To control all of your installed bulbs, you would usually need to plug the Philips Hue Bridge into your router.
Is there an alternative to the Hue Bridge if you don’t want it? You haven’t reached a dead end, which is good news. Using Hue bulbs without all the official gear is possible thanks to their compatibility with Zigbee.
Bluetooth bulbs are also available for Philips Hue, giving you another way to use the hub.
It’s worth mentioning that you will have the most control over your Hue smart lights and access to all the Hue apps’ functionality if you install the Hue Bridge.
You can, however, try it in a different way if you wish. According to smartgeekhome guide, you can check ways below:
Using an Amazon Echo as a hub
Because Philips Hue bulbs use Zigbee, they can be integrated with some Zigbee smart home hubs instead of a Hue Bridge – although the integration isn’t always as reliable or as comprehensive.
It is possible to use some Amazon Echo speakers as Zigbee hubs, especially the Amazon Echo Plus, the Amazon Echo Show, and the newer (4th-gen) Echo. Philips Hue bulbs can be added through Alexa if you already have one of these speaker models set up.
After you’ve connected your Hue bulbs and turned them on, open the Alexa app for your Echo (which you should have installed already). Add a device by selecting Devices, then clicking the Plus button. Detecting and adding Hue lights should take only a few seconds.
The Alexa smart speaker will scan your home for compatible Hue bulbs if you say “Alexa, find my devices.”.
You can control the Hue bulbs by using the Alexa app or by speaking commands, such as “Alexa, turn off the bedroom lights.” Once the bulbs are connected, they can be controlled via the Alexa app or through your voice. If you are facing issue on unable to link hue with alexa then click here to check full guide.
Your Hue bulbs can be grouped with smart lights of different brands through the Alexa app. In the Hue app, you can access various advanced features such as creating custom scenes, controlling lights based on where you are, and using the Hue Bridge to control lights.
Use Philips Hue Bluetooth bulbs
With Signify’s discovery of Bluetooth in 2019, all Hue bulbs will now support both Bluetooth and Zigbee, so you’ll have options when you set them up.
It is possible to avoid using a hub altogether thanks to Bluetooth. You can instead connect the bulb directly to your phone by screwing it in. Hue BT was previously a standalone app, but now everything is bundled into one app.
With its increased versatility, Hue may appeal to those who are not ready to go “all in” by lowering its entry price. Despite these advantages, there are some limitations: the bulbs can only be connected to up to 10 lights, a remote control cannot be used once you have left the house, and third-party apps cannot be integrated.
Furthermore, Bluetooth Hue bulbs cannot be grouped into different rooms, though technically you can group them into rooms, for example you could do a “bathroom” and a “kitchen”, but creating an upstairs group might be challenging since you need to be within Bluetooth range (hence the limitation to rooms). Despite this, Alexa and Google Assistant work well together.
Hue Bluetooth bulbs can also be added to a Google Assistant smart home without using a Hue Bridge using Google’s new Seamless Setup feature.
Using the Hue Dimmer Switch
If you buy a Hue Dimmer Switch and Hue bulb together, they are already linked when you open the box. A dimmer switch is simply put into a vacant socket, the bulb screwed into it, and the light switch turned on.
Immediately, you’ll be able to turn on and off the Hue bulb, and adjust its brightness, using the Dimmer Switch. While you don’t have control over the color, you do get some functionality from the Hue Bridge.
In addition to the Dimmer Switch and Hue Bridge, Philips Hue bulbs can also be controlled with standard light switches.
Up to 10 bulbs can be controlled by each Hue Dimmer Switch. Add a new bulb without a Hue Bridge by installing it and switching it on, then bringing the Dimmer Switch close to it and pressing and holding the On button. If the connection is successful, a small LED light will appear on the Dimmer Switch and the bulb will blink.
You can add Philips Hue smart bulbs to your home without a Hue Bridge by connecting up to 10 connected bulbs (up to 10 of them).
Using an Ikea Trådfri gateway as a hub
An alternative option to the official Philips Hue Bridge is to use an Ikea Trdfri gateway as a hub. The gateway, which plugs straight into your router, works the same way as the Amazon Echo Zigbee devices.
Assuming you’ve already got your Ikea Trådfri gateway and Trådfri bulbs installed, adding Hue lights is easy: just follow the same instructions as adding a Trådfri light.
Install and turn on your Hue bulb, then open the Trodfri app, then click Add devices, then Bulb. During the setup process, you’ll be asked which control device you’d like to use – a motion sensor, a wireless dimmer, or a remote control, for instance.
You can then hold the link button for ten seconds on the control device within two centimeters of the bulb after you’ve selected it. As soon as the bulb flickers, release the button. Hue light has now been added.
As with the Amazon Echo integration, there aren’t as many scheduling options, geolocation features, or color cycle options as with a Hue Bridge, nor does it save you the hassle of plugging in two hubs if you already have one set up.