Link iHost with Google Assistant

eWeLink CUBE
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Some users have shared their experience with node-red in this forum, thanks to them: Connect iHost devices to Alexa/GA via Node-Red

Apart from Matter Bridge, you could also use Node-RED to link iHost and Google Assistant.
Video guide:

The following is a tutorial on how to control iHost devices with Google Assistant through Node-red. (Basic ON/OFF control of outlet/switch/light)

Step 1
Register an account on the GA bridge website:
https://googlehome.hardill.me.uk/

Step 2
Navigate to the Devices page to add a device, like switch/outlet/light.
(The device you created will work as a virtual device)
It is suggested to make the name the same as the existing one, for example you have a device in iHost named light A, then name it light A.

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Step 3
Open the Google Home app on your phone, go to Devices - Add - Works with Google,
Search for NR-GAB
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On the opened page, login with the account you created in step 1

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Once connected, the device you created in step2 will show in Google Home app.

Step 4
In your node-red, go to the pallet manger, search for node-red-contrib-googlehome and install it.

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Drag the google-home node to the canva
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Double click on it to edit, click the edit button to login with the account you created in step1, and select the device you created in step2, click Done to save.
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Add a Switch node:

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Add eWeLink Cube - control device node, select the device you want to control
(This step links the virtual device in GA Bridge with the real device in iHost)

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Deploy to make your flow work.
And then you’ll be able to control the device via Google Assistant.

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I used this for a while, and it works well.

With the introduction of matter bridge to IHost you don’t need it any longer. IHost devices, including virtual devices, are exposed to Google automatically

The names of devices can be changed from their matter_id to a friendly name in the Google Home App. The only down side I have found is that name is not shown on Google displays once a device page is opened.

I now use this to add Tasmota devices to GoogleHome. Any new Tasmota device isautomatically discovered by IHost (using Tasmota addin ) and automatically published to GoogleHome ( using Matter bridge )

1 Like
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I was about to get rid of my ihost due to the lack of google home integration. When matter went live on ihost i changed my mind.

Setup is as you say but i have found that if my ihost looses power, reboots or disconnets all the names and room assignments in google home are lost.

Hopefully there will be a solution to this as it will makecme consider getting rid of it again!