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Eve Extend puts every Eve accessory within reach

Sep 5, 2019 - by Lars - Comments
 
 

HomeKit offers native support for both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. This means that certified smart home products that support these standards, such as Eve accessories, can be setup and controlled with absolute ease without a bridge – with no location off-limits for the many portable accessories that don’t need to be tethered to a power outlet. And when combined with a home hub, these products can even be automated and controlled remotely while out and about – for a smart home that is incredibly streamlined to control and energy efficient. 

 

In larger flats or houses, as well as in highly insulated buildings, you may find that where you want to use your Eve accessory is too far away from the home hub. This can be really frustrating, resulting in the connection failing, the accessory only being controllable via a direct connection to your iPhone, and remote access and rules not working. 

 

Until now, these issues could only be resolved with an additional Apple TV or HomePod. But thanks to Eve Extend, Eve offers a much more affordable solution to your range problems at home – plus it’s designed specifically for Eve accessories.

 
 

How it works

Eve Extend sits between the Eve accessory and your iPhone or home hub. The extender and Eve companion product communicate using Bluetooth. In turn, the range extender uses Wi-Fi – whose range can be extended using repeaters, bridges, or similar devices – to communicate with your iPhone, Apple TV, or HomePod. This allows you to connect Eve accessories that are located far beyond your iPhone or home hub’s Bluetooth range. What’s more, Eve Extend lets you connect up to eight Eve accessories simultaneously. Among other advantages, this makes the extender ideal for connecting an entire floor within your home without a dedicated home hub. 

 

Connected Eve accessories still offer all the usual HomeKit functions, and can be controlled individually using Siri, Home, or Eve as well as added into automations. The Eve app migrates the configuration automatically as soon as the accessory is assigned. However, keep in mind that some accessories, such as Eve Flare, are designed with portability in mind. This means that if you place the accessory somewhere new that is beyond the range of Eve Extend, it will no longer be possible to communicate with the accessory at its new location.

Setup

You need the Eve app to setup Eve Extend for the first time and then configure it. To assign Eve Extend to a room, simply go to Settings > Add Accessory and you’ll be walked through the setup process. You don’t even need to worry about your 5 GHz Wi-Fi, as Eve Extend supports both 5 Ghz and to 2.4 GHz wireless networks – unlike most smart home devices.

 

In the next step you can select up to eight devices and connect them to Eve Extend – regardless of their assignment to rooms, groups, or zones. In the selection list, a signal strength icon is displayed beside each accessory, giving you a rough idea as to whether the connection is sufficiently strong enough.

 

Note: the accessories you want to connect must have the latest firmware installed on them (to check if they do, go to Settings > Accessories and check for a red download icon next to the accessory name). Virtually all Eve accessories are compatible or will be compatible soon (see http://evehome.com/extend-compatibility for more info) with Eve Extend, apart from the first generation of Eve Thermo and Eve Room.

Questions & Answers

Does Eve Extend require a home hub?
Eve Extend doesn’t require a home hub. If your Eve Degree is connected to Eve Extend, you can access it directly using your iPhone and check your basement humidity level all from the comfort of your couch, and all without the need for Apple TV or HomePod. A home hub is still required for remote access and automations.

 

Can I connect other manufacturers’ Bluetooth-based HomeKit devices?
No, Eve Extend only works with Eve accessories.

 

How do I suspend a device connection to Eve Extend?
Go to Settings > Accessories, tap the Eve accessory you want to remove followed by “Unassign from Eve Extend”. Eve Extend will then re-associate the accessory with your iPhone or home hub, and also migrate all metadata again. You can then add a new Eve accessory to the slot you freed up.

10 Comments
Wolfgang
Hallo, ich habe über Powerline Internet in den Hobbykeller gelegt, eigentlich prädestiniert für Eve Extend um andere Eve-Produkte dort nutzen zu können. Ich habe aber gelesen, dass Eve Extend nicht über Powerline funktioniert. Gilt das ganz generell oder nur für den verbreiteten Homplug AV Standard? Ich verwende Devolo Magic 2 Lan next die den neueren Standard G.hn verwenden. Eine Auskunft hierüber wäre sehr hilfreich für die weitere Planung! :)

Vielen Dank und VG!

Wolfgang
Reply
Dec 30, 2020
Hallo Wolfgang! Powerline/PowerLAN-Adapter gehen gar nicht mit HomeKit-fähigem Zubrhör mit WLAN. Die Geräte benötigen das Protokoll Bonjour und das wird gekappt. Viele Grüße, Volker
Reply
Dec 31, 2020
Paul Coppens
Hi,
since yesterday evening my Eve Extend is not connecting any longer. I noticed as my devices that are connected to it didn't switch anymore. I first unplugged the Extend and then replugged as I usually do, but this didn't resolve things. Then I followed the complete Reset procedure but that doesn't do the trick either. Whatever I do, the red light on top of the Extend keeps on flashing. In the app it says all devices that used to be connected to the Extend are disconnected and pressing the ID button in the App keeps on saying "Failed". Network and bluetooth are on. What can I do to fix this please?
Thanks much,
Paul
Reply
Dec 23, 2020
Hello Paul! When resetting the Eve Extend you have to reset all formerly attached Eve accessories first and add them again to the home in Eve or Home. Once done perform the reset on Eve Extend: https://help.evehome.com/hc/en-us/articles/360035315593-How-do-you-reset-Eve-Extend-
If this does not help, please open a ticket in https://www.evehome.com/en/support/ticket
Best regards, Volker
Reply
Dec 28, 2020
Allan
To close this out, the Extend set up very easily and quickly. I had to reset my Eve Motion, and hard reset on the Eve Energy also. Now everything is communicating and programmed. Today is the first day to see if all of the automations work. Thanks again for the help.
Reply
Apr 24, 2020
Hello Alan!
Thanks for letting us know!
Best regards, volker
Reply
Apr 24, 2020
Allan
I have just purchased an Eve Energy to use on a table lamp with HomeKit. It falls just out of Bluetooth range of my HomePod hub downstairs. I put an order in for an Eve Extend to help with the connectivity issue, and it will be delivered later this week. Can you tell me if the Eve Extend generates a lot of heat? I have a media cabinet about half way between the HomePod and the Eve Energy where I wanted to locate the Extend. It would be in this cabinet behind a perforated screen. There are other components in the cabinet (AppleTV, etc...) and I was wondering if the Extend generates a lot of heat.
Reply
Apr 22, 2020
Hello Allan!
Eve Extend almost generates no heat. I do use 3 Eve Extend in my home, they don't even reach body temperature.
I would recommend placing Eve Extend close to the Eve Energy, the distance to your HomePod is not important at all.
Eve Extend connects to Eve Energy (and other Eve accessories upstairs) and uses Wi-Fi to connect to the router and this way to the iOS device and the HomePod. You need to have Wi-Fi coverage upstairs though. Best regards, volker
Reply
Apr 22, 2020
Thanks Volker. Always appreciate your help. I do have WiFi very close to the proposed location of the Extend and the Energy. I thought these worked over Bluetooth protocol (not WiFi.) I guess I am confused about that. Thanks again. Going to set it up tonight.
Reply
Apr 23, 2020
Hello Allan! Eve Extend uses Bluetooth to communicate with the Eve accessories (like your Eve Energy), so it should be in that region of your home. Eve Extend then uses Wi-Fi to connect to the home (iPhone, home hub).
So it is the solution of choice in areas that have Wi-Fi coverage but are too far away to reach by Bluetooth. Have a great day, Best regards, volker
Reply
Apr 23, 2020
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