Guide to Connecting gBridge to Homey for Google Assistant

Devices
101

and which version of MQTT Hub have you installed?

I am guessing you have the HA version?

102

Ha-branch from cli/github.

Check that you wrote window-lights in gbridge and not window-light which you said in the other thread.

Edit: looks correct from the log I guessā€¦

Do you have /set on the correct topic in gbridge? On the ACTION topic?

Nvm it looks correct in MQTT Explorer.

My tip would be restarting client and then Hub in that order. Not sure what else to do.

103

Can you confirm that when you use MQTT-Explorer to manually change the state of the lights by using the ā€˜setā€™ topic that they do change state ?

I would also use the HA github branch (it wonā€™t matter that you donā€™t use HA)

1 Like
104

okā€¦ i have installed the HA version now.

image

trying your suggestion @xAPPO now

105

Setting are wrong on gbridge. Switch place of /set to ACTION topic!

106

Thank youā€¦ that was the caseā€¦

Sorry it took so long guys but thank you so so much for helping me out

1 Like
107

Glad you got there. The action/status topics are a bit confusing as to which should use ā€˜/setā€™ I think.

One thing - I have noticed the gBridge cloud MQTT broker significantly slows things down - and of course makes Internet connectivity necessary , but as it is for Google use I suppose thatā€™s less of a concern. For an easy to setup :thinking: Google integration this will suit most people but I still recommend bridging a local MQTT broker to gBridgeā€™s just for the gBridge topics. Thatā€™s detailed on the gBridge website here.

https://doc.gbridge.io/firstSteps/mqttServer.html#using-own-mosquitto-as-a-bridge

108

Thanks

I would say the confusion of the ā€˜/setā€™ comes from gBridge defaults to the /set being on the status line not the action line

109

Yeah if you intend to use node red or openhab you should probably bridge. If you only want Google home native then this is great since you donā€™t need additional hardware.

1 Like
110

I have a room full of extra hardware but I just moved house so for me now, this is the best solution. Long term I do agree with you view

111

Actually that is very valid - I tend to forget I have an external MQTT broker just lying around awaiting some company - and I donā€™t think the internal Homey MQTT broker would support bridging. Even if it did there would be a speed hit anyway so this is a good solution as it requires no extra hardware.

@KonradWalsh - yes - I know about that ā€˜/setā€™ usage in the gBridge defaults - it caught me out first time too.

K

112

@Camelen & @xAPPO thanks!
@KonradWalsh Nice to hear itā€™s all up and running, have fun!

113

Hey guys,

Iā€™m pretty new to mqtt, only configured it once to use OwnTracks.

Could someone make a very short tutorial to get me going with this?
Is this running purely on Homey and gBridge now, or do you still needs something like a Raspi?
What apps should be installed?

Thanks!

114

I will write a guide in the coming days, when I feel like I have the time.
Someone else is entirely free to do it before me.

Homey apps needed are
MQTT Client
MQTT Gateway/Hub

And you need an account on gBridge.

You no longer need a raspberry pi to make this work.

Edit:
a VERY short tutorial is:

  1. Make an account on gBridge.
  2. Use the settings from gBridge on MQTT Client. Disable LastWill / LWT in the Client.
  3. Use the settings from gBridge in MQTT Gateway/Hub (DEVICEID and ROOT TOPIC according to gBridge, see this thread for info).
  4. Set up a device on gBridge according to what you have on homey, see more instructions in this topic above (notice that gBridge topic settings are in the wrong order default. /set should be on ACTION topic.)
115

Thanks, that should get me started :wink:

116

You will not have dimming capabilities until MQTT Hub gets updated or if you install it via CLI/Github and use the HA-branch. But On/Off works.

117

As a way to give backā€¦ I wrote a guide. (@Fire69)
I decided to amend this topic and edit my first post

Let me know if I missed anything

2 Likes
118

Looks great!
Maybe add @scanno to the thanks list whoā€™s the author of the MQTT Client :slight_smile:

119

oops ā€¦

120

@KonradWalsh Thanks for the guide! More manual work then I imagined it would be :smile:

2 questions:

  • You say to install via CLI. Can I also just install the Hub beta from app store (donā€™t really need dimming just for testing)?
  • How do you go from configuring MQTT Client/Hub and gBridge to the devices in the Google Home app? Is the combo of these apps broadcasting the devices so that Google detects them?