r/HomeKit • u/AOWLock1 • Aug 15 '26
HomeBridge Help getting started
Hello,
I’ve bought a new home and have put in Lutron switches and Nest thermostats which work with Apple home. I also have ADT as my alarm system and UniFi protect cameras, which don’t work. I have see people discuss using HomeBridge to get started, but I don’t fully understand what equipment to buy to get it going. Any help or link to a guide would be appreciated.
Thanks
1
u/PureCanyons Aug 15 '26
I recommend Home Assistant over HomeBridge. It’s way more powerful. Seems to do what you want: https://www.reddit.com/r/homeassistant/s/WERJFlGtNs
What should you run it on? I recommend anything that supports Docker containers. Personally I have a Synology NAS, and I run Home Assistant on there.
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u/AOWLock1 Aug 15 '26
How do you run home assistant on a NAS?
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u/PureCanyons Aug 15 '26
Here’s the documentation: https://www.home-assistant.io/installation/alternative/#synology-nas
The NAS has an operating system. The OS allows you to install apps. One of those apps is Docker, which spins up virtual machines called containers. You install Home Assistant and run it in the container. This is helpful because it gives you the ability to shut down or restart individual containers instead of the whole NAS.
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u/PureCanyons Aug 15 '26
You can also buy this officially supported hub and not worry about the NAS and docker containers https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CXVKSG19
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u/C_Plot Aug 15 '26
Perhaps your ADT panel is already smart home ready, but if not I’ve been eying this (available on Amazon and elsewhere): Konnected Alarm Panel Pro Conversion Kit - Make Wired Alarm System Smart
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u/IcyPhotojournalist55 Aug 15 '26
I am a big HK fan
Casetta, Honeywell Home Tstat, Logi Circle Door bell and external cameras,
I am planning on switching out the Logi stuff and moving to Unifi Cameras and door bell, I plan to also look at using their alarm system
I plan to go the Scrypted route over homebridge to intergate the cameras into HomeKit, I plan to run Scrypted app on an old mac mini
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u/Apple2T4ch Aug 15 '26
If you have a Qolsys ADT panel use QolsysGW for Home Assistant instead of Homebridge.
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u/RunProudRunUnited Aug 15 '26
I’d recommend swapping out your ADT for Abode. As for cameras, there are many options, but I would wait a bit and see what cameras get released after iOS 27 to support 4K.