11 thoughts on “HomeKit Alarm System With The Aqara Hub

  • Boring, too long, uncomplete, needs more explanations on how to really do a good security alarm setup using homekit. If you want to add some stuff to your web page will be better to check what are you sharing. I think so!

    • Please do show everyone how it’s really done – you obviously sound like an expert. Can’t wait to see your video. Oh, and send us a link to your fantastic website…(this is British sarcasm, in case you’re not aware).

      • Mate i bought a new xiaomi pro wifi router still my shitty aqara hub gets disconnected even after place next to the router ! I emailed them they said it works in china very well as im outside china they cant help it seems !! Im using chinese server my mi home never got disconnected not even once from the past 1 year !! They have no reply now yeelights official supports home kit and xiaomi mijia coming up with a home kit compatible hub im sure no one will buy aqara hub!! Coz of this issue i never bought their lock n other item only coz there is aqara symbol on it i suggest people to stick with mijia products i have Xiaomi first generation plug with a single usb supports it works like a charm ! Its been many i hate aqara ! I have a goood speed internet connection only aqara is shit in the xiaomi echo syten and the door bell !!

        • It’s a shame you’re having these issues, and I’m sure you’re not alone. I’ve not had any issues with the Aqara products myself, and the sensors have been the most reliable device’s I’ve ever had. Sounds like the issue stems from the router, but it’s difficult to know for sure. They do advise not to have the hub too close to the router in fact, so you may want to try keeping them at least a couple of metres apart. One thing to note is that pretty much the vast majority of devices with the Mi or Mijia logo are actually made by Lumi United, who make the same products for Aqara, so…

          • I changed my router to a brand new one i was having issues with aqara hub with the previous router as well previous router its always offline inna day or two it goes.offline with xiaomi pro it works for max to 5 days or so im using the latest pro version router made by xiaomi if u think its with router why is the xiaomi mijia hub is not effected which is the second gen version which i bought two years ago ? I just checked my order history !!Its been 2 years its been continuously plugged in i dont remember switching it off after i bought it as i have uninterrupted power supply nothing goes offline in my place and excellent 100 mbps connectivity now u will blame my home kit apple issue i use the latest iphone n my ipad pro2 as the home hub !! I even took my friends philips hub n bulb kit to check if there is any issue with the home kit app guess what? it never failed on me !! Its the stupid aqara hub its faulty or maybe their server is scrwed up i dont know !! I contacted them all they replied is im sorry buy their eu version! My foot i wil never touch anything with a aqara log in it!! I tried keeping it near, far , on the top floor i dont mind keeping it over the router as well if it stops going offline but its wont last more than a week then it goes offline !! I wonder if its a hardware issue i spoke to few people on youtube they have the same issues lot many people bought it coz of home kit support its not me many other people have this issue and aqara is least bothered !! Even their lock they launched a 2s or something in few months after launching their first version they have serious manufacturing issues i guess !! Tell me one would anybody buy aqara if they were not in the xiaomi echo sytem ? Never no one will buy them !! Now that aqara pissed of many of their existing customers !! Congratulations to them !!

          • You should be posting your complaints on the Aqara support page, not here. You’re welcome to ask questions, or share experiences, but ranting as though everyone else is having the same issues as you (which many are not), is not going to help you.

      • Hello Simon! Sorry but the guy on the video takes toooooooooo much time to open a box than explain how to put the alarm to work. Nadie is telling that the porpouse of the video is to gain clicks than a real instructional video.
        I think that would be great to see videos that explain more complicated tasks to do with our gadgets than a simple automation that any neewbie can do.
        You have a great website!!!! Please continue this work online always because all your visitors are pleased to read you!!!!!

        • Hi Marc, I may do a video soon that will explain how to set up an alarm, that will focus on the setup instead of the unboxing. Leave it with me.

  • i know many people with the same problems.

    homekitnews should be not an aqara fanboy site and cover up aqara’s shitty firmware!!

    it is indeed real that aqara products have a very bad firmware and i think there is no doubt about it.

  • Is it possible to use non Aqara door/window sensors (for example Koogeek)? Or can you only (dis)arm the alarm in HomeKit?

  • I am using Aqara products myself. I just finished setting up an Homekit/Aqara alarm system.
    The products work reliably in Europe, on a China Mainland server through Aqara hub.
    I got 4 smokesensor, 4 temperature sensors (in bedrooms and outside the house), 6 vibration sensors (on ground floor windows and glass doors), 2 door sensors (on main doors). I could use additional Aqara devices for triggers, but I found this combination works for me as I have a cat who would most certainly tigger motion sensors douring the night arm mode of the alarm system.
    The Alarm can be set up in Mi Home app to go off 30 sec after a trigger dvice goes off. Enough time to come in and disable the alarm if you don’t have your phone on you (portable switch).
    If I have my phone, my geolocation sets a virtual switch on or off in Homekit. Another homekit automation is in charge of arming/disarming the alarm depending on the virtual switch position (home/not home).
    This way you bypass the stupid Apple limitation of manually confirming an automation of security devices. I at least trust this switch to remember to turn on the alarm more then myself, and it seams stupid to confirm each and every day something you deliberately setup.
    If alarm is triggered the Aqara hub is soundig a siren and homekit is sending me a notification that the alarm has been triggered. Additionally through Homebridge and its IFTTT plugin a web request is sent to a calling service which calls me on my phone and tells me the alarm is triggered. Another web service sends me a sms message with the same info.
    I also have an Aqara G2 camera and 2 Aqara motion sensors who work consistently. The camera is not homekit compatible though.
    I am very happy with Homekit stability of my Aqara products. It does sometimes happen, mostly arround firmware updates, that the Aqara products are not acessible through the Aqara or Mi home app, but they work in Homekit normally all the time.
    Thumbs up Aqara makes the camera homekit compatible in iOS13!

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