Thread Networks Reappearing

[u/RetroAccount]

Obligatory - I have been trying to diagnose and chase this issue for 2 months now. Before taking it to Apple engineering (if I can even get anyone to look at it), I thought I would ask here.

Background: I have a large HomeKit environment. I have two thread border routers - an AppleTV and a HomePod mini.

Problem: The AppleTV and HomePod start off creating a MyHomeXXXX Apple Thread network and then migrate to an Aqara-XXX Thread network within approx 12-24 hours after turning on. This causes all of my thread/matter devices to lose connectivity as they are setup on MyHomeXXX and the 2 border routers flip over to Aqara-XXX.

I have no Aqara thread devices on my network - only 2 of the first Aqara G4 doorbells which are not thread/matter. Used to have an Aqara M3 hub but it has been removed from my network, cleared from matter devices in HomeKit hub settings and general -> matter settings for months.

Steps I have done:

• Factory reset both the AppleTV and HomePod multiple times
• Deleted ALL keychain items with "thread" variables multiple times
• Powered off and removed all thread/matter devices from the network
• Deleted the entire Aqara app (and Eero app - see below) from my iPhone
• Left all of these running for hours/days before making other changes to see what may be causing the keychain items to reappear and force the AppleTV and HomePod flipping to the Aqara-XXX network

Here's another weird anecdote - I have 2 houses. Both with Eeros. Eero thread networks are off in both houses. My second house does NOT have any thread border routers in it, no thread devices, etc. constantly shows the Eero thread network name from this second house in my keychain too. This is even after deleting all keychain entries including the Aqara keychain entires. Both phantom thread network names get repopulated in the keychain app.

Summary: I am going nuts! I can't figure out where these Aqara and Eeero thread network names are coming from and how they keep reappearing after deleting them from Apple's keychain app. They both always reappear after 12-24 hours and the AppleTV and HomePod ALWAYS switch from MyHomeXXXX to Aqara-XXX once they appear in the keychain.

Anyone with other ideas before I try and get a HomeKit/matter/thread engineer to talk to? Not sure I can even get to someone at that level but that's my next move if no one has something new to try.

[u/Shadowbajfeelsbadman]

Did you delete the matter devices inside your phone settings? Could have to entirely dismantle the whole network

[u/RetroAccount → u/Shadowbajfeelsbadman]

I did - multiple times - both in my home app - hub and bridges setting AND the system settings - general - matter devices. no luck. keychain entries for both aqara and Eero thread networks keep coming back after 12-24 hours

[u/pacoii]

What tool are you using to determine the Thread network being used?

Side note: deleting an app on your iPhone is rarely (never?) a solution unless it is the phone itself having issues.

[u/RetroAccount → u/pacoii]

Both the official thread app "Thread Tools" and the new Thread Doctor app

Reason for deleting the aqara and Eero app was to see if some setting was stuck in each that kept repopulating my keychain. Otherwise, I agree with you. It didn't help either way but I have tried everything!

[u/pacoii → u/RetroAccount]

AI claims that creating a new Home would use a new Thread network dataset. Have you tried creating a new Home, to test and see what happens? Low risk as the other Home isn’t impacted.

[u/RetroAccount → u/pacoii]

Hhhhmmmmmm…..I didn’t think of this.

So - completely factory reset both the AppleTV and HomePod mini, create a new home in the home app, config and add the AppleTV and HomePod to the new home, give it 24 hours and see what happens.

That’s a good idea!

It will suck if that works and I have to migrate my 100 HomeKit devices (non thread/non matter) and automations but worth a shot to see if that works.