Thread

The Thread integration helps you track the different Thread networks in your home and helps you manage their credentials. It is currently a work in progress.

Thread-based consumer devices use one of the two Home Automation standards: Matter or HomeKit. To add a thread-based device to Home Assistant, use the respective Home Assistant integration:

Logo	Home Assistant integration
	Matter
	HomeKit

Thread — A communication protocol

Thread is a low-power mesh networking standard that allows users to connect their devices within a home network. Thread allows devices to communicate with each other without the need for a central controller. This makes it ideal for home automation, where a large number of devices may need to be connected. Thread uses the same RF technology as Zigbee but provides IP connectivity similar to Wi-Fi. Unlike Zigbee, Thread does not allow to control devices directly: It is just a communication protocol. A higher-level protocol, such as Matter or HomeKit, is required to control Thread-enabled devices. To see which home automation standard is supported by your device, check the icon on the packaging.

TBRs connect Thread network to Home Assistant

To connect a Thread network to Home Assistant, Thread border routers (TBRs) are used. TBRs are devices that bridge the Thread network to a local Wi-Fi or Ethernet network. To add a TBR to Home Assistant, you can use our Home Assistant Yellow hub or the Home Assistant SkyConnect Zigbee/Thread stick.

Home Assistant communicates with TBRs over the local network. This means that TBRs do not have to be physically attached to Home Assistant to be used. You might already have a TBR as part of other products in your home, like a Google Nest Hub Gen 2 or Apple HomePod Mini.

Vendor specific Thread networks

Each vendor forms their own network when you start using their products, so you can end up having a Home Assistant, an Apple, and a Google Thread network in your home. These are all separate networks using different credentials, which prevents devices from roaming between TBRs.

It is possible to align credentials for TBRs from different vendors and have them form a single network together. This allows you to freely move devices between rooms without losing connectivity. To do this, you need to make sure that all TBRs use the same credentials. Currently, this works differently for each TBR vendor.

Home Assistant will sync the Thread credentials with Google when starting to commission a Matter device via the Home Assistant Companion app. For other vendors, if the vendor allows you to see the operational dataset in TLV format, you can import it to Home Assistant from the Thread panel.