Do you want to connect your Hue Bridge to a Wi-Fi network? The Hue Bridge allows you to connect Phillips' brand of smart bulbs to the internet wirelessly. However, the Hue Bridge itself needs to be connected to the internet using a wired connection. While the Bridge isn’t designed to connect to Wi-Fi, there are a few workarounds that allow you to connect your Hue Bridge to the internet in a more centralized location. In this article, we’ll explain your options, and also describe the basics of setting up a Hue Bridge.
Things You Should Know
- The Hue Bridge lets you connect your smart bulbs to the internet wirelessly. However, the Bridge itself must be connected to a router with an ethernet cable.
- One way to connect the Bridge to Wi-Fi is to connect it to a router configured to run in bridge mode.
- If you are skilled at electronics and programming, you can tinker with the inside of your Bridge to make it compatible with Wi-Fi.
Steps
Connecting the Bulbs
-
Install any Philips Hue bulbs into available light fixtures. If you're wanting to connect Philips Hue lights to the Bridge, it can be easiest to have them plugged in when you set up the Hue Bridge. The Hue smart bulbs are designed to fit any standard-sized A19 and E12 light sockets.
-
Make sure the light switches for the Hue bulbs are turned on. The Hue smart bulbs will turn on automatically when they are plugged in properly, have power, and are ready to be paired.
-
Plug in the Bridge and connect it to your router. Use the AC adapter to plug the Hue Bridge into any available power outlet near your wireless router. Then, use the ethernet cable to attach it to your router.
- Once the Bridge is connected to the internet, you can begin the process of connecting it with the lights.
Installing the App
-
Open the app store on your mobile device. Open the app store on your phone or tablet to search for and download the Philips Hue app.
- On Android, open the Google Play Store .
- On iPhone or iPad, open the App Store .
-
Tap the search bar and type philips hue . The search bar is at the top of the screen. As you type, suggested apps will appear below the search bar. Tap the Philips Hue app when you see it.
- On iPhone, tap the "Search" tab first and then tap the search bar at the top.
-
Tap GET or Install next to the Philips Hue app. It's the app that says "Hue" in colorful letters above the Philips logo. There are a number of third-party Philips Hue apps, so make sure you download the official Philips Hue app. Allow a few moments for the App to install.
Connecting the Lights
-
Open the Philips Hue app. You can tap "Open" from the app store if you just finished installing it, or tap the app's icon on your home screen. It's the app that says "Hue" in colorful letters above the Philips logo.
-
Tap Set up . It's the orange button that appears once the app has found the Hue Bridge on the wireless network.
-
Press the Push-link button. It's the button in the center of the app that looks like the Bridge device.
-
Tap Accept . It's the yellow button at the bottom of the screen. This indicates that you agree to the Terms and Conditions. Tap the underlined text that says "terms and conditions" to read them.
-
Tap Update . Once the app discovers the bridge, it may need to update the Bridge. Tap Update to update the Bridge with the latest firmware.
-
Tap Done . Once the bridge is finished updating, tap Done to continue.
-
Tap Pair Bridge (iPhone only). It's the yellow or green button at the bottom of the screen. You will now begin the process of setting up your home.
-
Scan the code on the Bridge (iPhone only). The code is on the inside of the box and on the bottom of the Bridge. Hold your phone up to it so that it appears on camera. Your phone will scan the code automatically.
- You can also tap Enter manually and enter the code with your phone keyboard.
Adding Lights
-
Tap Search . It's the yellow or green button at the bottom of the screen. This will start searching for your bulbs. It will take several minutes. Once it is done, it will tell you how many bulbs it found at the top of the screen.
- If it doesn't find all your bulbs, tap the "+" icon again, and then tap "+ Add serial number" and type the serial number of bulbs to add them manually.
-
Tap i to rename the bulb (optional). Once the app finds the bulbs, they will appear on screen. Tap the "i" icon next to the bulb and then type a name for the bulb in the bar at the top.
-
Tap Next or the arrow icon. Once all your bulbs are added, tap "Next" in the upper-right corner.
Creating Rooms
-
Type the name of the room. Use the text box at the top of the screen to give the room a name. It can be something generic like "Living Room" or "Bedroom".
-
Tap the drop-down menu for Room Type. It's below the text where you name your room. This opens a page that allows you to select a room type.
-
Select a room type. There are a number of room types you can choose from such as the living room, kitchen, dining room, bedroom, etc. Check the bulbs associated with the room. Tap the checkbox next to any lights that are a part of this room. Uncheck any lights that you don't want associated with the room you are creating.
-
Tap New to add more rooms. If you want to add more rooms, tap New at the top of the screen to create a new room.
Controlling the Lights
-
Open the Philips Hue app. It has a white icon that says "hue" in colorful letters. Tap the app icon on your home screen or apps menu to open the Hue app.
-
Tap the toggle switch next to a room to turn the lights on or off. It's to the right of the room names in the Philips Hue app. This will toggle all the lights on or off in the room.
-
Use the slider bar below a room to control the brightness. You can adjust the brightness level for all the bulbs by tapping and dragging the slider bar below the room name.
-
Tap a room to view all the lights in the room. This will display a list of all the lights in the room with individual controls.
-
Tap the toggle switch next to a light to turn it on or off. This allows you to control individual lights in a room.
-
Use the sider bar below a bulb to adjust the brightness. You can adjust the brightness for each individual light.
-
Tap a light to select it. If you want to change the color of a bulb, tap it to select it.
-
Adjust the light whiteness. You can adjust the tint to the white lights. You can have set it to a pure white, a blueish-white, or a yellowish-white. Tap the icon that resembles a list on Android to view the whiteness color selector. On iPhone, tap the icon that says "Whites". Then tap a tint you want to set the light at.
- You must use color-changing bulbs to use this feature.
-
Change the color of bulbs. To change the color of a bulb, tap a bulb listed in a room and then tap the rainbow-colored icon. Tap a color you want to set the lights to.
-
Select a scene for the light. You can select preset color pallets called scenes. To select a scene, select a light then tap the icon that resembles a painter's palette on Android, or the icon that says "Scenes" on iPhone. Tap a scene to set the light to the preset.
Community Q&A
-
QuestionI initially installed the HUE Bridge to our internet router and it works perfectly. But we have our Google speaker set up on a separate MESH network. Can I move the HUE Bridge to the MESH network?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerOnly if your Wi-Fi extender has an ethernet port that you can use to connect the Hue Bridge.
-
QuestionI cannot link the hue bridge to google assistantThis answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerMake sure you have a Phillips Hue and a Google Home account set up. Open the Google Home app and tap the "+" icon. Tap "Set Up Device" and then select "Works with Google." Tap "Yes" to link your Google Home account with your "Phillips Hue" account.
-
QuestionWhy my hue bridge will not updateThis answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerOpen the Phillips Hue app and go to "Settings". Tap "Software Update" and then tap "Automatic Update." The Hue Bridge should update automatically.
Video
Tips
- You can download the Philips Hue Bluetooth app and control your lights using Bluetooth without the Bridge.Thanks
- If you have a smart speaker, such as Amazon Echo or Google Home, you can add the bulbs in the Google Home app or the Amazon Alexa app. Then you can control the lights with your voice.Thanks
References
About This Article
1. Insert the Hue bulbs in a standard light socket.
2. Connect the Philips Hue Bridge to your router using the ethernet cable and plug it in.
3. Download and install the Philips Hue app from the App Store
on iPhone, or the Google Play Store
on Android.
4. Open the Philips Hue app and tap Set Up
.
5. Tap the button on the top of the bridge and follow the instructions to pair with it and update it.
6. Tap +
or Add Light
to add a new light.
7. Tap the i
icon to rename the lights
8. Tap Next
or the arrow icon when you are finished adding lights.
9. Tap +
or Create Room
to add a new room.
10. Type a name for the room.
11. Use the drop-down menu to select the room type.
12. Tap Save
or the checkmark icon in the upper-right corner.