Can Philips Hue Work Without WiFi?

I see people asking all over internet forums whether or not Philips Hue will work without WiFi. So while I already knew the answer I wanted to dig a little bit deeper and see if I could come up with a more complete and compelling answer.

For the record, yes, Philips Hue works without WiFi. However, you will need to be at least connected to the same router that the Philips Hue is connected to in order for it to work properly. Either that or you need to have generation 3 or newer bulbs in order to connect via Bluetooth.

Most of the time this isn’t even a concern. Unless you are in a place where you don’t have the internet at all. I remember moving into my first apartment and having only dial-up internet because I couldn’t afford anything faster, so don’t feel too bad about it.

Can Philips Hue Work Without A Bridge?

While we have owned both the older and the newer versions of the Philips Hue, I can honestly say in fact that the newer Hue light bulbs can work without a bridge. You just need to pair them with your phone via Bluetooth. The only downside that we have found is that you won’t get some of the newer advanced features that Philips Hue now offers.

The new Philips Hue bridge supports Apple Homekit, which is one of it’s most upgraded features. This is a must-have if you are an Apple user. Also, the newer 3rd generation bulbs provide fuller dimming at a much lower level than it’s predecessors.

How To Connect Your Philips Hue Bridge Without A Router

So, as I previously mentioned your Philips Hue bridge needs to be connected to your wireless router in order for you to be able to connect to it and control it via your phone. If you have the newest version of the Philips Hue bulbs you can connect to them via Bluetooth from your phone. However, if you have an older generation then you won’t be able to.

Can You Turn Off Hue Lights Without Internet?

We lose power internet during the winter frequently due to bad storms here in the Northeast. Along with that, we can lose power as well too. So this was a major consideration for us in using the Philips Hue system. The answer is yes, as long as you still have power and are able to connect to the wireless router, then you should be able to turn your Philips Hue lights off or on. Also, again, if you have the newest versions of the bulbs you can turn them off or on via Bluetooth from your cellphone.

Do Philips Hue Bulbs Use WiFi?

I think it’s important to define the difference between WiFi and the Internet. WiFi is your internal wireless network at your home or place of business that you connect your devices to in order to get internet (aka your router). The internet is provided to your “WiFi” by your internet service provider or ISP via a Cable modem or DSL modem.

So the short answer is, yes, Philips Hue bulbs use wifi and will not work without it unless you are purchasing some of the newer Bluetooth connected bulbs.

What If I Get “No Hue Connection”?

Well, it’s interesting, there are a few different reasons that this can happen and I recently discussed them. As I mentioned in that article the simple answer may be that your lights have likely stopped communicating with the bridge. So you’ll want to ensure that you check your internet connection by looking at the center button light on the Hue bridge. You may have to restart your Philips Hue bridge or manually turn your lights off and on to fix it.

Can You Use Philips Hue Light Strip Without A Bridge?

One of the best features that Philips has implemented within its newest generation of Hue light strips is the Bluetooth function. Which allows them to be used without a bridge. This has made the entry point for consumers much more affordable as you don’t need a bridge in order for the Philips Hue light strips to work. You can connect to them right from Bluetooth on your phone.

Does Philips Hue Work With Alexa Without A Bridge?

If you own the Amazon Echo Plus, it provides basic lighting functionality without a Philips Hue Bridge. That said, I still recommend a Philips Hue bridge if you are planning on having different Philips Hue products in your home purely due to the convenience factor. I have also noticed a lot fewer glitches by having a Philips Hue bridge. In the end it’s up to you, but if you like things that just work the way they are supposed to then I strongly suggest you have a bridge installed.

Does Philips Hue Work With Google Home Without A Bridge?

Again, one of the nicest features with the new Philips Hue starter kits is that they support Bluetooth. You’ll be able to use your Philips Hue bulbs via Google Home without a bridge through your Google Home app.

Does Philips Hue Work With SmartThings Without A Bridge?

A lot of people ask me (probably because SmartThings is a bridge of sorts already) whether or not they need to use a Hue bridge with their Samsung SmartThings hub. The short answer is yes, you should still use a hue bridge. You don’t absolutely HAVE to though. The biggest reason that it is recommended is that not using the bridge can actually mess up a Zigbee network and it also provides a lot of additional Hue functionality. I know that is ultimately very annoying that you have to have two separate hubs sitting right next to each other, but unfortunately, it may be how you’ll have to set it up depending on what features are ultimately important to you.

Conclusion

I hope this Q&A helped you get some answers to your questions about how you can connect your Philips Hue to your favorite devices without a bridge. The newer generations of Philips Hue hardware has become way more intuitive and is insanely improved over what it was a couple of years ago. Lots of improvements to make your life better.  Now that’s what I look for in a solid smart home device.