Aqara Door and Windows Sensor P2 Review – Matter over Thread Sensor with HomeKit

The P2 Door and Window Sensor, retailing at $29.99 / £29.99 / €32.99, was launched at the beginning of July and is the primary sensor from Aqara to have native matter assist that may be built-in straight into third-party Matter-enabled sensible houses without having an Aqara hub for its operation.

Nevertheless, by pairing the sensor with Aqara’s soon-to-be-released Hub M3, further options, reminiscent of a programmable button, could be activated.

Aqara Door and Window Sensor P2 Options:

• Simplified Matter Assist: With the arrival of the Matter period, customers can now put apart considerations about differing platforms and technical protocols. All that is required is a single Matter app and a Matter-compatible Thread Border Router, making cross-platform and cross-ecosystem connections a lot simpler to handle.
• Actual-Time Exercise Alerts: Really feel safe with instantaneous notifications in your smartphone every time the sensor identifies exercise. Whether or not you are residence or away, you will not miss any potential safety points, conserving every part nicely monitored.
• Native Residence Automation: The Door and Window Sensor P2 could be amalgamated into your sensible residence setup, enabling complicated automations like altering thermostat settings or turning on safety cameras when a door or window is opened. Importantly, these automations function regionally, sans cloud, defending consumer privateness and remaining practical even within the absence of an web connection.
• Voice Assistant for Effectivity: The Aqara Door and Window Sensor P2 is appropriate with Apple Siri and Alexa. These voice assistants present alerts for occurrences like door entries and might relay the standing of a door, guaranteeing you are at all times up to date. This facilitates easy each day job administration and optimises your time.
• Easy Set up & Low Upkeep: The P2’s compact and adhesive design makes it simple to include into varied residence settings. You’ll be able to set up it in a number of locations and conditions. With the strong CR123A battery, frequent substitute or upkeep considerations are eradicated.
• Enhanced Options in Aqara Residence app: With the upcoming launch of the Hub M3, the Aqara Residence app will supply an prolonged vary of customisable settings. Customers can modify the sensor’s sensitivity inside a 1-3 cm vary and alter the sleep time based mostly on particular eventualities, along with utilizing the programmable button for activating totally different sensible residence automations. Moreover, the Tamper Alarm characteristic sends speedy notifications to your smartphone if the sensor is meddled with.

Specification

• Mannequin: DW-S02E/DW-S02D
• Battery: CR123A
• Wi-fi Protocols: Thread, BLE
• Bluetooth Operation Frequency: 2402-2480 MHz
• Bluetooth Most Output Energy: ≤ 13 dBm
• Thread Operation Frequency: 2405-2480 MHz
• Thread Most Output Energy: ≤ 13 dBm
• Foremost Unit Dimension: 77 × 22 × 22 mm (3.03 × 0.87 × 0.87 in.)
• Accent Unit Dimension: 36 × 11.5 × 7.3 mm (1.42 × 0.45 × 0.29 in.)
• Working Temperature: -10 °C ~ 50 °C (14 °F ~ 122 °F)
• Working Humidity: 0 ~ 95% RH, no condensation
• What’s within the Field (DW-S02D): Sensor Foremost Unit × 1, Sensor Accent Unit × 1, Flat Magnet × 1, Sticker × 2, Consumer Handbook × 1

Not Zigbee

Simply to ensure that is fully clear, this new Aqara P2 sensor does NOT use Zigbee. It makes use of Thread.

This new sensor will join on to any Matter-enabled Thread Border Routers in the marketplace and could be built-in into a number of Matter-enabled ecosystems through the extra Matter controller(s).

Can you employ the Aqara door sensor with an Aqara Hub

That is the bit that caught me off guard. At the moment, the Aqara P2 sensor is not supported on an Aqara hub as a result of Aqara haven’t got its personal Thread Border Router. 

The upcoming Hub M3 would be the first of their hubs to have this performance, and this is because of launch in 2024.

Thread Border Routers

Google helps Thread on a number of units. Thread border routers are already constructed into Nest WiFi Professional, the second-gen Nest Hub, and Nest Hub Max.

The Smartthings v3 hub, Apple TV 4K, Echo (fourth gen) sensible speaker, Eero Professional entry level, and the Nanoleaf Strains, Shapes, and Components are just a few examples of current Thread border routers.

In case you use Residence Assistant as the primary controller to your sensible residence, they’ve the SkyConnect USB dongle, which is an inexpensive method so as to add each Zigbee/Thread to your Residence Assistant.

Apple HomeKit

I realise that many Aqara customers use Apple HomeKit, and this works nicely with Matter and the  HomePod/Apple TV 4K are each Thread Border Routers. My accomplice has an iPad, so I hope to purchase both a HomePod or Apple TV 4K within the close to future in order that I take a look at HomeKit correctly.

Set Up with Google Nest WiFi Professional & Residence Assistant SkyConnect

I used to be a bit gradual to put in writing this evaluation as after I obtained the pattern, I solely had the Google Nest WiFi Professional, which helps Matter.

I later used this as an excuse to purchase the SkyConnect, and I’m slowly switching my sensible residence to make use of Residence Assistant  as a lot as potential, with me utilizing Residence Assistant OS working on an RPI4.

I had issues with setting the P2 senor up with each methods. In concept, it must be tremendous easy.

• You maintain down the button on the sensor to place it into pairing mode
• You cellphone ought to routinely present the pairing dialogue, or you may go into the related app and add a brand new machine
• Sort within the Matter code (that’s printed alongside the sting of the sensor) or scan the QR code that is on the free insert within the field (which I misplaced as a result of I lose every part on account of ADHD)
• Then it ought to pair

This did not go fairly to plan. For some cause, I put in the sensor on my entrance door earlier than pairing it. Each the Google Nest WiFi Professional and Residence Assistant SkyConnect have been in my workplace upstairs.

Residence Assistant would refuse to search out it more often than not, I even purchased an extended USB extension cable to cut back interference.

Google Nest WiFi Professional would discover it however then fail to set it up.

I then relocated each the Nest and RPI working Residence Assistant into my TV room downstairs which is the room subsequent to the place the entrance door is.

I had extra luck right here, however each the Nest and Residence Assistant would fail on both the checking community connectivity half or producing matter credentials.

Then, as a final resort, I eliminated the sensor and introduced it into the identical room as the 2 units. I set it up on my sofa about 3 meters from the units with line of sight.

The Google Nest WiFi Professional labored right away. However after I tried to set it up with Residence Assistant, I would get to the purpose the place it could say it was including the matter machine, and it might take a minute or two, however then it could fail.

Lastly, I retried it once more however positioned the P2 sensor proper subsequent to the SkyConnect, and it will definitely efficiently added it.

As soon as it was paired, I used to be capable of mount it again on the entrance door, and it simply labored. There have been no points with the sign. So, I’m not certain why it was so awkward with pairing.

Google Nest WiFi Professional

With the sensor added to Google Residence, you may view the state of the sensor, both open or closed.

Sadly, on the time of writing, Google would not appear to assist the sensor in routines, so you may’t actually do a lot with it.

Personally, I’m not eager on Google Residence for managing my sensible residence for something aside from voice management, so this wasn’t a lot of a difficulty for me.

Residence Assistant

The sensor is far more helpful in Residence Assistant. I view the standing, battery and think about the log e-book for instances when the door has been opened/closed.

I then have the choice to arrange automations, scenes or scripts.

I haven’t got a lot use for a door sensor, however one automation that turns out to be useful is to show my Philips Hue lights on within the hallway when somebody opens the door between sure instances.

It’s value noting that with Residence Assistant supporting Matter (in Beta), you may simply combine any units you’ve gotten paired to the Aqara Hub M2 utilizing Matter. This was a sport changer for me, as I used to be struggling to pair Aqara sensors with SkyConnect. I had beforehand moved over to Homey, however with the SkyConnect and the Residence Assistant Matter assist, I ought to have the ability to transfer every part into HA with out concern.

Value and Different Choices

The Aqara Door and Home windows Sensor P2 is priced at £29.99

The older Zibee-based Door and Home windows Sensor, which requires an Aqara hub, is priced a lot decrease at £17.

Total

I had fairly a couple of teething points with the Aqara Door and Home windows Sensor P2. I can not be certain who’s at fault right here. It might be a consumer error, the sensor, or Residence Assistant and Google Nest WiFi Professional.

Nevertheless, as soon as I received it into Residence Assistant, it labored flawlessly.

With this being the primary Thread machine from Aqara, it’s maybe not shocking that there are some niggles that want understanding. In truth, Matter, generally, has a couple of niggles that wants understanding.

I might anticipate that when Aqara releases their new hub with Thread assist, every part will work significantly better.

Ignoring the arrange points, it’s incredible to expertise the potential of Thread and Matter. With the ability to use totally different manufacturers with no matter ecosystem you need has been a dream of many sensible residence fanatics for years. Total, as soon as this was up and working, it has been a wonderful

Final replace on 2023-08-22 / Affiliate hyperlinks / Pictures from Amazon Product Promoting API