I’m currently setup with two SmartThings V2 hubs, but they are connected to SmartThings using two different locations because years ago when I setup my SmartThings environment, multiple V2 hubs could not be setup in the same location even though they are both actually in the same location.
Since the Station hubs (and I think the WiFi hubs too) allow multiple hubs per SmartThings location which this new hub replace feature requires to work, do the V2 hubs still have the one V2 hub per location restriction, or has that changed?
I’m confused because I opened the SmartThings app and started the add new device process. I selected ‘Smart Home Hub’ from the kind of device I want to add. I selected ‘add without QR’, and a list of available Samsung Smart Home Hubs appeared which had the SmartThings Hub 2015 listed. I selected it. Since both of my locations have V2 hubs already, I selected one of my locations and tapped next. To my amazement, the GUI kept going all the way through to requesting the Welcome Code to register another V2 hub in the location that already has a V2 hub. I didn’t do anything else since I don’t have another V2 hub as it’s in the other location. So I don’t know what would happen next even if I did. Would it add another V2 hub to the location that already has a V2 hub, or would it remove and wipe out the V2 hub in that location with all of its current configurations to add the new V2 hub…???
I currently have a V2 hub that does not have the built in TBR (Thread Border Router), unlike the SmartThings Station, the Smartthings V3 hub and the Aeotec hub. I would like to update to either the ST V3 or Aeotec hub, which I understand are essential the same hardware. I am currently using my V2 hub as a Matter controller. However, when I need to add matter a device, I must use my Gen 4 Echo as my TBR to add the device to my thread network and then get a Matter code from the Amazon app to be able to connect the matter device to my ST V2 hub. It would be easier to have a SmartThings or Aeotec hub with a built-in TBR to install Matter devices without going through the extra steps.
So here is my question based on the “Replace Feature” verbiage. If I replace my ST V2 hub with the ST V3 or the ST/Aeotec hub, what happens to my current V2 hub? Is it now a door stop or is it able to still operate as part of my location? If the latter is the case, with two functional hubs, do I have the ability to add devices beyond the 200 device maximum? Would I be able to use my V2 hub as backup at some point in the future to replace the ST V3 or Aeotec hub if they fail?
The 200 device limit is per location, not per hub. Adding a new hub doesn’t help with that regard. Moving Wi-Fi and cloud to cloud devices to a new location can help.
Sorry, that’s part of the new functionality, so I don’t really have any idea what happens with the old hub after you’ve used to replace utility.
I could guess that it ends up basically factory reset so you should be able to go ahead and add it to either the same location or a different location, but I definitely don’t know that for sure. It’s just a guess.
Indeed, in my location, Canada, android version of app is still 1.8.0723 in both android store and galaxy store. No update possible. So, even if I have v2 hub, the option is not yet available.
Hi all! I wanted to provide some quick context on how hubs that may not be online function with the Hub Replace feature to hopefully answer some questions here.
Hubs with software supporting the Hub Replace feature periodically create encrypted backups of information like network keys for its supported mesh networks, driver state, and other key pieces of information. So if a replacement is requested and the “source” hub is offline the most recent backup available will be used for the replace operation. If the hub is online a fresh backup will be created and used. Replacing an offline hub is “best effort” and may miss some changes that occurred between the most recent backup and when the hub went offline, so we recommend performing a replace when the source hub is still online if possible.
It should also be noted that if you delete the hub from the SmartThings platform the backups will be removed for privacy reasons. So you should leave the hub you are looking to replace on your account (even if it’s in an offline state) until you can perform the replace.
What then happens with the original hub once the replacement process is complete. Is it updated to remove all of its previous hub-connected devices?
And suppose the original hub was off-line and unavailable when the replacement process is run. But then, after the replacement process is completed, maybe even a few days later, the owner powers up the original hub again. What happens when it goes to reconnect to the smartthings cloud?
So we can replace a hub (making Samsung more money) but we cannot backup a hub to a USB or cloud drive, then restore that backup when a hub fails? I thought so!
SmartThings typically takes a week or two to fully roll out a firmware release. They do only some hubs at a time so they can try to catch any problems early. They’ve done this for a couple of years.
If you look at the official release announcement for the firmware update you will see that it usually gives a fairly wide range of dates. There’s nothing you can do to get it earlier, you just have to wait until your hub comes up in the queue.
After the Hub Replace process is complete the original hub will be removed from SmartThings and if it’s online at the time of the replace will also automatically be factory reset. If the hub is offline at the time of the replace it will still be deleted from SmartThings, but not factory reset.
If that hub is powered on again at a later time it will not connect to the SmartThings platform, but any local routines previously stored on the hub may begin to execute. So if the hub is going to be used again it is recommended to factory reset it to ensure it is not only ready to be set up, but also so it does not interfere with the existing network.
I feel confused.
Didn’t I read somewhere that ii also will be possible to transfer a single device from one (50) Hub to another? Inclusive connection to an automation?
In the same location btw.
So not just transfer a complete Hub (and reset it) but devices, step by step?
I would feel somewhat safer doing it that way.
But maybe I am talking typical end user nonsense.
Can you offer any insight on my question about the status of the hub that is replaced? 
