Some say that the launch of the Matter standard in November 2022 came too early for Thread. The radio protocol was not ready for widespread, cross-manufacturer use. And the critics have a point: apart from Apple, whose HomePod mini was already available at the time, no manufacturer had the necessary Thread Border Routers on the market. There was hardly any experience with products from different brands in the network. Or what happens when they come into contact with each other.
Not to mention the fact that, even today, many buyers have no idea what a Thread Border Router actually is. That’s not even getting into the quirks of wireless mesh networks, which require a bit of know-how to keep things running smoothly. In practice, this has led to unexpected effects, sometimes frustrated manufacturers and confused customers. But it has also led to measures to make the use of Thread more stable and easier. But those changes will take time to roll out. In the meantime, users are left to figure things out on their own.
The good news is that there are methods to strengthen the Thread mesh network and prevent connectivity issues. The ten most important tips are outlined on this page, based on discussions with manufacturers, developers, and, of course, personal experience.
Contents: Solving connection problems of Thread products
- 1. Reboot Thread Border Router
- 2. Install more powered devices
- 3. Update device software
- 4. Do not create gaps in the wireless network
- 5. Use Border Router with an Ethernet connection
- 6. Ensure a good Wi-Fi connection
- 7. Reduce wireless interference
- 8. Sort out products with Matter 1.0
- 9. Keep the IP network as simple as possible
- 10. Avoid parallel Thread networks
1. Reboot Thread Border Router
The basic advice for any type of home electronics also applies here: A restart often works wonders. If unplugging the affected devices for a short time or temporarily removing their batteries doesn’t help, it’s time to reboot the Border Router. This means cutting power to the central access point of your Thread network. If you have multiple Border Routers installed, all of them need to be powered down. Wait at least one minute before plugging them back in – one by one. This process rebuilds the Thread mesh network. It will automatically search for the best possible connection to each device and “heal” itself by rerouting around any weak spots in coverage.
Of course, this only works if the network doesn’t have too many gaps. If the devices are too far apart, the connection attempts will fail. In such cases, additional Thread products can help bridge the gap – see Tip 2: Install more powered devices. Even more important, however, is patience. Rebuilding a Thread network can take up to 60 minutes, as each device needs to update its internal cache to store the new routes. Before taking any further steps, it’s best to refrain from initiating another restart, as this might interrupt the process. Instead, allow the mesh to do its work.
2. Install more powered devices
Like Zigbee, Z-Wave, and other smart home radio protocols, Thread also operates on a mesh principle. Instead of a single central router like in Wi-Fi, there are many devices that communicate with each other and relay radio signals. The network essentially distinguishes between three types of devices: Border Routers form the “gateway to the outside world” and connect the Thread mesh network to the regular Wi-Fi or the internet. Routers serve as signal boosters within the mesh network, relaying radio commands, while End Devices can send and receive signals but do not have routing capabilities. They only communicate with a nearby router and are thus the last link in a transmission chain.
Routers are typically devices with a power connection: smart plugs, lamps, switchable wall outlets, and permanently installed light switches. They play an important role because they extend the network’s radio range. If a Thread device has poor or no connection, additional routers can bridge the radio dead zone. In other words, if devices – whether routers or end devices – are shown as “unreachable,” it is advisable to install a router along the way. Or even multiple routers if the distance is long.
3. Update device software
Manufacturers and standardization organizations such as the CSA (link) or the Thread Group (link) are continuously working on improvements. To benefit from these advancements, the device software needs to be updated. Therefore, it’s essential to regularly check for new software updates and install them. This applies to all Thread and Wi-Fi products.
How the firmware is updated depends on the manufacturer and the Matter platform in use. Some providers, like Meross, require their own app for updates, while others, like Eve Systems, also support the update process defined by Matter and provide a link in the Distributed Compliance Ledger. This allows platforms like Apple Home or Home Assistant to securely access the file and bring the connected product up to date.
4. Do not create gaps in the wireless network
Even if a smart plug tempts you to do so: It is not a good idea to move it around the home frequently. Ideally, wireless lamps with Thread should not be disconnected from the mains using a light switch. Turning off the border router at night to save energy? Not a clever move either. The reason is always the same: a mesh network of interlocking wireless meshes gets holes if a node in it goes down.
In the best-case scenario, the nearest device takes over, although it can take time to establish new routes (see tip 1: Restart Thread Border Router). If things go wrong, the connection is interrupted at a network-critical point. The gap then travels through the mesh like a run in a stocking and affects several devices. Note: There are few worse things you can do to your Thread network than forcing it into constant re-routing. Never touch a running system.
5. Use Border Router with an Ethernet connection
The Thread Border Router plays a special role as an intermediary. It transmits IP signals from the mesh to the home network and back. This allows smartphones, computers, or other Wi-Fi devices to communicate with Thread devices. The more stable the connection to the IP network, the better. And what type of transmission ensures this 100 percent? Correct, a LAN or Ethernet cable. That’s why experiences with the data cable is particularly good.
Some products with integrated Border Routers such as Apple TV 4K (2nd gen and 3rd gen with 128 GB), Google TV Streamer, Google WiFi Pro and Home Assistant Yellow can be connected via an Ethernet socket. Tip for Apple users: If you have several Apple Border Routers installed, make sure that the wired one plays the leading role. It should be selected as the “Active hub” in the Home app under “Hubs & bridges”. If this does not happen automatically, deactivate the automatic selection and manually set the wired Apple TV as “Preferred hub”.
If a cable is not possible – because there is no wired connection at the installation site or no Border Router with Ethernet is available – special attention should be paid to the Wi-Fi. More on this in tip 6: Ensure a good WLAN connection.
6. Ensure a good Wi-Fi connection
Border Routers that are connected to the home network via Wi-Fi do not have an absolutely interference-free connection with guaranteed data rate. This is why the quality of the wireless signal is crucial. It decreases with the distance from the Wi-Fi access point, so the Border Router should not be placed too far away from this radio source. If the signal is too weak, move it closer and establish contact with remote Thread end devices via additional Router nodes in the mesh (see tip 2: Install more powered devices).
Things can get tricky when two Border Routers with similarly weak Wi-Fi connections are in competition. As only one can play the active role at a time, this task may jump back and forth between both devices. Not a good prerequisite for a stable Thread network. More border routers are therefore not necessarily a better choice. Having a single one with many cleverly distributed routers that strengthen the mesh sometimes delivers better results.
7. Reduce wireless interference
The Thread and Zigbee smart home protocols operate in the same frequency band as a Wi-Fi Network (2.4 GHz). As a result, their signals can interfere with each other. The issue originates from Wi-Fi, as the powerful radio network uses wide channels (20 to 40 MHz), which overlap with the frequencies used by Thread and Zigbee (see graphic below). Additionally, there’s a lot of radio traffic between all Wi-Fi devices, which can slow down transmission on the smart home channels.
A solution for radio interference: Separate Wi-Fi and Thread as much as possible. Since Apple’s Border Routers (and others) typically use Thread channel 25 – an unchangeable setting – the Wi-Fi channel should be shifted to the opposite end of the spectrum. The best option is Wi-Fi channel 1. This setting can be found in the Wi-Fi router configuration. Select channel 1 and disable automatic channel switching to prevent the router from changing to a higher frequency again later.
If a Zigbee system such as Philips Hue is also installed, it may be worth setting it to channel 20 to create a frequency gap between Thread and Zigbee. However, the risk of interference is significantly lower here because both wireless protocols transmit much less frequently than a Wi-Fi client.
8. Sort out products with Matter 1.0
The very first Matter products came onto the market with version 1.0 of the standard. From today’s perspective, it was prone to problems, which Matter 1.1 resolved in spring 2023. For example, devices tended to become inaccessible or respond sluggishly to commands. If the network is often plagued by such effects, it may also be due to devices with Matter 1.0 that have never been updated. Some no-name products from China have still not received an update, but even brand manufacturers do not always take product maintenance seriously.
If in doubt, remove a suspected candidate from the network and wait a little until the mesh has healed. If the issue disappears, the culprit has been found. The manufacturer does not provide a firmware update (see tip 3: Update device software)? Then the only solution is to replace it with a state-of-the-art model.
9. Keep the IP network as simple as possible
Matter uses two technologies of the Internet Protocol for communication: IPv6 and Multicast DNS (mDNS). The first one makes each device individually addressable by assigning it a unique IP address. The second ensures that devices in the local network can automatically discover and communicate with each other. For both functions, information needs to flow freely, which is generally not an issue in most home networks.
However, VPN connections or a segmented network that places devices in a secure zone, such as a guest network, can disrupt this flow. The same goes for high-performance Wi-Fi networks or corporate networks. Solutions like Unify by Ubiquiti or TP-Link Omada feature firewalls, access control lists (ACLs), and other mechanisms that filter traffic. These can prevent mDNS messages from propagating freely or block local IPv6 traffic. As a result, Matter products may perform poorly or not work at all in such environments.
Troubleshooting and selecting the right parameters can be time-consuming. Matter comes with its own security mechanisms and is designed for end consumers looking for a plug-and-play solution. Therefore, the advice for the network technology used is: Keep it simple.
10. Avoid parallel Thread networks
Perhaps the biggest challenge is also the hardest to overcome and currently not always manageable. It relates to the simultaneous use of different Matter ecosystems – and therefore affects households that operate Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home & Co in parallel. Ideally, a single, cross-vendor mesh network should be created, to which all devices can join – similar to a private Wi-Fi network that is available to all participants. As usual, the network has access data for secure authentication, which are referred to as “Credentials” in Thread.
However, unlike in a Wi-Fi network, Thread does not allow you to pick which network a new device should join. The Matter Controllers decide for themselves – and generally prefer their own ecosystem. In other words, if a Thread mesh from Google already exists, for example, the Border Router from Amazon does not necessarily adopts its credentials, but sets up another Thread network with new access data instead. The model of a third party, let’s call it SmartThings, does the same, and the number of mesh networks is increasing. Each platform adds Thread products to its mesh, separating them from the others. In the worst case, only certain devices are accessible on each side.
Innovations in the Thread protocol and Matter standard should provide the solution. Ideally, it will look like the setup screen of WLAN products: The app displays all available Thread networks and offers them for selection. Until then, there are tricks to help avoid a scattered installation with devices in different Thread networks.
The simplest tip is to stick with one ecosystem. If you only install border routers of the same platform, you don’t run the risk of others interfering. Amazon, Apple, Google & Co. would probably like that best. Nevertheless, Apple users in particular have a way of overcoming this restriction. The iCloud keychain on their iPhones or iPads serves as a transport vehicle: Apple writes Thread credentials to its keychain and makes them available to others. Apps such as Google Home or Aqara Home access the data and bring their Border Routers into the same network as Apple’s HomePods or Apple TVs. This doesn’t work with all Matter platforms and border routers, but at least with some of them.
For the rest of the smartphone world – under Android – the situation is less regulated. Too many different Android devices and no operating system boss like Apple who exercises sole control. Nevertheless, there are solutions: Aqara promises to recognize Thread networks that have been spun up by Border Routers from Google. An Aqara hub then joins them automatically. Home Assistant has found a way to use its companion app to transfer the credentials of other Border Routers to its own. This works equally well on iOS and Android.
If the parallel operation of multiple Matter ecosystems is necessary – for instance, to accommodate different voice assistants or apps on both iOS and Android – one of them should be designated as the primary system. All new Thread devices are then commissioned using controllers from that single platform. Other ecosystems can subsequently be accessed using Matter’s Multi-Admin feature. This does not prevent the creation of additional Thread networks, but at least all devices end up in the same mesh and are therefore accessible in principle.
Fast forward a year or two, and these early hiccups will probably be a thing of the past. So, did Matter hit the market too early? Depends on how you look at it. Without the standard being published, Thread likely wouldn’t have gained traction so easily. And somehow, the industry had to take the first step towards true smart home interoperability.
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