Zigbee2MQTT to Garage | SMHUB Nano Setup

Take your smart home further by extending Zigbee2MQTT all the way to your garage using the SMLIGHT SMHUB Nano.

In this video, I walk through the full setup, configuration, and integration process so you can reliably connect Zigbee devices at the edge of your property — without range issues or flaky repeaters.
You’ll see how to:
• Set up the SMHUB Nano
• Connect it to Zigbee2MQTT
• Bridge it back to your main Home Assistant system
• Test communication between the house and garage
• Troubleshoot common pairing and range problems If you’re building a distributed smart home or want rock‑solid Zigbee coverage outdoors or in outbuildings, this guide will help you get it done.
You can buy one :-
UK Amazon – https://amzn.to/4lesILH
International – https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005010395615513.html

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Meross MS600 — A Presence Sensor for Bathrooms & Outdoors?

In this video I unbox, set up, and fully test the Meross MS600 Matter & Thread Smart Presence Sensor. Meross sent this to me for review, but they haven’t asked me to say anything specific — so you’re getting the honest version.

I walk through the entire setup process, including the slightly fiddly Matter onboarding, resetting the device, scanning the code, and getting it into Home Assistant. Once connected, I explore the three occupancy zones, illuminance readings, and how the sensor reacts to real‑world movement… including my dogs constantly triggering it.

I also test the MS600’s IP67 waterproof rating, looking at whether it could work in a bathroom, shower area, or even outdoors for smart lighting. I show how to tune detection distances, adjust sensitivity, and use the Meross app to configure radar, PIR, and mixed modes.

Finally, I cover the good, the bad, and the ugly — including the unusual battery type — and share the discount code Meross provided.

If you’re considering the MS600 for Home Assistant, bathroom automations, or outdoor lighting, this video shows exactly what to expect. 📌 Discount code US / CA / AU:
New Meross Thread Smart Presence Sensor, MS605
EU & Other Regions: https://shop.meross.com/products/smart-presence-sensor-ms605?ref=eguprokv

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Smart Dashboard Magic: Automating Dashboards, Photos & Presence Detection

Transform your wall tablet into the perfect smart display! In this video, I pull everything together — dashboards, photos, presence detection, Browser Mod, helpers, and automations — to create a fully automated Home Assistant wall display that switches between a dashboard and a photo frame automatically.

We set up:
• A multi‑tab dashboard (Dashboard, Photos, Cameras)
• Browser Mod navigation
• A dropdown helper to control what’s shown
• Automations that switch tabs based on helper state
• Presence‑based switching between dashboard and photo frame
• A startup script to always load the correct view

Whether you’re building a smart home control centre or a beautiful digital photo frame, this walkthrough shows you exactly how to automate it.

Read MoreSmart Dashboard Magic: Automating Dashboards, Photos & Presence Detection

Ultimate Home Assistant Dashboard Walkthrough — Backgrounds, Tabs, Browser Mod & More

Learn how to build a clean, full‑screen Home Assistant dashboard using the February 2026 release. In this step‑by‑step tutorial, I walk through creating a new dashboard, adding multiple tabs, setting custom backgrounds, installing Browser Mod, and configuring Photo Frame for full‑screen images when you’re away from the panel.

You’ll see how to safely use Browser Mod without locking yourself out, how to hide the sidebar and header, and how to create navigation buttons using Mushroom Templates. I also show how to set up a media folder, configure configuration.yaml, and link Photo Frame to your images so they display automatically.

Whether you’re building a wall‑mounted tablet dashboard or refining your smart home UI, this guide gives you the full workflow from start to finish.
What you’ll learn:
Creating a new Home Assistant dashboard
Adding tabs for Dashboard, Photos, and Cameras Setting custom backgrounds using Pexels textures
Installing and configuring Browser Mod Safely hiding sidebar & header for a clean UI
Adding navigation buttons with Mushroom Templates
Installing Photo Frame via HACS Setting up media folders and YAML configuration
Displaying full‑screen photos when away from the dashboard
Preparing for automation that switches views based on presence
Useful links
https://www.pexels.com/search/background%20abstract/
https://community.home-assistant.io/t/photoframe-custom-card/931725
https://github.com/thomasloven/hass-browser_mod

This is part 2 of a multi‑video series where we build a fully automated, presence‑aware dashboard that switches between photos and controls depending on where you are in the room.

Read MoreUltimate Home Assistant Dashboard Walkthrough — Backgrounds, Tabs, Browser Mod & More

I Finally Got Matter Over Thread Working… Here’s What Actually Matters

Setting up Matter over Thread should be simple… but as you’ll see in this video, it can turn into a chaotic adventure of pairing loops, missing devices, random discoveries, and the ultimate culprit: IPv6.
In this video, I walk through the entire process of setting up an Aqara Thread Border Router,
pairing a Matter‑over‑Thread smart plug, fixing the dreaded “Something went wrong” errors, and discovering why Home Assistant refused to cooperate until IPv6 was enabled.
You’ll see:
• Installing and setting up the Aqara app
• Pairing the border router
• Home Assistant discovering random devices
• Matter pairing loops and failures
• The hidden IPv6 requirement
• Successfully pairing a Matter Thread plug
• Updating firmware, renaming devices, adding labels, and organising everything
• Final thoughts on Matter, Thread, and border routers

If you’re struggling with Matter, Thread, or Home Assistant pairing issues, this walkthrough will save you hours.

 

Read MoreI Finally Got Matter Over Thread Working… Here’s What Actually Matters

Thread Border Routers Don’t Work Without This

IPv6 sounds complicated — binary, hex, 128-bit addresses — but if you’re using Matter or Thread in your smart home, it’s essential.
In this video, I break down:
• What IPv6 is and how it differs from IPv4
• Binary and hexadecimal basics (with real examples)
• Why IPv6 matters for smart home protocols like Matter and Thread
• Special IPv6 addresses (loopback, local link, IPv4-mapped)
• How to check if IPv6 is enabled on your network
• Why Matter devices won’t pair without IPv6 If you’re setting up Home Assistant, Thread border routers, or Matter devices,

this video will help you understand what’s really going on behind the scenes.

 

Read MoreThread Border Routers Don’t Work Without This

2026 Proxmox V9 Setup for Home Assistant (This Changes Everything)

In this video, I walk you through installing **Home Assistant on Proxmox 9.1** — the latest version as of 2026.
We’ll cover everything from backing up your existing system, creating a bootable USB with Rufus, installing Proxmox, and setting up Home Assistant as a virtual machine.
Why Proxmox? Because it gives you snapshots, flexibility, and the ability to run multiple services like Zigbee2MQTT, Plex, Frigate, and more — all on one machine.
🔧 What you’ll see: – Manual backup and encryption key download – Rufus USB creation for Proxmox ISO – Proxmox 9.1 graphical install walkthrough – Running install scripts for Home Assistant VM – Adjusting RAM and disk space – Fixing repository errors – Restoring Home Assistant from backup

💬Scripts and config links are below. Like, subscribe, and let me know what you’re running on your Proxmox box!
🫖 Bonus: I make a cup of tea while Home Assistant installs. Classic.

bash -c “$(wget -qLO – https://github.com/community-scripts/ProxmoxVE/raw/main/tools/pve/post-pve-install.sh)”
bash -c “$(wget -qLO – https://github.com/community-scripts/ProxmoxVE/raw/main/vm/haos-vm.sh)”

Read More2026 Proxmox V9 Setup for Home Assistant (This Changes Everything)

Smart Home Automations Simplified | Start Your Setup Today

Today I’m going to cover the basics of automations and scripting. It’s changed a lot over the last couple of years, the way you do things. So I thought we’d better kind of just go through again with what you can do. It’s the latest way of doing things.
Unlock the easiest way to build smart home automations using Home Assistant — no YAML required. In this video, I walk through triggers, actions, scripts, trigger IDs, and real‑world examples like button‑controlled lights. Perfect for beginners starting their smart home setup today.

Read MoreSmart Home Automations Simplified | Start Your Setup Today

Automatic Lights When You Arrive Home?

Today’s video showcases my favorite home automation: the convenience of automated lights upon entering your house. This smart home setup involves configuring a device, likely using zigbee sensors, through a mobile app and web interface for seamless home automation. We’re diving into smart lighting to make your home more intuitive and comfortable.
In this video,
I walk through replacing a failing Zigbee contact sensor,
adding a motion sensor for reliability,
pairing everything in Zigbee2MQTT, and building clean Home Assistant automations that only trigger when it’s dark and someone is actually home.
We cover: Setting up new Zigbee sensors close to their final location
Pairing devices in Zigbee2MQTT Naming conventions that keep your setup tidy
Building “Entrance On” and “Entrance Off” automations
Using door + motion + sun conditions for reliable lighting
Handling edge cases like open doors and no movement
If you want your entrance light to behave exactly how you expect — no more guessing, no more dead sensors — this walkthrough will get you there.

 

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Moving Zigbee2MQTT? Don’t Make These Mistakes

Thinking about moving Zigbee2MQTT to a new server? Whether you’re chasing better performance, relocating your USB coordinator, upgrading hardware, or simply trying to stop Home Assistant reboots from nuking your Zigbee network… this video walks you through the entire process. In this tutorial, I show you how to safely migrate Zigbee2MQTT from one machine to another — including copying your configuration, database, and state files, setting up Samba for easy file transfers, and avoiding the common pitfalls that turn this into a three‑body problem. What you’ll learn in this video: How to prepare your existing Zigbee2MQTT install for migration Which files actually matter (and which ones don’t)

How to install Samba on Ubuntu for simple file access
How to copy your Zigbee2MQTT data between servers
How to handle coordinators, IEEE addresses, and adapter quirks
How to reconnect everything without breaking your Zigbee network
Why printers are still terrifying
Why upgrading Zigbee2MQTT mid‑migration is a terrible idea
When it’s easier to migrate… and when it’s easier to start again If you’ve got 100+ Zigbee devices, this guide will save you hours.
If you’ve only got two devices… honestly, it might be quicker to re‑pair them. But either way —
this video shows you exactly how the process works.

Read MoreMoving Zigbee2MQTT? Don’t Make These Mistakes