What is TP-Link Omada?
TP-Link's Omada platform has been an attractive choice for those seeking a reliable alternative to the Ubiquiti UniFi ecosystem. Both systems provide similarly powerful components, like PoE switches, access points for different uses, and routers. Home Assistant users have traditionally leaned towards Ubiquiti gear because of their tight integration, as outlined in the Home Assistant blog. But with the release of Home Assistant Core version 2023.3, TP-Link's Omada equipment is getting some of the recognition it deserves – a move that could make them a viable competitor to Ubiquiti UniFi in the near future.
TP-Link Omada is a product line of networking equipment designed for small and medium-sized businesses. The product line includes various networking devices such as access points, switches, routers, gateways, and other related equipment.
One of the standout features of TP-Link Omada is the Omada software, which makes network management a breeze. With this software, you can easily configure and monitor your network from a centralized location, saving you time and hassle. The software also includes tools for network analysis, so you can optimize your network performance and troubleshoot any issues that arise.
How to integrate Home Assistant with TP-Link Omada?
If you want to connect your TP-Link Omada devices with Home Assistant, you'll need to have either the OC200 or OC300 Omada Hardware Controller. Don't worry if you've already set up an Omada Software Controller, as it will also work with the integration. What won't work is the Omada Cloud-Based Controller.
Of the two controllers, the OC300 is the more powerful option, as it can support up to 500 Omada access points, 100 JetStream switches, and 100 Omada routers, while the OC200 can only support up to 100 Omada access points, 20 JetStream switches, and 10 Omada routers.
Each option lets you access Omada's dashboard, which makes it a breeze to keep tabs on your network's current status in real-time. You can easily monitor your network usage and traffic distribution, receive logs detailing network conditions, and get alerted to any unusual events or issues that might arise. Additionally, the network topology feature allows administrators to quickly troubleshoot and identify any connection issues with just a quick glance.
What does the TP-Link Omada integration with Home Assistant offer?
Let's face it, the official integration of TP-Link Omada with Home Assistant is far from impressive. Unfortunately, the current integration only allows for turning PoE support on and off, port by port. It's a real bummer – we can't even control our gateways or access points, let alone detect presence!
Let me be clear – I'm not here to bash the creator of the official integration. It's important to note that meeting the official requirements takes time and effort. In fact, it took around four months just to get the current feature up and running and added to a release. The good news is that the maintainer of the official integration has promised to add many more features over time.
Overall, while the official integration may currently be lacklustre, there's hope for the future. With patience and some tinkering, you can get the most out of your TP-Link Omada and Home Assistant setup. And for those that want to start right now, there is still the custom component.
An integration with room for improvement
Looking to unlock the full potential of your TP-Link Omada integration? Look no further than the Home Assistant TP-Link Omada Integration, an actively developed custom component by Zach Cheatham.
With this integration, you'll be able to track all the devices in your home, monitor their bandwidth and usage statistics, control your WLAN radio and SSID, and even toggle client blocking and SSID filtering. In other words, you'll have complete control over your home network, right at your fingertips.
