This article provides a brief overview of Thread and how to connect a Matter-over-Thread device to Homey Pro (Early 2023) and Homey Pro mini.
What is Thread?
Thread is a networking technology that allows smart home devices to create a mesh network. It’s a technology that determines how devices communicate with each other.
Thread is used by Matter, which is an application protocol. Matter determines what messages are sent by the devices. Matter needs Thread (or any other IPv6 networking technology like Wi-Fi or Ethernet) to send messages to a device.
Networking technologies an applications protocols
A networking technology (like Thread or Wi-Fi) is similar to choosing a communication method, such as speaking or writing. An application protocol (like Matter) defines the specific words and rules used within that method.
To make it a bit more complex, Bluetooth is used to configure a Matter device’s Thread or Wi-Fi network. By using Bluetooth, the keys of your Thread or Wi-Fi network are shared with the Matter device (the Thread keys are similar to a Wi-Fi network name and password). Once this is done, the Matter device will no longer use Bluetooth.
Each Thread network that is used for Matter should have at least one Thread Border Router. This is a special Thread device that enables communication with a Thread device on the Thread network via Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
This allows devices that don’t support Thread to communicate with the Thread devices via the Thread Border Router, such as Homey Pro (Early 2023) and Homey Pro mini.
Dive deeper
If you want to know the technical details of Thread and Thread Border Routers, refer to the Thread Group’s website
Connecting a Matter-over-Thread device
Homey Pro (Early 2023) and Homey Pro mini support Matter devices that use Thread or Wi-Fi. When adding a Matter device, Homey Pro automatically determines whether to connect the device to a Wi-Fi or Thread network. Refer to this article on how to connect a Matter device.
Selecting a Thread network
When connecting a Matter device using the Homey Mobile App and Homey Pro (Early 2023), you can choose whether to connect via Homey Pro or iOS/Android.
Note that connecting a Matter-over-Thread device using the Homey Web App, which is only supported on Homey Pro (Early 2023), will automatically use Connect via Homey Pro.
If you’re using Homey Pro mini, you can only connect Matter devices using the Homey Mobile App. In addition, pairing is always done via your iOS or Android device.
Connect via Homey Pro
With this connection method, Homey Pro uses Bluetooth to connect to the Matter device, then switches to Wi-Fi or Thread once the device joins its network. This method is recommended for most users. A few notes:
- Keep the Matter device near Homey Pro while connecting. Homey Pro will use its Bluetooth antenna to make the initial connection to the device.
- Once the device is added, this is no longer necessary, as the device will only communicate over Thread or Wi-Fi.
- A Matter-over-Thread device will always connect to Homey Pro’s Thread network.
- A Matter-over-Wi-Fi device will always connect to the same Wi-Fi network as Homey Pro.
- If Homey Pro is only connected over Ethernet, you will be prompted to select a Wi-Fi network for the Matter device during its addition.
- Ensure that you select a Wi-Fi network that uses the same local area network (LAN) as Homey Pro.
Connect via Android or iOS
The Homey Mobile App will connect to the Matter device via Bluetooth and then hand over control of the device to Homey Pro (Early 2023) or Homey Pro mini once the Matter device is connected to a Thread or Wi-Fi network. Use this method when:
- You want to connect a Matter-over-Thread device to an existing iOS or Android Thread Network.
- You want to create your first Android Thread network (see Thread Network Configuration on Android).
- You want to connect a Matter-over-Wi-Fi device, and you cannot place the Matter device near Homey Pro.
Keep the following things in mind when choosing this method to connect to a Matter device:
- Keep the Matter device near your mobile device while connecting. The Homey Mobile App will use the Bluetooth antenna of the mobile device to make the initial connection.
- A Matter-over-Thread device will connect to the Thread network configured on the device.
- For iOS users, this requires having a Thread Border Router active on your iOS device. Currently, Homey Pro’s Thread network cannot be added to iOS. So, a third-party Thread Border Router (e.g. Apple HomePod) is required (read more on Apple’s support page).
- For Android users, refer to “Thread network configuration on Android” below.
- A Matter-over-Wi-Fi device will connect to the same Wi-Fi network as the mobile device is connected to.
- Ensure your mobile device is connected to the same Wi-Fi network or local area network (LAN) as Homey Pro is connected to.
Thread Network Configuration On Android
On Android, Homey Pro’s Thread network will automatically be configured on the mobile device (this requires at least Homey Mobile App v7.6.1).
However, this can only be done if no other Thread network has been previously configured. Due to an Android limitation, it is not possible to change the Thread network configuration of the mobile device once a Thread network has been configured.
To check which Thread network is being used while connecting a Matter over Thread device, open the Homey App and go to More → Settings → Thread. Here, it will show which network is being used.
The table below outlines the fields shown in the Thread settings screen. The image on the left shows what appears when no Thread network is configured. The image on the right shows an example of Homey Pro configured as the Thread network on an Android device.
| Field | Description |
| Border Router | |
| Available | No: The Thread Border Router that is configured on the Android device could not be found on the network. Use the “Connect via Homey Pro” connection method for Matter over Thread devices. |
| Yes: The Thread Border Router that is configured on the Android device was found on the network. The “Connect via Android” connection method can be used to add Thread devices to the Thread Border Router’s network. | |
| Preferred Network | |
| Homey is preferred | Indicates if Homey Pro’s Thread network is used when the “Connect via Android'' connection method is used. If Homey is not preferred, another Thread network is used (e.g. Next Hub, Nest Hub Max etc.) |
| Name | The name of the configured Thread Network |
| Extended PAN ID | The unique identifier of the configured Thread Network |
If you have multiple Homey Pros, only one can be the preferred Thread network. The other Homey Pros will use the preferred Thread network when a Matter-over-Thread device is added using the “Connect using Android” method.
Thread & Zigbee
Because Thread and Zigbee share the same hardware on Homey Pro, resetting your Zigbee network will also reset your Thread network.
Due to this shared hardware, Homey Pro currently can’t join an existing Thread network (such as one created by Apple Home or Google Home), as it may conflict with Homey Pro’s Zigbee network.
