Suggestion

[srfteixeira]

Hi,

Are you planning to launch a smart switch to control your lights like Phillips hue have.

Thank for all,
Simon

[Tom1221]

Would also like this too

[coasterli]

No comments.

[lightmaster]

You can install ‘Xiaomi Smart Home’ and use all sorts of buttons to control and dim Yeelights, including wall switches, door sensors, motion sensors, etc…

[dalanik]

Guys, can you please describe what is needed with smart home? The sellers never have enough info and they sell bundle in which I don’t need half of the things.

• If I need a wall switch to controll yeelights, what do I need?

• Is it possible to control NORMAL bulbs with Xiaomi smart home and wall switch? I have light in living room which has 3 bulbs (regular, not smart) and I would prefer to leave the normal bulbs and control them somehow. It doesn’t seem rational to buy 3 smart bulbs for this, also it is closed inside chandelier so overheating might be a problem.

• What software is used for this?

• Is it possible to issue commands similar like to Yeelights (API, with JSON?)

Thanx!

[lightmaster]

Hi, I am just a user. I can describe my set-up it this helps.

By default Yeelight bulbs can be controlled in two ways:

1. In Yeelight app through Internet, i. e. App → Yeelight Server → Router → Bulb
2. Locally via JSON API, i. e. Program → Router → Bulb

If I need a wall switch to controll yeelights, what do I need?

1. Dumb wall switch to cut power from bulb, physically (I won’t recommend)
2. Smart-dumb wall switch to cut power from bulb, remotely (I won’t recommend)
3. Smart ‘virtual’ wall switch to turn bulb programatically, remotely (I recommend)

When you cut power form bulb, it gets offline. It is impossible to remotely turn it on again.

With ‘virtual’ switch bulb is only pretending to be off. It stays always accessible through an API.

Is it possible to control NORMAL bulbs with Xiaomi smart home and wall switch?

With case 1 and 2 above it is possible. With case 3 it is impossible.

I have light in living room which has 3 bulbs (regular, not smart) and I would prefer to leave the normal bulbs and control them somehow. It doesn’t seem rational to buy 3 smart bulbs for this, also it is closed inside chandelier so overheating might be a problem.

I bought 3 smart bulbs and control them with virtual switch. More expensive, but gives much more possibilities.

What software is used for this?

If you want to use ‘Xiaomi Aqara Switches’ that I mentioned above, you have to buy Xiaomi gateway and use ‘Mi Home’ app.

Signal goes like this: Switch (Zigbee) → Mi Hub (Zigbee&WiFi) → Router (WiFi) → Yeelight Server (Internet) → Router (WiFi) → Bulb (WiFi)

If you care about privacy, it is possible to control Xiaomi Gateway and Yeelight Bulbs fully locally, using free software programs like Home Assistant with JSON API.

In this case, signal will go like this: Switch (Zigbee) → Mi Hub (Zigbee&WiFi) → Router (WiFi) → Computer With HomeAssistant (Local Network) → Router (WiFi) → Bulb (WiFi)

Is it possible to issue commands similar like to Yeelights (API, with JSON?)

Yes, in Yeelight it is called ‘Developer Mode’. API docs here: https://www.yeelight.com/en_US/developer
In Xiaomi Gateway it is called ‘LAN Control’ and can be enabled in app.

The sellers never have enough info and they sell bundle in which I don’t need half of the things.

Xiaomi ZigBee gateway and switches can be bought separately for example on AliExpress.

When you use virtual ZigBee switch, your lights will fade-in and -out nicely. You can also custom program switches to control brightness, colour temperature, etc…

[dalanik]

Thanx for your reply. I know all about Yeelight as I have white, color and strip. I am interested in how Zigbee works because I can’t find any info. I have a tablet on the wall and I am using Square Home 2 and tasker to turn the lights on/off.

Now since I have this chandelier with 3 bulbs, I’d hate to replace all of them with smart bulbs, that’s why I was wondering about the wall switch.

So bottom line is I can send JSON commands to Xiaomi gateway to control the switch.

I DON’T want to use MiHome, since I already use Yeelight app and I have tried MiHome with Yeelights and I prefer Yeelight app. It is important to me to be able to send commands from Tasker to gateway.

I still don’t understand if I install xiaomi smart switch and gateway am I able to control normal non-smart bulbs? It would seem logical because gateway would control the SWITCH, right? And the switch simply switches

Somehow it makes no sense to me to have smart bulbs and use bluetooth gateway to control them - I can just use another tablet like I use now and control them… that’s why I am asking.

On other hand, switch functionality would come in handy because occasionaly somebody in the home forgets or is lazy to use the tablet to turn on/off the smart bulbs and uses the regular switch which is bad

[Tom1221]

Hi,

After reading this topic I began to look into my own way of making a button for the lights. This is a really long way of doing it but it works. This will require a amazon dash button and a Raspberry Pi.

First set up homebridge with Raspberry Pi:

Homebridge plugin

Hi guys, I recently write a Yeelight plugin for homebridge, so iOS users can use Home App or Siri to control Yeelight WiFi devices directly, you can try it and provide any feedback or bug report here…

Then set up your button using the video below:

https://youtu.be/x8mIGvoodDk

I did not make any of the links that I have provided I just found
The way to have a button to work with Yeelight.
Hope this helped and if you have any problems feel free to aks!

[dalanik]

Interesting… but would require a Pi… It is interesting because Amazon dashes are so cheap

[lightmaster]

I am interested in how Zigbee works because I can’t find any info. I have a tablet on the wall and I am using Square Home 2 and tasker to turn the lights on/off.

Zigbee is NOT same as Bluetooth. You will need Zigbee gateway. Info here: http://www.zigbee.org/zigbee-for-developers/network-specifications/

So bottom line is I can send JSON commands to Xiaomi gateway to control the switch.

Yes you can post JSON to Xiaomi Gateway.

I DON’T want to use MiHome, since I already use Yeelight app and I have tried MiHome with Yeelights and I prefer Yeelight app.

Mi Home app does not replace Yeelight app. Yeelight app will still work.

I still don’t understand if I install xiaomi smart switch and gateway am I able to control normal non-smart bulbs? It would seem logical because gateway would control the SWITCH, right? And the switch simply switches

It depends which switch you want to get: wall power switch or virtual switch.

Somehow it makes no sense to me to have smart bulbs and use bluetooth gateway to control them - I can just use another tablet like I use now and control them… that’s why I am asking.

I am not aware of any tablets that support Zigbee. You will need a gateway.