Samsung SmartThings finally adds support for joining existing Thread networks

4 hours ago 3

A graphic of Samsung and Thread logos showing connections.

We’re 1 measurement person to a astute location that tin negociate Thread borderline routers from antithetic manufacturers. Samsung SmartThings present supports “two-way Thread web unification,” its fancy mode of saying Thread credentials sharing. This means that now, if you adhd a Samsung instrumentality that’s a Thread borderline router to your home, it can articulation an existing Thread network from different ecosystems, alternatively than mounting up its own.

The capability, which is portion of the Thread 1.4 spec released past year, volition motorboat connected prime SmartThings hubs — including the Aeotec Smart Home Hub and the Aeotec Smart Home Hub 2. More hubs volition follow, according to the company.

A caller “Manage Thread Network” paper successful the SmartThings app Hub interface volition let you to link a compatible hub to an existing Thread web utilizing a QR code, one-time passcode, oregon your mobile OS credential locker. It volition besides let you to adhd a third-party borderline router to an existing SmartThings hub’s Thread web via a QR codification oregon OTP.

A Thread borderline router is simply a gateway for Thread devices. Thread is simply a wireless astute location protocol designed for low-power devices specified arsenic door locks, lights, and sensors, which is utilized by the Matter astute location standard. Border routers are required to link section Thread devices to different networks and to the internet. The tech tin beryllium built into devices similar streaming boxes, astute speakers, and Wi-Fi routers, which means it’s casual to amass respective successful a astute home.

Having aggregate Thread borderline routers tin amended the scope of Thread devices you’re using, arsenic good arsenic the reliability of the self-healing mesh network. If 1 borderline router goes down, different tin prime up the traffic.

When Matter launched successful 2022, determination was no modular mode for a Thread borderline router from 1 manufacturer, specified arsenic an Apple TV, to link with Thread borderline routers from another, similar an Eero Wi-Fi router. This often resulted successful each mounting up abstracted Thread networks, preventing devices connected them from talking to each other.

Initially, borderline router manufacturers — including Apple, Amazon, Google, and Samsung — said they would enactment unneurotic to travel up with solutions to this problem, but they mostly didn’t. While Apple and Google implemented Thread web credentials sharing utilizing their mobile OSes, via iCloud Keychain and Google Play services, this is mostly ecosystem-specific. A standardized method for sharing credentials was inactive needed.

What is Matter

Matter is simply a astute location interoperability standard designed to supply a communal connection for connected devices to pass locally successful your location without relying connected a unreality connection. It is built to be secure and private, easy to acceptable up, and wide compatible.

Developed by Apple, Amazon, Google, Samsung, and others, Matter is an open-sourced, IP-based connectivity bundle furniture for astute location devices. It works implicit Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and Thread.

Thread is a low-power, wireless mesh protocol. It operates connected the aforesaid 2.4GHz spectrum arsenic Zigbee and is designed for low-power devices, specified arsenic sensors, airy bulbs, plugs, and shades. IP-based, Thread devices tin pass straight with each other, the internet, and with different networks utilizing a Thread Border Router.

Today, Matter supports astir of the main instrumentality types successful the home, including lighting, thermostats, locks, robot vacuums, refrigerators, dishwashers, dryers, ovens, fume alarms, aerial prime monitors, EV chargers, and more.

A astute location gadget with the Matter logo tin beryllium acceptable up and utilized with immoderate Matter-compatible ecosystem via a Matter controller and controlled by much than 1 ecosystem with a diagnostic called multi-admin.

Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, Apple Home, Home Assistant, Ikea, and Aqara are among the well-known astute location companies supporting Matter, on with hundreds of instrumentality manufacturers.

Finally, past year, Thread Group, the enactment that oversees the protocol, took matters into its ain hands and mandated “credentials sharing” successful its 1.4 spec release. This is simply a standardized mode for Thread devices and borderline routers to articulation an existing Thread network.

Now, SmartThings has adopted Thread 1.4, and Apple has it successful its latest iOS 26 update for Apple TV and HomePods (which are Thread borderline routers). Although Apple has not launched an interface for credentials sharing and it’s not wide if the diagnostic is unrecorded yet. However, neither Amazon nor Google yet supports 1.4, though some accidental they are moving connected it.

Google Home Thread borderline routers — including the Google TV streamer, Nest Hubs, and Nest Wifi — whitethorn link to existing networks done Google’s mobile OS credentials sharing. But Amazon’s Echo devices that enactment Thread tin lone link to Amazon oregon Eero-created networks. Its Echo devices are connected Thread 1.3, but the institution says it plans to alteration Thread 1.4 adjacent twelvemonth and volition enactment credentials sharing. Eero, the Wi-Fi router institution owned by Amazon, has immoderate 1.4 features enabled, but doesn’t presently enactment merging with existing Thread networks.

So 3 years successful and we’re, like, three-quarters of the mode there. Sort of. Great job, guys.

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