IKEA “Brandhake”: The Next Step into the Wireless Matter and Thread Age
New IKEA hub “Brandhake” leaked: The compact Dirigera successor radios via WLAN and brings full support for Matter and Thread. All the info here!
By Tobias ·· 3 min read
IKEA continues to expand its smart home ecosystem. Initial approval documents from the US authority FCC indicate a compact successor to the proven Dirigera hub. The focus of the new model with the codename “Brandhake” is maximum flexibility through WLAN integration and full support for future-oriented radio standards such as Thread and Matter.
A recently discovered FCC document reveals exciting details about the Swedish furniture giant’s upcoming smart home hub. Under the internal model number E2588 and the name “Brandhake”, IKEA is apparently developing a new control center that should make the domestic network much more flexible and efficient. Originally speculated in the community as a possible smoke detector, the documents now explicitly confirm the device as “Hub for smart products”.
Wireless Freedom Instead of Cable Force
A major criticism of the current IKEA Dirigera hub is the mandatory Ethernet connection. Anyone who sets up their smart home had to connect the control center directly to the router via cable. In the new brandhake, everything points to a paradigm shift: According to the FCC file, the device transmits in the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.
This allows free placement of the hub in the living room. In practice, this is an enormous advantage, as the control center can be positioned so much more centrally in the house to build a more robust and far-reaching mesh network for all connected sensors and lights.
Focus on the future: Matter and Thread
As a specialist author for building automation, the radio equipment of the new hub is of particular importance to me. With the brandhake, IKEA underscores its commitment to current industry standards:
- Thread: The IPv6-based mesh network protocol ensures lightning-fast reaction times and very low energy consumption. Since each continuous-current thread device acts as a router, the network heals and strengthens itself independently.
- Matter: As the universal language of the smart home, Matter ensures that the IKEA hub communicates seamlessly with major platforms such as Apple Home, Google Home and Amazon Alexa, without the need for cloud-based detours.
- Zigbee and Bluetooth: In order to ensure backward compatibility with the huge existing IKEA range – and popular third-party products such as Philips Hue – these classic protocols remain an essential part of the headquarters.
Smaller, less noticeable, more efficient
The image was AI-generated from the available data. ‘
The dimensions of the new hub are probably only 7 × 7 × 2 centimeters much more compact than the round predecessor. This would allow the box to be hidden almost invisibly behind furniture or on shelves. Power is supplied via a 5-volt connection (1 ampere), most likely via USB-C.
| Feature | IKEA Dirigera (current model) | IKEA Brandhake (Expected) |
| Dimensions | 11.2 x 11.2 x 2.7 cm | about 7.0 x 7.0 x 2.0 cm | | Network connection | Ethernet cable (RJ45) | 2.4 GHz WiFi | | Radio standards | Zigbee, Thread, WLAN, Matter | Zigbee, Thread, Bluetooth, Matter | | Power supply | USB-C (5V) | USB (preliminary). Type-C, 5V/1A
(Note: The final specifications may vary slightly until the official presentation.)
Outlook: When to expect the release?
Officially, IKEA has not yet announced the Brandhake hub. Experience shows, however, that between the first appearance of a device in an FCC certification and the actual market launch usually only three to five months. It is therefore strongly assumed that the new smart home dwarf will end up in stores between December 2026 and February 2027.
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Conclusion: With the brandhake, IKEA seems to react consistently to the feedback of its users. The elimination of the cable requirement coupled with a clear shrinkage cure and the clear commitment to Thread and Matter could make this new hub an extremely strong foundation for future-proof smart homes.
This article was automatically translated from German. Read the original
