Philips Hue Device Handler

I’ve got a few Philips Hue bulbs and I’m using the default device handler called “ZigBee White Color Temperature Bulb” I’ve directly added the bulbs without the Philips bridge. Only problem with the device handler is that when I adjust the brightness to let’s say 60% it doesn’t actually know the status of the bulb and that it’s at 60% it always shows 100% is there any device handler that can report the correct brightness?

Which SmartThings App are you using (Classic or New)?

Regardless, SmartThings only supports the use of Hue bulbs using the Bridge. Then they work properly.

I’m using SmartThings classic.

Good…

Any reason not to use the Hue Bridge?

Not 100% sure why it is required for the official support, but why take chances?

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It’s required because not using it can break the rest of your zigbee network. And you may not even realize that it’s the hue bulb causing problems. :disappointed_relieved:

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How does the bridge work? I’m assuming its another hub? Do I connect it to ethernet? and i’m guessing i have to setup a cloud account with philips and then link the philips account to smartthings?

It’s another Hub… Connected by Ethernet to your LAN.

SmartThings (and Alexa, etc.) connects to it over the LAN - it is not a “cloud-to-cloud” connection.

The Hue Cloud is optional and just a way to control your Hue lights when away from home, and to backup & share Hue scenes.

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What a concept :grinning:

That’s great. So if I get a Hue bridge, I can pair it to Smart Things as a local device and don’t have to register for a cloud hue account like the cloud-to-cloud services ?

Correct. :slightly_smiling_face:

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Awesome, thanks. I’ve ordered a v2 hue bridge.

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Technically, can the Hue bridge be set up without the ethernet cable? i’m assuming if it’s a completely non-cloud service then the ethernet cable will be to link it with other services like ST hub?

The Ethernet is to connect it to your LAN, and thus, the Hue App(s) on your phone & tablets, and, yes, other Hubs like SmartThings, Echo Plus, etc…

No - you cannot set it up without the Ethernet connection. Because then even the Hue App cannot connect to it in order to add bulbs, switches, and motion sensors; and scenes, etc…

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OK, so the ethernet is required to set it up and for the Hue App to connect to the bridge. I am going to connect it to the ethernet but just want to test 100% that it works even without internet. So technically if I setup the bulbs and add the hue switches to the bridge and then disconnect the ethernet to mimic internet loss, my wireless hue switch should still be able to control the bulbs via the bridge right? Also, If i have some automation rules on ST that uses the the Hue bulbs via the Bridge and if i lose internet connection, will ST still be able to talk to the bridge offline and control the bulbs?

Finally, I currently have some bulbs added directly to ST. When i setup my hue bridge, do I need to somehow remove them from ST and then add them to the bridge?

So long as all of your routine and devices are running locally, then yes it should still run. However, nothing would work from the app itself, and any cloud based DTH devices would not execute.

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