Hue app vs Zigbee2MQTT duplicates / wrong integrations?

[opaque torrent]

Hi all, relatively new to HA but I think I have things setup OK. Adding some Philips Hue wafer lights ("6in canless downlight" they call it) and not sure what's the right way to bring them into all 3 of HA, Z2M, and the Hue app without breaking any of the 3.

I just plugged one in, brought it into Z2MQTT, checked it out in HA and everything was great. Then pulled it into the Hue app. Now it's gone from Z2M entirely, and there are two devices with that name in HA, only one of which works. I think it must have picked it up through the Hue integration somehow?

These lights are super popular so I'm sure it's a simple thing I'm not getting. Any advice on how best to set these up would be extremely appreciated....I have 54 of them!

[sharp crescent]

Devices can only be on one zigbee network at a time. If you join it to the Hue network then it is not on the Z2M network. If you then pair it to Z2M then it is no longer on the Hue network.

If you want to use Hue app and HA to control them then you would add them to a hue bridgge then connect the hue bridge to HA using the Hue Integration.

[opaque torrent]

oh interesting thanks...

[opaque torrent]

so then...when i have the bulbs connected to Z2M, is the hue hub not doing anything?
and i guess i had the idea that i needed the hue app still? like, firmware upgrades and whatnot?

[sharp crescent]

Indeed, If you have your bulbs connected via Z2M the hue hub does nothing.

The hue hub is a zigbee coordinator.

[opaque torrent]

ok well that is thoroughly interesting, thanks for explaining that. so then does that mean the recommended procedure is to put them into the hue app first, do whatever updates they have available, then pull them over into Z2M?

and with the one i have in the hue app now, i should just delete both the instances from HA, then add it back into Z2M?

[sharp crescent]

As I understand it (I dont actually use Z2M myself) you can do OTA firmware updates directly from the Z2M UI. But if you want to update via hue first there is no real downside to doing that either.

[sharp crescent]

Once you repair with Z2M (you might have to remove within z2m and then repair) the Z2M entity will probably just start working again. However deleting it before repairing probably doesnt have any downside either.

You can just remove the Hue Integration if you are goingg to connect them using Z2M

[opaque torrent]

oh no kidding. well i will look around for that

that would simplify things substantially

is all this relatively new? i am coming back to this now that i'm finally getting my remodel underway, but i messed around with it briefly a couple years ago and I could swear I had to connect them up the first time through the hue app

[sharp crescent]

Not all devices can be updated through it but I believe Hue can be.
Documentation - https://www.zigbee2mqtt.io/guide/usage/ota_updates.html

[sharp crescent]

Nope It is not new. You probably just previously had them connected to the hub and the hub connected via the integration.

[opaque torrent]

yeah, i know i was messing with z2m by the end of it but it's possible i've conflated memories from before that

[sharp crescent]

Could well be something like that yeah. Whatever the case hopefully you are a bit more armed with information now and can work out the best set up for you. 🙂

[opaque torrent]

yep, thanks for all the help!