Part 4 - Thread border router - How to Join Home Assistant to an Existing Thread Network(Apple).

Apple thread network with home assistant.

To integrate an Apple Thread network in Home Assistant, you'll need an iPhone with the Home Assistant Companion app. You can then import the Thread network credentials from your iPhone into Home Assistant through the app's Thread settings. 

 the latest Android companion app now syncs Apple’s Thread mesh credentials to HA,  you can make that your preferred network after syncing.

For Apple Thread networks, you'll need an iPhone with the Home Assistant Companion app. Import credentials through the app's Thread settings. 

 

 

Make Apple Thread Network Preferred Thread Network on HA

I was able to merge the HA & Apple Thread networks today using the Test flight version of the companion app.

 

Steps:

1.Add Thread device to Apple Home

for example:Add your Nanoleaf thread device via the Apple Home App (do NOT use the Nanoleaf App to deploy)

This will add the device to your Apple Thread Network.

2.Wait some time for thread network to create & sync with Keychain

In iOS companion app go to Settings -> Devices -> Thread -> Configure

Tap "Import Credentials"

Tap "Share credential with Home Assistant"

Move the HA thread network to the same channel as the Apple one. (This step may break stuff, though didn't for me)

Back on the Thread page select "Make Preferred Network" for the Apple network

Tap the 3 dots next to the HA router & select option to add it to the preferred network

 

1. Import Thread Credentials:

After adding a Thread device to the Apple Home app, use the Home Assistant Companion app on your iPhone to import the Apple Thread network's credentials. 

 

3. Import Credentials:

Within the Thread settings, you should find an option to "Import Credentials". Select this option to initiate the process of sharing the Apple Thread network's credentials with Home Assistant. 

the iOS Companion app has multiple Thread Credentials - see here: Check Companion App: UI->Settings->Companion App->Debugging->Thread “Active operational data set”.

 

4. Make Apple Thread Network Preferred:

After importing the credentials, you may need to make the Apple Thread network your preferred network within Home Assistant. This ensures devices connected to that network are properly recognized and controlled. 

 

Add an Matter device  to HA

If you want to use matter devices via the Apple Thread network you need to add them to Home Assistant by generating a new Matter Pairing code in the Apple Home app, rather than trying to reuse the existing pairing code.

here are the full baby steps:

 

Open Apple Home app

Click on Matter device you want to add to HA

Click on "cog" wheel button

Scroll all the way to the bottom

Click turn on pairing mode -> here you will get the pairing code for the device

 

In HA mobile app add matter device, cancel camera scanner, and fill in the pairing code

 

Useful links

Make Apple Thread Network Preferred Thread Network for ha- Full Process

multiple Thread credentials in Companion app：https://github.com/home-assistant/core/issues/125444