UPDATE: For all OH3 users please update to minimum of 3.1.0 Milestone 1 and the latest binding is merged and built in from now on.
Just wanted to let other users of Milight globes know that I have completed a new Binding that allows a single opensource Bridge (bridge created by Chris Mullins aka Sidoh) to automatically find and add Milight globes into OpenHab. The first question Openhab users may have is “Why another binding when one already exists?”, The short answer/s to this is the new OPENSOURCE bridge allows:
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Almost unlimited groups so you can have individual control over an entire house of Milight globes without multiple OEM bridges. A single bridge uses less power for one of many advantages of having only 1 hub/bridge.
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If using the Milight remotes to control the globes, this binding will update the openhab controls the moment a key is pressed on the remote.
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Auto scan and adding of the globes via paper UI.
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If you reboot Openhab the state of the globes will refresh and display correctly after the reboot due to the hub tracking the states and recording them in the MQTT broker. Even if people are using a remote whilst openHAB is rebooting.
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Many other reasons besides just being opensource and hence can get firmware updates to support new globes and wifi KRACK patches.
See post two of this thread for details on how to setup and use the binding.
In depth details on how to build and what the bridge is can be found here:
http://blog.christophermullins.com/2017/02/11/milight-wifi-gateway-emulator-on-an-esp8266/248
A quick overview of the steps to get the hardware going are:
Connect a nodemcu/esp8266 to your computer via USB
Download the latest BIN file from here https://github.com/sidoh/esp8266_milight_hub/releases101
Download esp8266flasher if you are on windows GitHub - nodemcu/nodemcu-flasher: A firmware Flash tool for nodemcu
Check the blog above on more info on how to do it from mac or linux.
Open the flasher tool and make sure the flash size is 4mb or whatever your esp8266 board has.
Flash the bin and then press the reset button on the nodemcu board when complete.
Connect to the wifi access point of the esp directly and setup to connect to your network. Blog has more info.
Login by using the IP address of the esp8266 in a web browser and the control panel will show up.
Connect 7 wires between the two ready made PCBs as shown in the above blog.
You then need to get MQTT running as this method uses the faster and lightweight MQTT protcol and not UDP.