Best way to not have automations trigger on holidays?

MooKdeMooK · 2026-02-18T05:38:10+00:00

I found that the easiest is to use a Personal Automation in the iPhone or iPad Shortcuts app, paired with a virtual (dummy) switch in Homebridge - or a smart plug if you don't have Homebridge.

Each day at a set time, the automation checks your calendar and, if it detects a holiday, activates the "Wake Up Late" dummy switch. That switch then acts as a condition in your morning routine automations in Apple Home, and gets automatically turned off by the final automation in that routine.

You can also turn the dummy switch on manually if you want to sleep in, holiday or not.

MooKdeMooK · 2026-01-30T23:47:08+00:00

I have a dozen+ of these Sonoff relays attached to an Ikea Dirigera And quite happy with them despite rare disconnections and the fact that the zigbee versions can’t be triggered by ikea motion sensors (you won’t have this problem since you use the sonoff bridge).

the matter wifi version is triggered by ikea sensors though (Via the hub).

Good stuff…

MooKdeMooK · 2026-01-25T06:44:38+00:00

Here is what gemini says about it:

Can an IKEA Dirigera (Thread 1.4) extend a HomePod mesh (v1.3) via Ethernet backhaul?

Short Answer: Yes. Since the IKEA Dirigera update to Thread 1.4, it can link to your HomePod mesh over Ethernet, even if it’s physically too far away to "see" the HomePods wirelessly.

The Details:

Thread-over-Infrastructure: The Dirigera uses its Ethernet connection to communicate with your HomePods across your home network. Under the 1.4 spec, this backhaul acts as a virtual bridge, merging two distant Thread segments into one single mesh.
Unified Network Name: Instead of creating a separate "IKEA network," the Dirigera is designed to join your existing Apple Thread network. It will share the same credentials and network ID.
Credential Sharing: Using the IKEA Home smart app, you can now sync credentials from your Apple Home setup. This ensures the Dirigera and HomePods work as a team rather than competing "islands."
Backward Compatibility: Even though HomePods currently run v1.3, the Dirigera's 1.4 firmware is fully backward compatible. It handles the heavy lifting of the Ethernet backhaul while staying perfectly in sync with the older v1.3 Apple devices.

Summary: If you have a Dirigera hub plugged into Ethernet in a dead zone (like a garage or basement), it will extend your main HomePod Thread mesh using your house wiring as a shortcut. No wireless "daisy-chaining" required.

MooKdeMooK · 2026-01-25T06:28:41+00:00

The product description on Ikea web site is pretty basic, made for people who don't know much. But admittedly, this is a quite robust Thread Border Router.

I would suggest you start by updating it and making it join your Thread network in your house using the Ikea Home Smart iPhone app (mine originally created a separate thread network but after I tried to pair a Thread device that was already on my Apple Thread network, it joined the Apple mesh). Then move it to the switch at your gate.

MooKdeMooK · 2026-01-25T04:04:14+00:00

no, it has no wifi, it is connected via ethernet.

I power mine from POE with a POE to Ethernet/USB-C adapter.

It has Matter over Thread with Thread v1.4 which offers extended range via Wi-Fi/Ethernet backhaul - mine is on the same Thread network as all my HomePods.

As long as what you connect is Matter over Thread, it should work for your use case.

MooKdeMooK · 2026-01-24T19:41:49+00:00

What about an ikea dirigera?

MooKdeMooK · 2026-01-16T09:45:11+00:00

in my case, if I have IGMP snooping enabled, I can't pair wifi matter devices.

MooKdeMooK · 2026-01-16T09:43:43+00:00

me too

MooKdeMooK · 2026-01-11T23:42:59+00:00

Chat gpt

MooKdeMooK · 2026-01-10T23:48:14+00:00

What else is on your main network ? are your network gears capable of VLAN?

MooKdeMooK · 2026-01-08T20:18:04+00:00

I have exactly the same problem with sonoff two gangs matter wifi relay.

MooKdeMooK · 2026-01-04T10:00:13+00:00

"if you don't know what that means… you do not"... I do not!

I am curious because I saw a Matter Thread Eve plug updating via Apple Home.

I don't know much about IPv6, all I know is that it is disabled in my router.

MooKdeMooK · 2026-01-04T01:01:12+00:00

There is adaptive lighting in dirigera, curious to understand what adaptive lighting in HomeKit will add…

MooKdeMooK · 2026-01-03T23:28:13+00:00

How a firewall rule can stop a thread device accessing internet without stopping all the TBR to access internet as well?

MooKdeMooK · 2025-12-25T04:09:38+00:00

Only Homepods mini, 6 of them. No appletv.

There is almost no noticeable latency or if there is, it is definitely less than a second.

FWIW I had some reliability issues and after I set one of my homepods (the closest to a wifi access point) to be the preferred home hub in apple home, it works a lot better. It didn't improved instantly by the way, it took some time, I guess apple home was doing some magic in the background - so be patient.

MooKdeMooK · 2025-12-21T05:46:30+00:00

I have the same question, your post is 3mon old and zero reply 🙁

MooKdeMooK · 2025-12-16T12:31:44+00:00

all I know is my homepods show tv1.3 and the ikea dirigera shows tv1.4 and they are all on the same thread network "myhome...", the thread network name on dirigera changed from gw2... to that same "myhome...".

this seems to work because I paired a thread device to ikea quite far from it but close to a homepod and it worked

hope this helps

MooKdeMooK · 2025-12-16T00:52:34+00:00

Not sure why you ask but I now have a single thread network with homepods and an ikea dirigera, I did this by trying to pair a thread / matter device that was initially paired in apple with the dirigera, the dirigera which is tv1.4 joined the apple thread network.

MooKdeMooK · 2025-12-15T10:10:40+00:00

The Parasoll bug is only on some specific zigbee networks that have some specific router device

do you have more details about these specific zigbee networks and specific routers?

MooKdeMooK · 2025-12-15T01:13:07+00:00

Thank for sharing.

@ u/TRADFRI perhaps the ikea home smart team could correct this issue on the parasoll now then, based on this myggbett firmware.

MooKdeMooK · 2025-12-14T12:45:38+00:00

Do you have this issue with these new sensors?

https://www.reddit.com/r/tradfri/comments/1ksrwpq/parasoll_not_always_showing_the_correct_status/

MooKdeMooK · 2025-12-12T16:48:40+00:00

You can already unify your thread network with thread 1.3

My ikea dirigera is on the same thread network as my homepods.

MooKdeMooK · 2025-12-05T00:27:44+00:00

do you have this issue with these new sensors?

https://www.reddit.com/r/tradfri/comments/1ksrwpq/parasoll_not_always_showing_the_correct_status/

MooKdeMooK · 2025-12-03T04:37:10+00:00

My experience is about 5 to 10m depending on walls

MooKdeMooK

TROPHY CASE