under “things”.

  • Is that how it is supposed to be?

So basically smartthings collects all “smart devices” under “things” and that’s about it. I can’t control for example volume of my television by using smartthings? I still have to use Harmony app?

Echos will arrive end of this week. I’m going to ask more questions then :slight_smile:

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I think you will find that you will get more people responding if you set up one thread for each different device and put the device name in the topic header.

So one thread for questions about Harmony, a different thread for questions about IKEA, a different thread for questions about Phillips hue.

This is a very busy forum with a lot of threads every day, and a good thread title with a mention of specific devices will help catch people’s attention. :sunglasses:

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Ok, thanks. This seems to be very active forum indeed and it doesn’t take much time to get reply for question. I updated my original picture. I’m still waiting my echos which seems to be lost thanks to I-Parcel.
Also my Aqara door sensors haven’t arrived yet.