Frequently Asked Questions¶

Common questions and answers about the Meraki Dashboard integration's multi-hub architecture.

Can't find what you're looking for? Check our Troubleshooting section or ask a question on GitHub.

General Questions¶

What devices are supported?¶

The integration now supports multiple device types with automatic hub creation:

Currently Supported: - MT Series Environmental Sensors: MT10, MT12, MT14, MT15, MT20, MT30, MT40 - MR Series Wireless Access Points: All MR models with SSID and client metrics - MS Series Switches: All MS models with port and PoE monitoring

Coming Soon: MV (cameras) series devices - infrastructure is ready.

How does the multi-hub architecture work?¶

The integration creates multiple hubs automatically: - Organization Hub: {Organization Name} - Organisation manages the overall connection - Network Hubs: {Network Name} - {Device Type} (e.g., "Main Office - MT", "Branch - MR") - Individual Devices: Nested under their respective network hubs

Only hubs for existing device types are created - if you have no MR devices, no MR hubs are created.

Do I need a special Meraki license?¶

No special license is required. You just need: - A Meraki organization with API access enabled - At least one supported device (MT or MR series) - A valid Meraki Dashboard API key

How much does this cost?¶

The integration itself is completely free and open source. You only need existing Meraki devices and Dashboard access.

Can I use this with Meraki Go?¶

No, this integration requires Meraki Dashboard (enterprise/business Meraki), not Meraki Go (consumer product).

Installation & Setup¶

Why can't I find the integration in Home Assistant?¶

The integration needs to be installed through HACS first: 1. Install HACS if you haven't already 2. Open HACS and click on "Integrations" 3. Click the "+ Explore & Download Repositories" button 4. Search for "Meraki Dashboard" 5. Click on the integration and then click "Download" 6. Restart Home Assistant 7. Then add the integration through Settings → Devices & Services

I get "Invalid API Key" errors¶

Check these common issues: - Copy/paste errors: Ensure no extra spaces or characters - Wrong key: Make sure you're using the Dashboard API key, not device serial - Permissions: Verify the key has organization read access - Expiration: Check if the key has expired

No hubs are created during setup¶

This usually means: - No supported devices: Only MT, MR, and MS series devices are currently supported - Devices offline: Check device status in Meraki Dashboard - Network access: Verify devices are in networks accessible by your API key - Recent data: Ensure devices have reported data recently

The integration setup gets stuck¶

Try these steps: 1. Check your internet connection 2. Verify API key permissions in Meraki Dashboard 3. Look for errors in Home Assistant logs 4. Try removing and re-adding the integration

Configuration & Intervals¶

What are the new default intervals?¶

The integration now uses optimized per-hub intervals: - MT Environmental Sensors: - With MT15/MT40 devices: 30 seconds (fast refresh mode) - Without MT15/MT40 devices: 10 minutes recommended - MR Wireless Access Points: 10 minutes (balanced performance and API usage) - Discovery: 1 hour (how often to scan for new devices) - MS Switches: 10 minutes (port and PoE monitoring) - MV Cameras (Future): 10 minutes (video analytics)

Why did the intervals change from 20 minutes?¶

The new system provides better optimization: - MT sensors: 30 seconds with fast refresh for MT15/MT40, 10 minutes for others - MR/MS devices: 10 minutes balances monitoring needs with API usage - Per-hub control: Different device types have different optimal intervals - Better defaults: Optimized for both performance and API efficiency

Can I configure different intervals for each hub?¶

Yes! You can set individual hub intervals: 1. Go to Settings → Devices & Services → Meraki Dashboard → Configure 2. Set per-hub scan intervals (in minutes) 3. Set per-hub discovery intervals (in minutes)

Example configuration:

Main Office - MT: 0.5 minutes (30 seconds with MT15/MT40)
Main Office - MR: 10 minutes
Data Center - MS: 5 minutes (critical switch monitoring)
Branch Office - MT: 10 minutes (standard monitoring)

How often do sensors actually update?¶

MT Sensors: - MT15/MT40 devices: Every 30 seconds with fast refresh mode - Other MT models: Every 2-20 minutes (configurable in Meraki Dashboard) - Integration defaults: - With MT15/MT40: 30 seconds (automatically sends refresh commands) - Without MT15/MT40: 10 minutes recommended - You can adjust both the sensor reporting interval and integration polling

MR Devices: - Network changes can happen anytime - Integration default: 10 minutes provides balanced monitoring - Adjust to 5 minutes for more frequent updates if needed

MS Switches: - Port and PoE status monitoring - Integration default: 10 minutes for standard monitoring - Adjust to 5 minutes for critical infrastructure

What is MT Fast Refresh Mode?¶

For MT15 and MT40 devices only, the integration provides ultra-fast sensor updates: - Automatic Detection: Enabled automatically when MT15/MT40 devices are present - Refresh Commands: Sends API commands every 30 seconds to trigger sensor updates - Data Polling: Fetches updated data every 30 seconds - Smart Error Handling: Tracks errors per device to prevent log flooding - No Manual Configuration: Works out of the box with supported devices

Can I change update intervals after setup?¶

Yes! Go to Settings → Devices & Services → Meraki Dashboard → Configure to adjust: - Per-hub scan intervals: How often each hub fetches data - Per-hub discovery intervals: How often each hub scans for new devices - Organization-wide settings: Fallback intervals for new hubs

Hub Management¶

How do I see my hubs in Home Assistant?¶

After setup, you'll see your hubs in Settings → Devices & Services: - Organization Device: Shows overall connection status - Network Hub Devices: One per network per device type - Individual Devices: Your actual MT sensors, etc., nested under hubs

Can I control individual hubs?¶

Yes! Each hub provides: - Update Hub Data: Force immediate refresh for that hub - Discover Devices: Scan for new devices in that hub - Organization Controls: Update all hubs or discover across all networks

What if I add new devices or networks?¶

Auto-Discovery (Enabled by Default): - Automatically discovers new devices at the configured interval - Creates new hubs when devices of new types are added - Adds devices to appropriate existing hubs

Manual Discovery: - Use the "Discover Devices" buttons on individual hubs - Use organization-wide discovery for comprehensive scans

Can I disable specific hubs?¶

Currently, you can't disable individual hubs, but you can: - Use device selection to monitor only specific devices - Increase intervals for less important hubs - Disable auto-discovery for specific hubs (planned feature)

Device Types & Features¶

Why are some sensors missing from my MT device?¶

Not all MT models support all sensor types: - MT10/MT12: Basic temperature/humidity + battery - MT14/MT15: Adds water detection and door sensors - MT20: Adds CO2, noise, and indoor air quality - MT30: Adds TVOC and PM2.5 - MT40: Adds electrical measurements (voltage, current, power)

Check your device model specifications in the Meraki Dashboard.

What MR features are currently supported?¶

Current MR Support (Proof of Concept): - SSID count (total configured SSIDs) - Enabled SSIDs (currently active) - Open SSIDs (unsecured networks) - Basic network hub diagnostics

Future MR Features: - Client count and bandwidth usage - Signal strength and channel utilization - Security status and rogue AP detection - Performance metrics and historical data

Can I monitor specific devices only?¶

Yes! You can choose to: - Monitor all devices: Leave device selection empty (recommended for multi-hub) - Select specific devices: Choose only the ones you want to monitor

The hub architecture works well with both approaches.

Troubleshooting¶

Hubs show "Unavailable"¶

Common causes: - API connectivity: Check internet connection and API key - Device offline: Check device status in Meraki Dashboard - Rate limiting: Check if you're exceeding API limits - Network issues: Ensure HA can reach Meraki API endpoints

Some hubs update but others don't¶

Check individual hub configurations: - Hub intervals: Verify each hub has appropriate intervals - Device status: Check that devices in non-updating hubs are online - API limits: Ensure you're not hitting rate limits - Enable debug logging: See specific errors for each hub

"Rate limit exceeded" errors¶

You're making too many API calls. Solutions: - Increase hub intervals: Longer intervals reduce API usage - Reduce monitored devices: Select only necessary devices - Disable auto-discovery: If not needed, disable per-hub or organization-wide - Check other API usage: Other applications may be using your API quota

Integration shows "Failed to load"¶

Try these steps: 1. Restart Home Assistant 2. Check Home Assistant logs for specific errors 3. Verify your API key is still valid 4. Remove and re-add the integration if needed

Performance & Optimization¶

How many API calls does the multi-hub architecture make?¶

The architecture is designed for efficiency: - Initial setup: ~3-5 calls to discover devices and create hubs - Regular updates: 1 call per hub per update cycle - Auto-discovery: 1 additional call per hub per discovery interval (if enabled) - Hub coordination: Minimal overhead for managing multiple hubs

How do I optimize for a large organization?¶

Best Practices: - Use longer intervals for less critical locations - Hub-specific intervals: 5 minutes for critical, 15+ for others - Selective monitoring: Don't monitor every device if not needed - Stagger discovery: Different discovery intervals for different hubs - Monitor API usage: Track usage in Meraki Dashboard

Can I use multiple API keys?¶

Each integration instance uses one API key. For multiple organizations: - Set up separate integration instances - Use different API keys if needed - Configure different hub intervals per organization

Will this affect my Meraki Dashboard performance?¶

No, the integration uses read-only API calls that don't affect Dashboard performance or device operation. The multi-hub architecture may actually improve performance by distributing API calls across time.

Advanced Usage¶

Can I export data from multiple hubs?¶

Yes! You can: - InfluxDB: Export data from all hubs for long-term storage - History: Use Home Assistant's built-in history for all entities - Automation: Create automations that span multiple hubs - API: Access data from all hubs through Home Assistant's REST API

Can I create automations across hubs?¶

Absolutely! Create automations that: - Monitor conditions across multiple locations/hubs - Coordinate responses between different device types - Provide organization-wide alerting and reporting

Example: Temperature monitoring across all MT hubs with MR network status context.

Can I set up alerts for hub issues?¶

Yes! Create automations for: - Hub connectivity issues - Device count changes (devices going offline) - API error rates - Discovery failures

Can I use this with Node-RED?¶

Yes! Node-RED can subscribe to entities from all hubs and create complex automation flows that span multiple networks and device types.

Migration & Updates¶

I'm upgrading from the old single-hub version - what changes?¶

Automatic Migration: - Existing configurations are preserved - New hub structure is created automatically - Entity names remain the same - Automations and dashboards continue to work

New Features Available: - Per-hub interval configuration - MR device support - Better organization and control - Improved performance and reliability

Do I need to reconfigure after updating?¶

Required: - Nothing - migration is automatic

Recommended: - Review and optimize per-hub intervals - Explore new MR device features if you have MR devices - Consider using hub-specific controls for better management

Still need help? Check the troubleshooting sections above or open an issue on GitHub.