Understand Smart Home Bluetooth Mesh Support

You can connect your smart home device to Alexa with the Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) mesh wireless communication technology. With BLE mesh, you don’t have to build a smart home add-on or connect a separate hub. BLE mesh is a low-power, wireless networking option designed to connect each device to every other device in a many-to-many communication model. By extending the end-to-end communication range beyond the radio range of each individual device, this model enables the control and monitoring of numerous connected devices. Most Amazon Echo devices have built-in software to connect and control BLE-mesh smart devices seamlessly, such as light bulbs and plugs. After a customer sets up an Echo, they can connect their devices by saying, In response, the Echo discovers and sets up the devices, and then makes them available in the Alexa app.

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Bluetooth requirements

The Echo supports the BLE Mesh Protocol v1.1 defined by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). This protocol prioritizes security and privacy, implementing robust measures to protect data and user privacy within a mesh network. Key security features include encryption of all network messages, with unique encryption keys used for networks, apps, and devices. BLE mesh also includes protection against various security attacks, such as man-in-the-middle, replay, and trash-can attacks. The protocol addresses privacy through techniques that encrypt destination addresses and obfuscate source addresses to prevent tracking individual devices. For more details about BLE Mesh Protocol v1.1, see the Bluetooth Specification List and the following specifications:

• Mesh Protocol 1.1
• Mesh Profile 1.0.1
• Mesh Model 1.0.1
• Mesh Device Properties 1.1
• Mesh Configuration Database 1.0

To get started with a BLE mesh implementation, review the Build Your Product page on the Bluetooth SIG website. To integrate with the Echo devices, your device must meet the following requirements:

• Support BLE Mesh Protocol v1.1.
• Support Static Out-of-Band (OOB) data provisioning to add your device to the mesh.
  For details about Static OOB authentication, see Section 5.4.2, Figure 5.12, Option 3c in the Mesh Profile 1.0.1 specification.
• Complete Bluetooth SIG Qualification testing.

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Alexa-enabled device support

The following Echo devices support discovery and setup of BLE-mesh devices:

• Echo Plus (all models)
• Echo Show (all models)
• Echo (all models except 1^st Generation)
• Echo Dot (all models except 1^st Generation)

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Test your BLE-mesh integration

After you have implemented the BLE mesh protocol on your smart home device, test the protocol thoroughly with an Echo device. You can find a complete list of available test cases in the Alexa Certification Console. Make sure that you complete the test plans for BLE mesh and the smart home capabilities that your device supports, such as PowerController, BrightnessController, ColorController.

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Prerequisites

To test the protocol with your BLE-mesh device, make sure that the following items are available:

• Your device supports Static OOB authentication.
• You sign in to your Echo device and the Alexa app with your developer account.
• You power on the Echo and your device is within range of the Echo.

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Test with voice

Verify that Alexa can discover your device by voice and that you can interact with the device by using the standard utterances for your device type. For sample utterances, see the Amazon customer guidance and the documentation for each interface that your device implements. The following table shows some sample utterances.

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Test with the Alexa app

In the Alexa app, add your device, and then make sure that Alexa can discover your device. You can view your device in the Alexa app on the settings page and the control page. For details, see How smart home devices display in the Alexa app.

• On the settings page, verify that the type, description, and name for the device is correct.
• On the control page, verify the state of a device and that you can control your device in the app. For example, you can turn on a light.

If the icon displayed for your device in the Alexa app isn’t correct, provide your product information to Amazon.

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Obtain the Works with Alexa badge

Works with Alexa (WWA) is a certification program that establishes your product’s compatibility with Alexa. This certification makes sure that your customers have a better smart home experience. For details about the WWA program, see Works with Alexa Overview. Before you apply for WWA certification for your BLE device, your product must meet the WWA certification requirements for BLE-mesh connected devices and you must provide your product information to Amazon. After you have thoroughly tested your device with the Echo, you can submit your product for WWA certification. For details, see Apply for Works with Alexa Certification.

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Related topics

• ACK SDK for Matter
• Connect Your Device to Alexa with Matter
• Understand Smart Home Thread Support
• Understand Smart Home Zigbee Support
• WWA certification requirements