Getting Started with Matter: Your Guide to a Future-Proof Smart Home
Matter is a universal smart home standard that lets you control your home through the apps already on your phone: Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, or Samsung SmartThings. Atios products bridge professional building automation (KNX or DALI-2) to Matter, so residents can control lights, blinds, heating, and doors through whichever platform they prefer. The connection runs locally with end-to-end encryption, there are no subscriptions and everything works even if your internet goes down.
Why should I care?
Secure App Control with Privacy
Your entire home communicates locally within your network with end-to-end encryption, so your data never leaves your home. There's no cloud dependency for basic control, which means your home keeps working even during internet outages.
Simple Interface and Remote Access
You already know how to use these apps because they're built into iOS and Android. There's no registration with yet another service, no monthly cloud fees, and no technical setup for remote access. When you're away from home, remote control just works—no port forwarding, no VPN configuration, no IT expertise required.
Scenes and Automations in Your Hands
Creating scenes and automations happens directly in Apple Home, Google Home, or your preferred app. Sunrise/sunset timing (astro functions) and location-based automations (geofencing) are built-in features that work right out of the box. The end user controls their own automations without needing to call an integrator for changes.
Easy Shared Access
When you want to share digital access, you can invite additional users through your app—they get the exact level of control you choose.
Future-Proof Installation
Matter receives regular updates and new device categories. When residents buy security cameras, floor lamps, TVs, multi-room audio, air purifiers, or any other Matter device later, it integrates seamlessly with their existing system. The investment in proper infrastructure today means continuous expansion without replacing anything.
Better for Integrators
Matter shifts visualization responsibility to the end user and their familiar apps. Integrators can focus on what they do best - planning and programming the solid KNX or DALI foundation - then hand off the Matter interface at completion. This means fewer frustrated callbacks about app customization, more efficient project completion, and happier clients who already know how to use their system.
Setting up your Matter Smart Home: step by step
1. Choose and set up your Matter controller
Start by selecting which ecosystem you prefer: Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Home Assistant or Samsung SmartThings. Each has its strengths - Apple emphasizes privacy and local control, Google excels at voice assistance, Amazon offers the widest device compatibility, and Samsung provides powerful automation capabilities.
Set up your chosen Matter controller according to the manufacturer's instructions. Popular options include Apple HomePod, Amazon Echo (4th gen or newer), Google Nest Hub, or Samsung SmartThings Station. These devices coordinate your Matter network and provide the interface you'll use to control everything.
2. Connect your Atios device
Atios offers two solutions to bring Matter integration to your building automation:
Atios KNX Bridge connects KNX installations to Matter. It features Matter integration, a KNX-DALI gateway and a KNX IP interface. Perfect for high-end installations and modernizing existing KNX systems.
Atios SmartCore is an all-in-one solution with 12 relay outputs, 12 digital inputs, and DALI-2 support for up to 64 lights and 64 sensors. Ideal for new builds, apartments, hotel rooms, and cost-effective large-scale projects.
[For a deeper dive into Matter's technical capabilities, detailed product comparisons between Atios KNX Bridge and Atios SmartCore, see here.]
Follow the setup guide for your device. Once your Atios device is connected to your network and configured through the web interface, navigate to System Settings and enable Matter support. You'll see a QR code displayed on screen.
Open your preferred Matter app (Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, or Samsung SmartThings) and select "Add Device" or "Add Accessory." Scan the QR code from the Atios web interface, and all your configured devices - lights, blinds, sensors, and more - will appear in your Matter ecosystem within seconds. You can now control everything through your preferred smart home platform.
3. Add additional Matter devices
Adding new Matter devices is truly simple. Each device comes with a Matter QR code on the packaging or in the manual. Open your controller app, scan the code, and the device joins your network automatically.
4. Organize and create automations
Once your devices are connected, organize them into rooms and zones within your app.
Matter supports sophisticated automations that work across manufacturers. For example, you could create a "Good Night" scene that turns off all lights (both KNX and Matter), locks your Matter-compatible door lock, and adjusts your thermostat - all triggered by a single button press on a Matter switch.
Multi-controller: The power of Matter
One of Matter's most impressive features is multi-admin support. You can connect the same devices to multiple controllers simultaneously. This means your Apple Home users can control devices through Siri while Android users in the household use Google Assistant - all controlling the exact same devices without conflicts.
The road ahead
Matter is still evolving, with new device categories being added regularly. Recent additions include robot vacuums, cameras, and energy management devices. Your Atios Bridge receives regular firmware updates to support these new capabilities, ensuring your KNX installation stays at the cutting edge of smart home technology.
The beauty of building a Matter-based smart home today is knowing your investment is protected. Unlike proprietary systems that can become obsolete, Matter is an open standard backed by hundreds of companies. Your devices will continue to work and improve over time, regardless of which manufacturers you choose.
Ready to bring your KNX installation into the Matter ecosystem? The Atios Bridge makes it effortless, giving you instant access to hundreds of compatible devices while maintaining the reliability and professionalism of your KNX system.
