HomeKit Not Working with Linksys Velop Wifi

I can understand the Linksys is auto changing to the 10.x.x.x IP range.. is this because you still have the EE router plugged into the WAN port?? If so please try removing it.. and you could even set a static WAN IP of 10.x.x.x just to force it back to using 192.168.x.x

The idea I am suggesting is not using the wan connection at all. This is important.. so setting even a stupid public IP for WAN might work.

This is result of them making the setup so automated that you cannot even fix it if you tried.. I have seen this happening recently with a number of brands.. especially phone app controlled mesh devices which are designed for the extremely limited scope of a phone app.

Going back a bit further.

I can’t replace the EE router totally as I have a UK copper phone line bringing in my broadband so the plug would not fit in the Velop.

There are two parts to the EE router. The modem which deals with ADSL/VDSL etc.. and the router..

Unfortunately in Australia we copied the FTTN (VDSL) from UK.. having been told.. don't do it.. its terrible.. the politicians got involved.. and found out it was cheaper.. and refused to listen to reason thereafter.

But we can use a VDSL modem/router bridged and use a different router.. it can be messy depending on the chaos our ISP's then introduced with several different and conflicting systems of authentication. But you need to check if it is possible for the Velop to take over the main router role.. if so the EE box may need to be replaced if it hasn't got ability to bridge. Or even change ISP if your supplier is stubborn .. we have several like that who refuse to allow customers to use their own routers.

My advice to people is LEAVE.. (if people left in suitable droves policies of a more rational nature may suddenly become the norm.) .. but that is not always possible.

If that is the case then everything in your setup needs to live behind the Velop as the double NAT will block the two networks functioning.. although there are likely parts that will be fine still connected to the EE router.. eg.. if you have voip phone system can be difficult. Many routers do have DMZ function where you can pass all incoming connections without NAT links to the DMZ device.. ie the Velop. This helps loads to stop the ill effects of double NAT.. but does mean your whole network must be arrange behind the Velop and will take some work to arrange.

If it becomes too messy then I would say the Velop is unfit for use and should go back..

There are cheaper and easier ways to skin the cat!!

Thanks for the update.

Great to hear you got it working.

It is helpful to know how a product works when it is sold by Apple for Apple networks.

That a managed switch (without vlans set) should cause failure of the whole Homekit environment is scary considering they worked fine with the Apple Airport routers. I always prefer to use managed switches. Plus the failure of the Velop to use Ethernet backhaul is a good argument to stay away.

I am still looking for the ideal home AP / Mesh setup.

Just installed a TP-Link Omada setup for a friend who runs a business from home and wanted better grade equipment than average domestic. These are very similar to Ubiquiti UAP although cheaper and easier to setup and manage IMHO.

Not a cure all though and the AP units are less flexible than I would like.

I am playing around with a setup of Xiaomi AX1800 and AX3600 routers configured for AP mode. They are dirt cheap, perform very well and offer reasonable setup for home use. They are somewhat limited by firmware which I would rate as poor.

International version with English firmware is more limited than Chinese version.. in that Mesh only works when one of the nodes is working as router. In Chinese firmware this worked fine in AP mode.. but security?? (keep in touch with CCP to report your activities so is less appealing from let's say a political standpoint.) Security is less of a problem with English firmware.. in AP mode at least. They can be blocked from direct internet access. Hopefully OpenWRT will be able to finally get it working on 3rd party firmware.

All detailed talk of which device is assigning IP addresses aside (my DSL provider allows bridge mode / temporarily assigned me a static ip for the modem to test if that would help make the Linksys MX12600 (3x 4200's) work well)...

Purchased Linksys MX12600 back in September 2021.

First problems happened almost immediately... maybe a day of reasonably stable network / Homekit behaviour...

First call to support at Linksys, the guy basically said these units are junk and at some point there would be a firmware update, but I'd be better off buying one of their more expensive, non-homekit units (can't remember which one)...

Since then, 50-60 hours on the phone, more than that doing my own diagnostics, fine-tuning (to the extent they allow in the web interface, which is better than the app for sure), upgrading/downgrading firmware, pulling ethernet through two stories of challenging routes, so there would be nothing in between the units other than brand new Cat 6E, replacing those ethernet cables, going back to wireless, trying a power line device setup, just because I had them lying around, etc. etc. etc. Never has it worked for more than a day or so and that "worked" is to be taken with a grain of salt - some HomeKit devices would be flaky, very flaky (particularly Belkin Wemo devices, funny enough, since Belkin owns Linksys) but not worth running around the house doing power pulls because a reset via the app or web interface would NEVER bring back the child nodes automatically. I've tried ALL the possible setups, factory resets, disable / enable HomeKit, remove, factory reset and reinstall devices, buy new devices to test...horrible stuff!

Called Apple yesterday and spoke with a guy who said he'd be willing to escalate to engineers, but both of our guts were saying it was all to do with Linksys...

So, to avoid wasting Apple's time or my time, last night, I pulled my old AirPort Extreme and three Express units out of the storage room, did full resets and manually configured my settings... it's only been 12 hours since I completed the return of the Apple network, but I have not had one single moment of "Updating" or "No Response" in HomeKit... my devices are all happily connected, AirPlay works in a second instead of a minute, with three tries in between, the garage door will actually open from CarPlay on the first try and report back that it's open when it's open and closed when it's closed (the last three months it would say closed when open or open when closed and because of the bad reporting in HomeKit would allow the Chamberlain MyQ to close with no warning, thinking it was just opening - locked me out without my keys or phone when I was taking out the recycling).

Linksys is sending me three new units - the whole system - we think... I've sent them another email to suggest that unless they're really very confident that a whole new setup will fix my problems, perhaps they should just buy the system back (sadly too late to return to the retailer).

I have been through four months of awful time wasting, missing important work / family / personal hours and just general calamities with Linksys from phone numbers not working for their support agents, to long (8+ hours once) hold times only to be disconnected, poor VOIP connections to their overseas call centres that only exacerbate the language barriers and the nonsense script reading... Truly the worst technology / customer service experience I have had to deal with personally, EVER.

The last 12 hours have been magical, wonderful, pleasant - downright amazing - things are just working... that said, the Apple Airport units are getting old - there's a reason I figured it was time for a new system and now it's likely back to the drawing board in searching for a new system that includes HomeKit support... wishing the only other option wasn't Amazon / Eero... anyone know of any "promised" support for HK from other vendors?

Good luck to everyone dealing with Linksys and have a little sympathy for the poor folks on the other end of the line - they're supporting a product that no human should have to deal with as an agent, or a customer. In the 90's it was always Linksys... Apparently not anymore. I can only encourage anyone / everyone to stay away, or if you're stuck with a set, call or email Linksys daily to tell them how bad it is and how much needs to be fixed!!!

a product that no human should have to deal with

Thanks for sharing your experience.

My first response to this thread I stated my grievances with Linksys (at least since Belkin)

Sorry I don't have and never will buy mesh from Linksys as I rate them as Cisco rejects bought by Belkin. One of the worst suppliers of home networking.

Back in the day.. (long long ago .. before the empire) WRT54G.. was amazing router that spawned almost single handed the whole 3rd party router firmware interest. OpenWRT, DD-WRT for example and even some used in other brands AsusWRT.

All carry the Linksys W=Wireless RT=Router badge with honour.

Belkin tie up with Apple has been ongoing over long period. Just makes you want to shake your head and start screaming.. Apple .. Find another partner company.. do it now.. today!!

A little update... Yesterday, on the phone with Apple Support, I already strongly suggested they should not be endorsing these devices in any way by selling them through the Apple Store... just a FWIW, I'm going to keep telling them!

Yes to the WRT54G... it wasn't even a question that it was *the* router back then!

And, the important update - I changed a couple of settings on my AirPort Extreme, requiring a reboot... can anyone guess which were the ONLY devices (we have about 50 HK devices) that required a power pull to have them come back online / be responsive to HomeKit... yup, it was all three of the remaining Wemo plugs (the new ones, smaller ones with up to date firmware). Everything else, including the plugs I'd recently replaced with different vendor's units that were trouble with the MX4200's came back right away. Expletive, expletive... Linksys / Belkin!!!