Hueblog: Alexa with second bridge: Hue inventor offers simple solution

Alexa with second bridge: Hue inventor offers simple solution

Handling with several bridges should be improved

Although there are still some workarounds if you want to control several Hue Bridges with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, it is often not really fun. Now my YouTube colleague Justin_Tech learned some interesting details in a video interview with Hue inventor George Yianni, which I would like to share with you.

George Yianni revealed that one of the things they are currently working on is making it easier to connect a second or third bridge with language assistants like Alexa. “It will be possible to add several bridges to a Hue account. This will make everything a lot easier because you're just linking the Hue account to Alexa”.


Although Alexa or the Google Assistant could also allow multiple identical skills, Yianni would not chew on that intuitively for the user. “We can also provide a solution and then it's even the more intuitive solution. But I can't give an exact schedule for this update. But we have received this request from many Hue fans and it is on our radar. We're working on it and it's pretty high on our list”.

No improved Hue Bridge in the works

Bad news, on the other hand, is around the construction site of the limitation to 50 to 60 lamps per bridge. That would have to do mainly with how the Hue system works, because although the mesh network built up by the lamps ensures that you can create very good wireless coverage throughout the house, there are limits here. “Each lamp receives wireless signals and transmits them. If you have too many lamps in a network, at some point they start communicating too much with each other and the commands are no longer transmitted as reliably,” explains George Yianni.

That's one of the reasons why you can't just build a bridge with more power – the limitations of the mesh network on which Philips Hue is based could hardly be overcome. “But there are things we can improve to enhance the user experience with multiple bridges,” says Hue's founder. Among other things, they want to make it easier to switch between two bridges within the Hue app. They are reluctant to deviate from this principle – partly because you can't just put Bridge A lamps in a Bridge B room and control a Bridge A room with Bridge B accessories.

George Yianni reveals a few more details about this in an interview with Justin_Tech, which you can watch on YouTube. There the Hue founder also reveals what his biggest wish is for the recently released Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip.

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Check your local Philips Hue Online Store for availability of Hue products in your country. There you will also find all the technical information and prices.



In den letzten Jahren habe ich mich zu einem echten Experten in Sachen Hue & HomeKit entwickelt. Mittlerweile habe ich über 50 Lampen und zahlreiche Schalter im Einsatz. In meinem kleinen Blog teile ich meine Erfahrungen gerne mit euch.

Comments 13 replies

  1. The. New bridge is horrible, I was forced by hue to replace my bridge as a person in wheelchair they asked me to do the 32 hue bulbs that I have manually.

    Also the bridge is interfering with my network

  2. Almost one year later, and multiple bridges are still not working, at least not with Alexa. Is there any news on this topic?

  3. I’m glad I am not the only person continuing to circle back here to see if there is any update on this. I was so excited when this video was released and very disappointed to see over an year later no forward movement on multiple bridges with the Alexa account. I was really hoping when the revamped app was released that this was addressed. Hoping something happens soon.

  4. I’m curious when this feature is rolling out. I have 3 Hue bridges and I have 2 of the bridges connected to Smartthings. The Smarthings hub is connected to Alexa for all the lights that are not directly connected with my main Hue bridge. The lights on Smartthings are not as integrated as the lights on the main hue bridge directly connected to alexa. I would love to have full functionality of all lights through voice!

  5. There is a new Alexa skill called “BridgeWrapper for Philips Hue” that my favorite app iConnectHue pointed me to try. I enabled the skill, followed the instructions, and have been using it for a week to control my 3 bridges and 127 Hue lights and scenes. It has been the first workaround that has ever worked…and I’ve tried them all.

    1. Hi, could you please direct me to instructions on how to implement this. I’ve tried repeatedly to add both my hubs tgatvare in separate accounts but I’m doing something wrong I believe to fobeith the ‘logging out on a separate browser’ very much appreciate any advice.

  6. Thanks Jonas. This works perfectly!

    Been looking for a solution for years and eventually we have one while Philips keep bumbling about.

    Thanks again

  7. Very disappointed that Philips Hue haven’t addressed the multiple bridge issue natively yet.

    Yes I know of the third party solution but it is not the point. Come on team Hue, where is this at?

  8. unfortunately bridgewrapper has died due to hue limitations the developer can no longer support it due to operating costs

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