Level 1

29 points

Homekit hubs appear in multiple homes - with separate networks, making devices not reachable. (homepod minis)

I created two completely separate homes in homekit. Both homes are in different locations and don't share the same network. In each home I setup one homepod mini, which makes it a hub to remotely control the home as expected. However, after a short while, both homepod minis appear as hubs in both homekit homes, one with the status "connected" and one with the status "Standby".

This was irritating for me, as I would not have expected, that the homepod mini would get shared with the other home. In fact, I thought that this might be even an unintended security issue, given the fact, that I can invite other people to this home in homekit as well.

I couldn't find any way to "delete" / or "block" the homepod mini that is not physically present in one home, from becoming a home hub also registered in the second home.

However the real issue appeared, when the homepod mini of one location decided to not be the "Connected" one anymore, but changed without any clear indication why into "Standby" mode. With this status change I can't access the camera in the second location anymore and I noticed problems also with some Ikea Tradfri controller, that doesn't react to Scene control commands via Homekit anymore.

It seems, that the homepod minis / or maybe any kind of Apples Homehubs tie themselves via the iCloud account to other homes, even though with this they create issues.

I read, that some people found solutions by creating a separate iCloud account for each home and then invited the main iCloud account. However, this would also mean, that if you want to use for example Homekit Secure Video, you'd have to buy subscriptions for each account - if don't have a family shared account - on top of the fact, that this seems to be quite and unintended hassle.

Does anybody have a solution for this? Is this a bug? (- ... it seems at least to me.)

Thanks!

HomePod mini, 15

Posted on Jan 25, 2022 3:23 AM

Top-ranking reply

warwickwebb

Level 1

12 points

Posted on Jun 25, 2022 7:10 PM

I was able to fix this issue. I'm not sure if my situation is applicable to everyone here, so your mileage may vary.

In my case, home B was set up after home A (in fact - it was created while I was physically at home A - not sure if that matters).

Over time I added home hubs (Apple TVs and HomePods) to Home B. I noticed that Home A only had hubs from Home A. But Home B had all its own hubs, AND every hub from Home A.

The fix was simple - I just re-setup all the hubs in Home A:

For Apple TVs, I removed them from Home (Settings -> AirPlay and HomeKit -> Room -> Remove From Home). It's worth noting that before doing this, the 'Home Hub' section of the 'AirPlay and HomeKit' menu showed both homes! I also logged out of iCloud (Users and Accounts -> Default User -> Remove User from Apple TV). Then I just re-added my iCloud user as the default user, and used my iPhone to set it up.
For HomePods, I just removed them from the Home app and set them up again.

In both situations, during setup it would ask me which home and room to associate the device with.

Since doing this, Home B only has the hubs for Home B, and same for Home A.

So again - I'm not sure why the hubs from home A were associated with home B when that home was set up. But setting them up again seems to have fixed it.

View in context

Similar questions

154 replies

Mar 27, 2022 7:00 AM in response to raulleon090185

i'm in my weekend home now. When I setup the homepod as home hub in the weekend homes wifi it appears in my (30miles away, different wifi, different ssid) home besides the currect apple tv home hub. AND apple tv is on standby / homepod is connected.

This just started today. before it worked (homepod as home hub for weekend home / apple tv as home hub for home home) for a long time....

It started over night when I was at home. Now being in the weekend home I reset the homepod several times but it always sets itself up as homehub for my home home again and again.

Any ideas anyone?

best nils

Mar 29, 2022 12:00 PM in response to SMTKSMTK

Same issue here and no resolution in sight…

I have two separate HomeKit homes - home & garage. Home has Atv as hub, garage has HomePod mini. The only accessory in garage is camera. For few days now I cannot run anything in my home (all accessories are “not responding”) because the HomePod mini is connected as hub in my home! Although it sits on a different network! This is a disaster. I don’t know how to deal with this. I tried resetting everything, removing garage and setting it up from scratch. Worst case is that is happened when I was away on holidays and became without access to cameras. What kind of security is this?

Apr 3, 2022 3:18 AM in response to derderdaist

It’s weird. I have a detached garage, it’s explained above. Long story short. I have an iPod mini in garage that is on standby and two Apple TV’s in the house. The living room Apple TV is was connected only and no garage control.

I checked hours later and my garage was connected and the. I had control over the house and garage. The two Apple TV’s were on standby. Two completely different routers and different Wi-Fi names.

Security!!!!

Apr 3, 2022 5:52 AM in response to derderdaist

Nope. No vpn. Just password protected Wi-Fi. There’s no reason the HomePod should be integrated with the home Wi-Fi. The only thing that’s the same is the Apple ID. I shouldn’t have to create another Apple ID. Google works flawlessly with the same items home and garage. Never have a problem. Just crapple.

Apr 6, 2022 6:01 AM in response to Atreyu8

I submitted a ticket last week, and there was no one that was aware of this issue or what would fix it. There are so few possibilities as to why Home Hub devices would move between locations that are provisioned as separate. It seems to me that this is going to be an iCloud issue. But yes - it's a serious issue, with all sorts of frustrating side effects.

Darwooff

Level 1

0 points

Apr 6, 2022 8:03 PM in response to SMTKSMTK

So what I’m hearing is, there is not a tangible solution to this and I’ve used the better part of a week doing every reset and work around conceivable in vain.

Apple we need a a setting to choose the hub which is used!!

SMTKSMTK Author

Level 1

29 points

Apr 12, 2022 10:45 PM in response to Jasonacaron

Hi @Jasonacaron, I'm curious to find out: how you disabled the hub? Could you please describe where did you do this with which steps?

Since my original problem was about two homepod minis, without any apple TVs involved, it would be interesting if it also would work there.

Thank you in advance.

Apr 14, 2022 1:18 PM in response to superstilk

Apple needs to find another Steve Jobs who gives a ****. I knew the day he died the company would go down hill. They come out with the first voice assistant and it is absolutely the worst of its competitors after 10 years. It’s a joke.

Apr 15, 2022 8:37 AM in response to SMTKSMTK

I posted sometime ago that I installed the latest iOS on all devices and that it was fixed… Yeah, for 2 weeks. The issue is back.

I am away for 4 days and the Camera at home is not working because Homepod from Garage, that is on completely different separate network, became a hub for my Home… This Homekit

system is not reliable. Considering switching to your usual monitoring system. What a disaster.

Apr 15, 2022 8:50 AM in response to elephix3

Hi there, Yes, it works, but only temporary.

it all goes to **** after some time again. Also, it required you to be at home to make the change on Apple TV. I am away at the moment and just got the notification that my Home Hub is not working because Garage Homepod took over, so no camera…

benmd

Level 1

9 points

Apr 15, 2022 5:53 PM in response to SMTKSMTK

Thankfully I found this thread before I went insane trying to figure out why 2/3 of my houses in HomeKit are frequently going completely offline. My primary home and secondary home are always confused about where hubs belong where. Right now I’m showing an Apple TV and a HomePod from my second home in my primary home with the HomePod mini. Everything at the second home is working correctly while every single device in the primary home is offline. All of the devices are working fine in their respective native brand apps (Lutron, hue, Aqara, etc…). I’m so sick of unplugging crap and plugging it back in and stressing myself out about whether or not I’ve set everything up incorrectly and that’s why this is happening.

Apr 15, 2022 10:55 PM in response to benmd

Hey Apple, we can't believe that this problem is still not addressed and resolved.

Just for completeness of information, the HomeKit hub in home2 has my wife as primary user, while for the one is home1 is me; we've got the family sharing plan and apple one services etc.

Apr 17, 2022 12:21 PM in response to eicio

yes that might be a valid workaround, but I must have all my HomePods to be logged in as my family sharing iCloud users.

The option of creating a new user outside that is not viable for me, we need Apple to address and resolve this unacceptable bug.

Apr 25, 2022 3:11 PM in response to saytri

Just to make it crazier… I have the same problem. Once again one home was not reachable because the HomePod of the other home was connected. But… for my girlfriend who is admin in both homes (I am owner) that home works. And in her home App a different HomePod is shown as connected.

Apr 28, 2022 3:21 AM in response to derderdaist

We'll see, and I guess I will have to disconnect /reconnect every time I change home which is not so often as they are far apart. Have you tried disconnecting and reconnecting the ATV to the Wifi in home 1 ?

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

Homekit hubs appear in multiple homes - with separate networks, making devices not reachable. (homepod minis)