Linksys announced today that it will soon begin adding HomeKit support to its Velop router line. Although the specific information is unclear, the company says that software updates will begin to be released "within the next few days."
As it was first observed HomeKit News, once the Velop system is upgraded, the Linksys app on iOS will prompt you to add the router to the Home app. Linksys explains that all of your Velop nodes must be tri-band in order to use HomeKit:
We will release a firmware update to your Velop system in the next few days. After your system is upgraded, the next time you open the Linksys app, it will invite you to sign in to Apple Home. All of your Velop nodes must be tri-band for this integration to work.
This means that if you have WHW0301, WHW0302 and WHW0303 routers from Linksys or the Velop system sold to Apple Stores, you will be able to take advantage of HomeKit support. WHW0303 tri-band 3-band is only $ 400 at Amazon.
At WWDC last year, Apple announced that HomeKit will soon be supported by routers from Eero, Linksys and Charter Spectrum. While Eero support seems imminent, it looks like Linksys may be the first manufacturer to make the commitment.
The many benefits of HomeKit enabled routers will be security related, such as the ability to bypass accessories, preventing them from accessing the entire network. Apple describes it as being able to "enhance security by monitoring the network activity of your home accessories and preventing unsafe connections."
If you own Linksys Velop, please let us know when you receive the update in the comments.
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