HomeKit - New architecture - Two homes on the same network

You need to add a HomePod or AppleTV to the new Home. Each "Home" needs a central controller like a HomePod or AppleTV before you can invite people. It would be much better if Apple allowed us to share a room, or share devices individually than require us to share an entire home.

Hi MissPainkiller,

To clarify, it sounds like you were able to set up a second Home, but you're not able to invite a user. Is that right? What are you seeing exactly? Knowing that will help work out what steps might be available to assist.

Depending on exactly what's happening, you may want to follow this guidance to Share control of your home, particularly as you mentioned some differences you've noticed between the old and new architecture:

"If you can't share control of a home

• To invite people to control your home while you're away and edit permissions for them, you need to set up a home hub. If you don't have a home hub set up, you can only invite people when you're home and connected to your home Wi-Fi network. Matter-enabled accessories require a home hub, such as Apple TV 4K or HomePod mini.
• If Home has been upgraded to the new Home architecture, you must set up a home hub to share control of your home.
• You and the people you invite need the latest version of iOS, iPadOS, or macOS.
• Make sure that you and the people you invite are signed in to iCloud on iPhone, iPad, or Mac. In iCloud settings, turn on Home.
• Make sure that you and the people you invite haven't blocked each other's phone number or Apple ID. Learn how to manage blocked phone numbers, contacts, and emails on iPhone or iPad and how to manage blocked callers on Mac."

Let us know if that helps.

Take care.

Hello MissPainkiller,

Please check out this link, which explains how to allow others to control accessories in your home, and may be helpful: Allow others to control accessories in your home

Invite others to control accessories

1. On the Home tab, tap , tap Home Settings, then tap Invite People.

2. Tap  to choose people with an Apple ID from your contacts list, or enter their Apple ID email addresses in the To field.

3. Tap Send Invite.

4. Ask the invitee to do one of the following:

* In the notification: (iOS or iPadOS device) Tap Accept.

* In the Home app: (iOS or iPadOS device) Tap , tap Home Settings, then tap their name.

* On Apple TV: Tap Show Me on Apple TV, then turn on one or more Apple TVs.

If you have an iPhone, please check out the information in this link on how to add more homes with iPhone: Add more homes with iPhone

Add more homes with iPhone

In the Home app , you can add more than one physical space—a home and a small office, for example.

1. Tap , then tap Add New Home.

2. Name the home, choose its wallpaper, then tap Save.

3. To switch to another home, tap , then tap the home you want.

Thanks!

im in the same boat. two homes on the same network.

ground floor is an office i rent out the rest of the building is private living space.

before update to 16.x all home hubs supported the two homekit homes.

You are right, with the new architecture a Hub can only be added to one Home (iOS 17.1). So you need to buy another Homepod Mini or reassign one of your current ones to the second Home.

If they are on the same network (IP-subnet), Airplay2 will still work as before.