Emir BardakçıXiaomi has just officially published on GitHub its Assistant Mijia integration project, in a big move now to finally allow users themselves to control Xiaomi IoT- smart devices with Home Assistant itself. It offers a single set of ground on which plenty of Mi Home devices that can be controlled and helps improve the smart home features.
What is Home Assistant?
Home Assistant is an open-source home automation platform in Python 3 that allows users to monitor, control, and automate their devices within their home. It can be configured to suit the requirements of your smart living solution.
Version Requirements for Xiaomi Mijia Integration
For using the Xiaomi Mijia integration with Home Assistant, the following are required: Required Versions
- Home Assistant Core: 2024.11.0 or later
- Home Assistant Operating System: 13.0 or later
Features of Xiaomi Mijia Integration
- Xiaomi Cloud Interface: The Mi Home Integration utilizes Xiaomi’s official cloud interface, and hence, requires users to log in using their respective Xiaomi accounts. This login is done via OAuth 2.0 and has the added security of keeping the passwords of the users from residing within Home Assistant. However, the user needs to make sure that his or her Home Assistant configuration files are kept safe because configuration files store user credentials in plain text; these include tokens and certificates.
- Device Compatibility: Though it includes most Mi Home device categories, compatibility still lacks some devices: Bluetooth, infrared, and virtual devices.
- Multi-Account Support: You are allowed to connect multiple Xiaomi accounts at the same time and can also include devices from different accounts in the same area within Home Assistant.
- Localized and Cloud-Based Control: The devices connected through the Mi Hub Gateway are exposed, and local control is possible if the firmware version is 3.4.0_000 or above or for devices with a built-in hub gateway, software version 0.8.0 and above. Commands on devices that are not on a gateway are routed through the Mi Cloud.
- The LAN control function of Xiaomi is for the local control of IP devices (WiFi or wired) and does not work with Bluetooth Mesh or ZigBee devices.
Region Support
The Integration of the cloud service of Mijia runs on six regions across the globe, including Mainland China, Europe, India, Russia, Singapore, and the United States. Upon setting up the area in Home Assistant, users need to define the region to allow correct integration. Multiple regions Mijia devices can be managed within one Home Assistant area.
How to Enable Xiaomi LAN Control
To enable LAN control of Xiaomi:
- In Home Assistant go to Settings > Devices and Services.
- Click on Configuration > Xiaomi Home > Configuration > Update LAN control configuration.
Note: The LAN control works anywhere in the world, provided the devices are on the same local network.
Future Plans for Localised Control
The firmware that allows local control on the Mi Hub Gateway has not been released yet. Upgrades to firmware will be announced by the MIoT team at Xiaomi, and users should look out for that. Access and Installation Official project details, along with installation instructions, are available on Xiaomi’s GitHub repository: GitHub: Xiaomi Mijia Home Assistant Integration
Integration of Xiaomi Mijia with Home Assistant yields a great solution for managing Xiaomi smart devices on one platform. It offers flexibility and convenience to the users, whether through localized or cloud-based control. This project is going to change how users of Xiaomi devices automate their homes all over the world, thanks to the commitment of Xiaomi to the expansion of IoT compatibility.
