Although the HomeKit ecosystem is excellent, the cost of directly compatible devices can be prohibitive. It rapidly adds up when you pay $25 for a smart plug and $40 for a door sensor. Outside of the HomeKit environment, Amazon has a variety of affordable smart home gadgets, ranging from $6 smart plugs to $25 cameras. Thankfully, the Homebridge software can bring many of these previously unsupported devices into HomeKit.
Homebridge is a piece of software that connects to an unsupported smart-home device and makes it Apple HomeKit accessible. With the help of Homebridge, hundreds of smart home gadgets that were previously only available through Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant may now be accessed through Apple’s Home app. Homebridge can operate on Windows, Linux, macOS, or a Docker container, but I prefer to use a cheap Raspberry Pi.
HOOBS, an easy-to-use version of Homebridge with a great web interface, is what I use. HOOBS may be downloaded for free and installed on your Raspberry Pi, or you can buy an all-in-one box package that includes everything you need to get started. If you choose to install Homebridge/HOOBS yourself, the process is actually rather simple. Begin by saving the image to your computer. It’s free, but you can choose to give a specific amount to help support the software.
Even if you’re not donating, you’ll have to enter payment information to download. A USB-C cable should be used to power the Raspberry Pi, and an ethernet cable should be used to connect it to your home internet. HOOBS can be set up through Wi-Fi, however wiring it will give you more consistent results. The Raspberry Pi is only used to connect a non-HomeKit device on your network to an Apple device on the same network.
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