Everything you need to know about Aqara Thread sensors P2

[@ronm6585]

Thanks Mat.

[@big-ted4065]

Both added to Home Assistant and apart from the Motion and LUX reading on the motion sensor being available, nothing else making it currently worse than the Zigbee version, this is a big downside to Matter while they only support some functions without having the manufactures app and hub

[@orticar1]

Can you please make a video on the entire set up of the P2 sensor? I purchased 5 but haven’t been able to add it to the Aqara app because it keeps asking to add first the Aqara M3 sensor. I already have an echo 4th generation installed on my systems. Thanks

[@notenoughtech]

There wasn't much to it if I'm honest - just press the button and add a matter device. Just make sure you do have the Echo with Thread support. There is one that looks like it but comes without the hub function

[@peterpalupski]

Thanks for the video, very interesting! I am not so familiar with Thread yet, but is Thread not all about providing standards that work with any hub? I thought it was invented to have common protocol to integrate smart home devices.. I do not get why a special hub is required then..?

[@notenoughtech]

Thread is based on zigbee - and you can cuse any Matter/Thread router to use it in how it is shown in the video - however the issues about exposing extra features to ecosystems only is a political nightmare of the entire Matter consortium. Companies agreed to a common protocol but each one is trying to make more money and tempt into their own ecosystem - we as users lose

[@azlansharom7011]

Can Aqara Zigbee devices work with non-Aqara Zigbee hubs? Or must it also be an Aqara hub? Thank you.

[@notenoughtech]

Usually yes, however sometimes not alll features are exposed. I had perfect compatibility with Tuya stuff

[@enricosacchetti8350]

I've got problems with the Zigbee ones randomly disconnecting from the sonoff bridge (using HA ZHA): a problem that seems irrisolvable so I am not buying any of them any more

[@notenoughtech]

Have you tried different firmware on your bridge? I find this to be often the culprit in these circumstances

[@enricosacchetti8350]

@@notenoughtech thanks for the reply. Actually not: I use a tasmotised sonoff zigbee bridge (the original one, not the new pro version) and it mostly works (ages ago I transitioned from a zig2mqtt integration to zha but touched nothing ever since, on a aintbrokendontfix principle). The only problematic device are the aquara PIRs (two of them which I have to reconnect once every fortnight on average) and a sonoff S26 plug (whic gets lost, say, once a month). The plug is not close to the bridge (alrhough there are plenty of other device it can coordinate through) but the Aquara sensor are like 5 meters away with no obstacles in between. I read on forums that they are problematic by nature and other people complain that they disconnect and stay dead until reconnection is forced again by the installation process. I have got two spare ones in the garage which I never installed because I deem them unreliable (the old good bulky RF Sonoff PIR do a better job, going through yet another tasmotised bridge :)