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Protocol Matter

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stephan-xyz edited this page Sep 13, 2026 · 1 revision

Protocol: Matter & Thread

Matter is the unifying, IP-based open connectivity standard developed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), supported by Apple, Google, Amazon, and Samsung.

  • Standard: CSA Matter Specification (V1.2 / V1.3 / V1.4)
  • HomeNode Modules: modules/matter-controller, modules/matter-bridge
  • Transport: IPv6 over Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and Thread (802.15.4)
  • Security: Certificate-based public key infrastructure (PAA/PAI/DAC) and CASE (Certificate Authenticated Session Establishment) session encryption over UDP (port 5540).

1. Multi-Admin & Multi-Fabric

Matter allows a single physical device to belong to multiple independent ecosystems simultaneously without any cloud bridges.

                  ┌────────────────────────────────────────┐
                  │          Matter Smart Device           │
                  └──────────────────┬─────────────────────┘
                                     │
         ┌───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────┐
         ▼                           ▼                           ▼
[ Apple Home Fabric ]     [ Home Assistant Fabric ]     [ HomeNode Fabric ]

HomeNode Server tracks all active Matter fabrics (Apple Home, Home Assistant, Google, Vendor apps) via mDNS _matter._tcp and _matterc._udp advertisements, providing an ecosystem transparency matrix in the Web HMI.

2. HomeNode Server Dual Roles

HomeNode Server implements two simultaneous roles:

  1. Matter Controller:
    • Commissions and commands Matter endpoints directly on the local Thread / Wi-Fi network.
    • Runs local automations independently of cloud services.
  2. Matter Bridge:
    • Translates non-Matter devices (Shelly, BTHome BLE sensors, Tuya, Zigbee, MQTT) into virtual Matter endpoints on the local fabric.
    • Allows Apple Home and other controllers to seamlessly control these legacy devices.

(c) Stephan Zehrer 2025

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