# Newbie questions about hubs **URL:** \ **Category:** Questions & Help\ **Created:** [March 11, 2025, 10:10pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/newbie-questions-about-hubs/132543 "2025-03-11T22:10:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ojohnsen](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/ojohnsen/32/130248_2.png) [@ojohnsen](https://community.homey.app/u/ojohnsen)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2025, 10:10pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/newbie-questions-about-hubs/132543/1 "2025-03-11T22:10:27Z")
I’m considering migrating from HA to Homey. But I don’t quite understand how Homey best communicates with devices. I have both Ikea, Philips Hue and Aqara devices in my home. Is it then recommended to use Ikea, Philips Hue and Aqara hubs respectively? Or should I just add them to the Zigbee interface on the Homey Pro/Bridge? Any downsides to using the Zigbee interface on the Homey Pro/Bridge? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Kawa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/peter_kawa/32/173848_2.png) [@Peter\_Kawa](https://community.homey.app/u/Peter_Kawa)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2025, 10:56pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/newbie-questions-about-hubs/132543/2 "2025-03-11T22:56:12Z")
I have to warn you: Aqara (sensors) and Ikea lights don’t mix when both added to Homey zigbee. The sensors stop sending updates when connected to an Ikea light’s router, and worse, they stop looking for other routers as well. This 5y or longer issue seems to be onresolvable for the Athom team. It occurs on both Pro 2016-2019 and Pro 2023 models. I’d like to recommend to keep HA running with zigbee2mqtt, there’s no Aqara/Ikea issue whatsoever. Also for support for new(er) devices H.A. beats Homey often. They integrate very well: > [@\[TUTORIAL\]\[PRO\] How to integrate Home Assistant with Homey Pro and v.v](https://community.homey.app/t/tutorial-pro-how-to-integrate-home-assistant-with-homey-pro/92641): > > → Nederlandstalige versie → [klik hier](https://community.homey.app/t/tutorial-pro-home-assistant-integreren-met-homey/77587) → Tutorial with examples of setting up HA from scratch, extended with zwave as example → [click me](https://community.homey.app/t/honeywell-t6-pro-zwave-help/114693/5) It is not very easy to connect Home Assistant (or HA) with Homey Pro when you are new to it, hence this comprehensive guide. You can make it work! (At least I hope so grin ) When I forgot something, or something is wrong: feel free to point it out. By default, all Homey devices are available @ HA after a successful connection using MQTT; BUT you ne… ---
**Author:** ![ojohnsen](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/ojohnsen/32/130248_2.png) [@ojohnsen](https://community.homey.app/u/ojohnsen)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 6:34am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/newbie-questions-about-hubs/132543/3 "2025-03-13T06:34:06Z")
Thank you, this is great feedback. Seems to me I either have to keep HA around and import the entities into Homey, or have separate hubs for separate device brands. I do have an Ikea and a Philips Hue hub kicking around somewhere, so that could also be an option. ---
**Author:** ![dsdevries](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/dsdevries/32/80220_2.png) [@dsdevries](https://community.homey.app/u/dsdevries)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 10:15am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/newbie-questions-about-hubs/132543/4 "2025-03-13T10:15:24Z")
I never knew about this issue. I got 3 Ikea Tradfri Drivers in my house and I use a plethora of Aqara P1 motion sensors, Aqara T1 Temperature and Humidity and a few T1 Water leak sensors throughout my house to control my entire lighting, and heating system. I also connected all three remotes that came with the Tradfri Drivers and programmed them to do a range of things around the house. Besides this I have a bunch of Ecodim Z-Wave dimmers and Fibaro Smart Switches. I never experienced any problems whatsoever. They are all connected directly to my Homey Pro, or secondary Homey Bridge. I just installed both the Aqara app, Ikea Tradfri app, the Ecodim App, and the Fibaro app, and everything just connected instantly. ---
**Author:** ![dsdevries](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/dsdevries/32/80220_2.png) [@dsdevries](https://community.homey.app/u/dsdevries)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 10:59am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/newbie-questions-about-hubs/132543/5 "2025-03-13T10:59:12Z")
From looking at the release notes of the Ikea Tradfri app, I can see that they made a lot updates to the app over the last year that have to do with zigbee and adding Product ID’s. Not having a product ID could cause some issues with rejoining and restoring the mesh network after a device has been disconnected and rejoined. So I think the team is aware of the potential issues and might have already solved them. There have been a total of 21 updates to the app in the last year so it is being actively maintained. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Kawa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/peter_kawa/32/173848_2.png) [@Peter\_Kawa](https://community.homey.app/u/Peter_Kawa)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 5:05pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/newbie-questions-about-hubs/132543/6 "2025-03-13T17:05:47Z")
Please read. It’s not about devices connected to their own hubs to Homey > [@Peter\_Kawa](#): > > don’t mix when both added to _Homey_ _ **zigbee** _ ---
**Author:** ![dsdevries](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/dsdevries/32/80220_2.png) [@dsdevries](https://community.homey.app/u/dsdevries)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 8:06am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/newbie-questions-about-hubs/132543/7 "2025-03-14T08:06:48Z")
I don’t use Ikea hubs or Aqara Hubs. All the lights and sensors are connected directly to Homey with Zigbee and mesh well together. What exactly is the issue then? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Kawa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/peter_kawa/32/173848_2.png) [@Peter\_Kawa](https://community.homey.app/u/Peter_Kawa)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 9:16pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/newbie-questions-about-hubs/132543/8 "2025-03-14T21:16:33Z")
You don’t, but the TS wants to know as you can read in post 1 🤷‍♂️ ---
**Author:** ![ojohnsen](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/ojohnsen/32/130248_2.png) [@ojohnsen](https://community.homey.app/u/ojohnsen)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 9:29pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/newbie-questions-about-hubs/132543/9 "2025-03-14T21:29:15Z")
Seems like the experiences varies a bit from person to person, then. Good to hear that it’s possible to both have devices connected directly to the Homey hub, or to have devices connected to their respective hubs. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Kawa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/peter_kawa/32/173848_2.png) [@Peter\_Kawa](https://community.homey.app/u/Peter_Kawa)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 9:43pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/newbie-questions-about-hubs/132543/10 "2025-03-14T21:43:20Z")
No, sorry. It depends on _ **in which way** _ you want to connect the devices. This is what I try to say. ❌ Homey zigbee is problematic for Aqara sensors, when you want to use Aqara sensors and Ikea lights as _ **directly paired zigbee devices** _. This is reported by many other users as well, using either the Pro 23 or older models. ✅ Homey works fine with Aqara and Ikea lights when Aqara uses an Aqara hub, or when Ikea uses an Ikea hub, or when both use their own respective hubs to connect with Homey.