Is there a preferred "Home Hub" device to run Home app. / HomeKit from; My current choices are HomePod and Apple TV Gen. 4, but you could through an iPad into mix. Also is there a way to change Home Hub device other than making the current device unavailable causing the standby one to take over?
HomePod
At present there seems to be no way to assign a preferred order for which of your available devices will become the active HomeHub, although judging from some other posts it seems that HomePod, if available, will take on that role. Some users have reported connectivity issues with some HomeKit devices when HomePod is the Home Hub when the same devices work via Apple TV. Use Feedback - HomePod - Apple to let Apple know you'd like to be able to set priorities.
tt2
At present there seems to be no way to assign a preferred order for which of your available devices will become the active HomeHub, although judging from some other posts it seems that HomePod, if available, will take on that role. Some users have reported connectivity issues with some HomeKit devices when HomePod is the Home Hub when the same devices work via Apple TV. Use Feedback - HomePod - Apple to let Apple know you'd like to be able to set priorities.
tt2
Thank you, Alfonso, for your reply and time. I came across information and a similar answer to my own question about how to switch between devices used for the Home Hub. But my experience says it is as simple as disabling (unplugging) the Home Hub device which status indicates “Connected”. This assumes there is an additional Home Hub capable device which status indicates “Standby”. After time (maybe even operation) the standby device will automatically become the connected Home Hub and even though unplugged the replaced device status goes to standby.
The information I found was at Apple Support page;
Set up your HomePod, Apple TV, or iPad as a home hub
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207057
In particular this section copied below;
Check the status of your home hub
You can check the status of your home hub, like if it's connected, in the Home app on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac.
To check if your Apple TV is set up as a home hub, go to Settings on your Apple TV, then click AirPlay > Room and make sure that you assign your Apple TV to a room in the Home app.*
If you have multiple home hubs set up, the primary home hub will show as connected. The other home hubs will show Standby as their status and will take over remote access if the main home hub is disconnected.
Thanks Again!
I use my ATV as it is always at home and always connected to the internet. The same cannot be said of my iPad. I don't have a HomePod but I'm sure it would work as well as the ATV.
Thanks for the kind reply.
Indeed I have an ATV and 2 homepods, and I want the ATV to be the main hub.
So you are right, unplugging the home pods would eventually cause the ATV to connect as the main hub.
If only I knew patience...!
Regards
I should have been more specific, please assume all devices stay at home, also best way to select between.
I do thank IdrisSeabright for their help!
I can't see how it would make much difference. I wouldn't tend to select the iPad personally but, mine is not always at home and not always connected to power.
<Darn. The forum software seems to be acting up again>
Thanks, for your help turingtest2. I was wondering if that was a reference to Alan Turing. Was curious about test2, so looked it up. He was a smart man, lucky for us - Again Thanks!
You're welcome. 🙂
tt2
These are the steps I came up with to set ATV as the main hub instead of the HomePod.
I assume your ATV is already connected to the Home app and appears as ‘standby’
1) I unplug the HomePods
2) on ATV go to Settings => Accounts => iCloud => HomeKit => toggle connect => disconnect => connect (again)
in Airplay => ensure Airplay says ON and ‘Allow Access’ says This Home
3) restart ATV and restart iPhone
4) on your iPhone in the Home app main screen, tap on the little home icon in the top left corner. ATV should say “connected”.
Run other devices before plugging the homepods In the mains.
5) plug in the homepods, they should now appear in Standby mode in the home app.
repeat more than once if necessary. But unplugging the homepods is key for ATV to become the hub (eventually).
You may have to repeat the process whenever factory resetting your wifi modem.
Regards
Preferred "Home Hub" device to run Home app. / HomeKit from? and switching between.
