Joe TriesHubs and networking
This is the layer everything else depends on, and the one people buy last. The single spec worth checking is which radios a device carries, because that decides what you are allowed to buy for the next few years.
- In the catalog
- 87
- Work without a hub
- All of them
- Most common radios
- Wi-Fi, Wired Ethernet, Zigbee, Wi-Fi 6
- Price range
- $12 to $2,300
What decides compatibility
- Read the radio list literally. Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Thread are separate radios, and having Matter support does not imply any of them.
- Wired backhaul is the biggest factor in mesh Wi-Fi performance.
- Local control decides what still works with the internet down.
- Moving between hubs means re-pairing every device by hand, so this choice sticks.
How these connect to your system
A works-with badge does not say how the device gets there, and the path changes what you get. Direct means the maker built the integration and the device's own features tend to come with it. Via Matter means the standard controls work and anything unusual about the device may not carry over. Via a hub means you need a second box, usually the maker's own, before it works at all.
- Alexa47 work with itDirect 37Via Matter 9Via a hub 1
- Google Home40 work with itDirect 28Via Matter 12
- Home Assistant28 work with itDirect 5Via Matter 7Via an add-on 16
- Apple Home21 work with itDirect 7Via Matter 13Via a hub 1
- SmartThings17 work with itDirect 6Via Matter 11
- Hubitat4 work with itDirect 4
- Ring1 work with itDirect 1
Hubs and networking we list
Filter and compare these in the catalog
Aeotec Smart Home Hub (SmartThings-branded)
Aeotec · Smart home hub · Matter
No hubSmartThingsAppleGoogleHome AssistantAlexa
$130
Aeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro
Aeotec · Z-Wave controller · Z-Wave
No hubHome Assistant
$65
Aqara Hub E1
Aqara · Smart home hub · Zigbee
No hubAppleGoogleAlexa
$20
Aqara Hub M100
Aqara · Smart home hub · Matter
No hubSmartThingsAppleGoogleHome AssistantAlexa
$30
Aqara Hub M1S Gen 2
Aqara · Smart home hub · Zigbee
No hubAppleGoogleAlexa
$50
Aqara Hub M2
Aqara · Smart home hub · Zigbee
No hubAppleGoogleAlexa
$60
Aqara Hub M2 (legacy)
Aqara · Smart home hub · Zigbee
No hubAppleGoogleAlexa
$57
Aqara Hub M200
Aqara · Smart home hub · Matter
No hubSmartThingsAppleGoogleHome AssistantAlexa
$70
Aqara Hub M3
Aqara · Smart home hub · Matter
No hubSmartThingsAppleGoogleHome AssistantAlexa
$160
ASUS RT-BE96U
ASUS · Wi-Fi router · Wi-Fi
No hub·
$600
ASUS ZenWiFi BT8
ASUS · Wi-Fi mesh node · Wi-Fi
No hub·
$500
ASUS ZenWiFi XT8
ASUS · Wi-Fi mesh node · Wi-Fi
No hub·
$280
Blink Sync Module 2
Blink · Smart home hub · Wi-Fi
No hubAlexa
$35
Blink Sync Module XR
Blink · Smart home hub · Wi-Fi
No hubAlexa
$60
Bond Bridge
Olibra · Smart home hub · Wi-Fi
No hubGoogle
$100
Brilliant 1-Switch Panel
Brilliant · Wall control panel · Wi-Fi
No hubGoogleAlexa
$599
Brilliant 2-Switch Panel
Brilliant · Wall control panel · Wi-Fi
No hubGoogleAlexa
$649
Brilliant 3-Switch Panel
Brilliant · Wall control panel · Wi-Fi
No hubGoogleAlexa
$699
Brilliant Power over Ethernet Smart Home Control
Brilliant · Wall control panel · Wi-Fi
No hubGoogleAlexa
$699
dresden elektronik ConBee III
Dresden Elektronik · Zigbee coordinator · Zigbee
No hubAppleHome Assistant
$50
Echo Hub (Amazon Wall Panel)
Amazon · Smart home hub · Matter
No hubSmartThingsAppleGoogleHome AssistantAlexa
$180
eero 6 (Wi-Fi 6)
eero · Wi-Fi mesh node · Zigbee
No hubAlexa
$89
eero 7
eero · Wi-Fi mesh node · Thread
No hub·
$170
eero Max 7
eero · Wi-Fi mesh node · Thread
No hub·
$600
eero Outdoor 7
eero · Wi-Fi mesh node · Wi-Fi
No hub·
$400
eero Pro 6
eero · Wi-Fi mesh node · Zigbee
No hubAlexa
$200
eero Pro 7
eero · Wi-Fi mesh node · Thread
No hub·
$300
eufy HomeBase 3
Eufy · Smart home hub · Wi-Fi
No hubAppleGoogleAlexa
$150
Flair Bridge
Flair · Smart home hub · Wi-Fi
No hubGoogleAlexa
$99
Flair Bridge Pro
Flair · Smart home hub · Wi-Fi
No hubGoogleAlexa
$149
Google Nest Wifi Pro
Google · Wi-Fi mesh node · Thread
No hubGoogle
$100
Home Assistant SkyConnect / Connect ZBT-1
Nabu Casa · Zigbee coordinator · Thread
No hubHome Assistant
$40
Hubitat Elevation C-8
Hubitat · Smart home hub · Zigbee
No hubAlexaHubitat
$150
IKEA DIRIGERA Hub for Smart Products
IKEA · Smart home hub · Matter
No hubSmartThingsAppleGoogleHome AssistantAlexa
$60
Lutron Caseta Smart Bridge (L-BDG2-WH, non-Pro)
Lutron · Smart home hub · Lutron Clear Connect
No hubSmartThingsAppleRingGoogleAlexa
$80
Meross Matter Smart Hub (MSH450)
Meross · Smart home hub · Matter
No hubSmartThingsAppleGoogleHome AssistantAlexa
$29
Meross Smart Wi-Fi Hub, MSH400HK
Meross · Smart home hub · Wi-Fi
No hubAppleGoogleAlexa
$21
Netgear Nighthawk Mesh WiFi 6 System (MK63)
Netgear · Wi-Fi mesh node · Wi-Fi
No hub·
$200
Netgear Nighthawk RS100 WiFi 7 Router
Netgear · Wi-Fi router · Wi-Fi
No hub·
$130
Netgear Nighthawk RS200 WiFi 7 Router
Netgear · Wi-Fi router · Wi-Fi
No hub·
$200
Netgear Nighthawk RS300 WiFi 7 Router
Netgear · Wi-Fi router · Wi-Fi
No hub·
$300
Netgear Nighthawk RS500 WiFi 7 Router
Netgear · Wi-Fi router · Wi-Fi
No hub·
$400
Netgear Nighthawk RS600 WiFi 7 Router
Netgear · Wi-Fi router · Wi-Fi
No hub·
$450
Netgear Nighthawk RS700S WiFi 7 Router
Netgear · Wi-Fi router · Wi-Fi
No hub·
$550
Netgear Nighthawk Tri-Band Mesh WiFi 6 System (MK83)
Netgear · Wi-Fi mesh node · Wi-Fi
No hub·
$500
Netgear Orbi 750 Series RBK752
Netgear · Wi-Fi mesh node · Wi-Fi
No hub·
$250
Netgear Orbi RBE973S
Netgear · Wi-Fi mesh node · Wi-Fi
No hub·
$2,300
Philips Hue Bridge Pro
Philips Hue · Smart home hub · Matter
No hubSmartThingsAppleGoogleHome AssistantAlexa
$90
Raspberry Pi 4 (Home Assistant)
Raspberry Pi · Home automation server
No hubHome Assistant
$55
Reolink Home Hub
Reolink · Smart home hub · Wi-Fi
No hubGoogleAlexa
$100
Reolink Home Hub Pro
Reolink · Smart home hub · Wi-Fi
No hubGoogleAlexa
$200
Reolink RLN16-410 16CH PoE NVR
Reolink · Smart home hub · Wired Ethernet
No hubHome Assistant
$450
Ring Smart Lighting Bridge
Ring · Smart home hub · Wi-Fi
No hubAlexa
$50
Shelly BLU Gateway Gen3
Shelly · Network gateway · Wi-Fi
No hubGoogleAlexa
$23
Sonoff iHost (AIBridge / Smart Home Hub)
Sonoff · Smart home hub · Zigbee
No hubHome Assistant
$100
Sonoff NSPanel Pro
Sonoff · Wall control panel · Zigbee
No hubSmartThingsGoogleHome AssistantAlexaHubitat
$130
SONOFF RF BridgeR2
Sonoff · Smart home hub · Wi-Fi
No hubGoogleAlexa
$12
Sonoff Zigbee + Thread USB Dongle (ZBDongle-E)
Sonoff · Zigbee coordinator · Thread
No hubHome Assistant
$25
Sonoff Zigbee 3.0 USB Dongle Plus-P
Sonoff · Zigbee coordinator · Zigbee
No hubHome Assistant
$23
SONOFF Zigbee Bridge Pro
Sonoff · Smart home hub · Zigbee
No hubGoogleHome AssistantAlexa
$20
Showing 60 of 87. The type pages below carry the full list.