SmartThings Embraces Thread Network Sharing
Samsung SmartThings has implemented a crucial upgrade that allows its hubs to join existing Thread networks rather than creating separate ones. This “two-way Thread network unification” feature represents a significant step toward eliminating the fragmented Thread networks that have plagued smart homes with multiple border routers from different manufacturers.
How Thread Network Sharing Works
The new capability, available through a “Manage Thread Network” menu in the SmartThings app, enables users to connect compatible hubs to existing Thread networks using multiple methods. Users can now scan QR codes, enter one-time passcodes, or utilize their mobile operating system’s credential storage to integrate SmartThings hubs with Thread networks from other ecosystems.
According to Thread Group, this functionality is part of the Thread 1.4 specification released last year, designed specifically to solve the interoperability issues between different manufacturers’ border routers.
The Border Router Revolution
Thread border routers serve as essential gateways for Thread devices, connecting low-power smart home products like door locks, lights, and sensors to other networks and the internet. The technology has become increasingly common in devices ranging from streaming boxes and smart speakers to Wi-Fi routers, leading many households to accumulate multiple border routers without realizing it.
As noted by SmartHome.com, having multiple Thread border routers can actually benefit users by extending the range of Thread devices and creating a more reliable, self-healing mesh network. If one border router fails, others can automatically pick up the traffic.
Solving the Multi-Network Problem
When Matter launched in 2022, the lack of standardized Thread network sharing created significant headaches for smart home users. Each manufacturer’s border router would typically create its own separate Thread network, preventing devices on different networks from communicating with each other.
While companies like Apple and Google developed their own ecosystem-specific solutions using iCloud Keychain and Google Play services, a universal standard remained elusive until Thread Group mandated credentials sharing in its Thread 1.4 specification.
TechHive reports that Apple has also implemented Thread 1.4 in its latest iOS updates for Apple TV and HomePods, though the company hasn’t yet activated the credentials sharing interface for users.
What This Means for Smart Home Users
The implementation of Thread network sharing in SmartThings hubs brings several key benefits:
- Simplified network management with fewer separate Thread networks to maintain
- Improved device interoperability across different manufacturers’ ecosystems
- Enhanced network reliability through better border router cooperation
- Future-proofing for the expanding Matter and Thread ecosystem
As Digital Trends explains, this development moves us closer to the original promise of Matter – a truly unified smart home standard where devices from different manufacturers work together seamlessly regardless of which border routers you own.
