You'll need a Z-Wave compatible Hub like SmartThings or Hubitat, or HomeAssistant with a Z-Wave Dongle. Both Hubitat and HomeAssistant have native integrations with HomeKit, while SmartThings is integratabtle via HomeBridge. I use Hubitat for Z-Wave and ZIgbee devices.
I use a Starling Hub and it works without issue. Easy setup and it supports other Nest products like cameras, thermostats, etc.
Yes. They do offer a home monitoring solution but that’s less useful when Nest Secure goes offline.
Yeah. HomeBridge can run on many platforms and/or in a Docker container. I tend to keep apps like that off of a daily driver but you could certainly do that.
Depending on the vintage of Yale lock, you can swap out the Z-wave module for something HomeKit native. Choices are iM1 which is HomeKit-only using Bluetooth (discontinued), Yale Access upgrade kit (formerly August) which uses an external BT-WiFi bridge, or the yet-to-be-released-for-real Matter/Thread module. For some reason, they briefly sold the Matter version pre-installed in the prior generation of lock (Assure SL, not SL 2). They have yet to sell it as an upgrade or bundled with SL2. The other Yale option is a WiFi module that works with Siri but not HomeKit.
I have one iM1 currently, and have not had that problem. I previously had two others, they never died, but the touchscreens did. They were the first generation, Real Living, not Assure SL. I replaced those with Assure SL's with the Connect Kit, which is also what the remaining iM1 is in.
I'm not thrilled with my Eufy's. I have two C2 and one Pro2, all running off a HomeBase2. They go offline all the time, and I can't find any pattern to it. I think the Homebase is in a good location for signal strength for all three, but that could be part of the problem. Next time I'll get something that connects to my main network, since I can deploy extenders for that.
I forget which ones I have (I want to say indoor 2K PTZ cameras) but they're connected directly to my network and go offline seemingly randomly too. No clue if that's cause the cameras themselves or something with HomeKit though.
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Odd. The integration was pretty much "turn it on" for me. It came down to:
Own a couple of Eve homes... pain in the butt to keep charged. The Ecobee sensors were much better since they used button batteries even though some of mine would discharge quicker than others depending (my theory) on how far away they were from the base Ecobee Thermostat. I bought the Eve sensors hoping that it would be an improvement but having to charge them weekly is more of a pain than swapping out button batteries. Although it just occurred to me to check to see if the remote functionality is maintained when plugged in to charge permanently. The screen doesn't allow you to manipulate it when it is charging.
My experience as well, with over 200 devices on my HomeKit network. At the same time, I've found Hue system to be almost 100%, and have rarely had to troubleshoot it. WiFi interference was an issue, and that's because I have two Hue hubs because I have many Hue devices, but enough WiFi putzing has sorted that.
I used to have an Orbi 5. Since then and now (currently running a Deco with 6E setup), almost all mesh networking solutions (and I'm assuming other systems, too) now enable what's colloquially called an "IoT" network. It's a separately named 2.4 GHz network that bridges to your "main" network. So if e.g. your network is named "SemiWiFi" and that has 2.4, 5, and 6 GH auto-whatever, the system will also create a "SemiWiFi IoT" network that's 2.4 GHz only but is also on the same logical network of "SemiWifi". That way you don't have to go through the network hopping histrionics for a separately named dedicated 2.4 GHz network.
I've always heard about this and seen the warnings on a bunch of stuff I've gotten, but I've never bothered messing with any settings and just crossed my fingers. Luckily crap has just worked, somehow. To get set up at least. Some stuff randomly drops but don't notice much, that's usually like months of working fine I think.
