Mick's IT Blogs

HomeKit Stops working with Meross, Kasa and other IoT devices

Mick Pletcher  • 

HomeKit Broke After iOS 17.3? Here’s How I Fixed Meross & Kasa

Symptoms: Devices show “No Response,” automations fail, and hubs appear fine.

I run HomeKit across Meross, Kasa, and others. After updating to iOS 17.3, multiple devices went dark. Firmware updates and re-pairing didn’t help. The root cause was my TP-Link Deco mesh blocking device-to-hub traffic.

What Didn’t Fix It

  • Updating device firmware (Meross, Kasa, etc.)
  • Re-adding devices to HomeKit
  • Rebooting hubs and access points
  • Waiting for “the next update”
Diagnosis
Wireshark showed devices attempting to reach my Apple TV (HomeKit hub) but packets were blocked. That tells you it’s a network policy problem, not a HomeKit or device firmware problem.

Fix (TP-Link Deco) — Step by Step

  1. Put devices on the same SSID
    Keep HomeKit devices on one SSID (the main network). A separate isolated “IoT” SSID can block hub discovery.
    Deco app: move IoT devices to main SSID
    Deco → Wi-Fi → Ensure affected devices use the main SSID.
  2. Force 2.4 GHz for devices that require it
    Many plugs/switches are 2.4-only. In Deco, explicitly assign them to 2.4 GHz so they don’t roam incorrectly.
    Deco app: assign 2.4 GHz
    Deco → Device details → Network Preference → 2.4 GHz.
  3. Disable Device Isolation Key step
    This allows devices to reach your Apple TV/HomePod hub for HomeKit. After turning this off, everything came back immediately.
    • Kasa and Mysa needed isolation off
    • Meross worked with isolation on, but I recommend off for consistency
    Deco app: disable device isolation
    Deco → Wi-Fi or IoT Network → Advanced → disable Device Isolation.
Note on the hub
Your Apple TV/HomePod can be on 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz. Once Device Isolation is off and all devices share the same SSID, the hub will communicate with 2.4-only devices without issues.

TL;DR

Symptom Devices “No Response” after iOS 17.3
Cause Router policy (Deco) blocked device-to-hub traffic
Fix Same SSID + force 2.4 GHz for 2.4-only devices + disable Device Isolation

Troubleshooting Checklist

  • Devices and hub on the same SSID
  • 2.4-only devices forced to 2.4 GHz
  • Device Isolation disabled on the SSID they use
  • Power-cycle the affected devices and the hub
  • Re-test discovery; if still failing, check packets (mDNS, TCP) between device and hub

Brands in my tests: Meross (OK with isolation on), Kasa (needs isolation off), Mysa (needs isolation off). Your mileage may vary, but the network policy was the blocker.

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