I am running an google mesh network over a big place, openhab2 on a pi, msqtt, some sonoff/tasmota switches, NodeMCU, and a hue bridge with lights. All good so far.
Now, I am trying to add some lights at the far end of the network, where the wifi down there meshes with a google wifi (nest), which in turn relays to the google hub, where the hue bridge is cabled (as is the pi). Am I correct in that the lights have to be in direct wifi range of the hue bridge (not via the intermediate google wifi point)? If so, I am thinking of dumping the hue bridge and going down the zigbee route - I need to control those lights way out there. As I explore the zigbee route it seems it needs a bit of kit, a USB dongle? Thoughts? Or should I just dump the separate zigbee/hue control, and use NodeMCUs and Sonoff/Tasmotas instead?
Thanks
From what I understand, there may be a little confusion.
The hue bridge communicates with hue devices over a zigbee protocall (NOT wifi). Hue devices will create its own mesh network and hence coverage can extent pretty far. Whatever you do for your wifi does NOT matter to your hue devices, they operate by a separate and independent mesh network.
I am pretty certain that two Hue bridges will not make the same mesh network (but I may be wrong). Hue devices that are powered (instead of battery operated) will automatically do that. So if you have hue devices in a reasonable line down the far end, that will automatically create a mesh network with your one bridge. Would suggest to try, I have coverage one story up and one story down that way (with one bridge). The range is pretty good of these devices.
I have a pretty big HUE network but it’s mostly light strips and motion detectors. I have 2 bridges and they don’t mesh together - two different networks. I have set both bridges to use freq 25.
In order to create repeaters on the networks w/o having to purchase/use HUE lights bulbs, I’ve been using these which connect to the HUE bridges as light bulbs.
Thanks. Will see how it goes and will report back.