Step 6 · Devices

Attach the physical inputs and outputs behind each gateway — and name them properly.

Gateways are the boxes. Devices are the things behind them: a light circuit, a thermostat, a window contact, a Make Up Room button. This step gives each one a name that Harmony and your automations can use.

Go to Devices. There is one tab per gateway type.

BUS devices

1

Click Add BUS device, then choose the gateway

Only gateways that are online will offer their contents.

2

Automation name

The name you will see everywhere else — in automations, on room cards, in the event log. Be specific: 203 bathroom light, 203 window contact, 203 MUR button.

3

Units

What kind of thing this is:

• Ints and Bits — individual signals on the unit

• Readers — card readers wired to this unit

• Rooms — room-level objects the unit exposes

4

Pick the addresses

The dialog lists what the gateway reports, with type, address and description. Tick the ones you want.

5

Save

eLAN devices work identically, except you select by RF address rather than a bus address. API devices ask for a method (GET or POST) and a URL, and Harmony then treats the result like any other device.

BIT and INT, in plain words

	BIT	INT
Holds	On or off	A number
Typical use	Lamp, socket, door contact, window contact, service button, DND lamp	Temperature, setpoint, dimmer level, blind position
In an automation	"is on" → "switch on / off"	"is greater than" → "set to 21"

Naming: the decision you live with for years

Device names are what you read in a list of two hundred automations at eleven at night. Adopt one pattern and never deviate:

<room number> <what> <where>

203 light ceiling
203 light bathroom
203 temp actual
203 temp set
203 window contact
203 door contact
203 MUR button
203 DND lamp

Put the room number first. Every list in Harmony is searchable, so typing 203 then gives you that room's entire device set in one go — and sorting groups each room together.

Attach devices to rooms

A device that Harmony knows about but which is not attached to a room can still be switched by hand, but it will not appear on that room's card and cannot take part in room-based logic.

Attach from either side: from Floors/Rooms → Rooms, edit the room and use its Devices section; or choose the room-related unit while adding the device.

Work room by room

The reliable method for a real building needs two people — one at the screen, one in the room:

1

Add the room's devices using your naming pattern

2

Attach them to the room

3

Open Overview and find that room's card

4

Ask your colleague to press things

The light switch, the window, the service buttons. Confirm the card reacts.

5

Switch a light from the card

Confirm it changes in the room. Now you know both directions work.

Ten minutes per room feels slow. Finding a swapped address after the automations are written costs far more.

Confirm it worked

• Every room card on Overview shows a real temperature, not a dash

• Opening a window changes that room's card

• Switching a light from the card changes the room

• Every device name follows the same pattern