Articles in this section

Do I need a Flair Bridge?

Last updated

Do I need a Flair Bridge?

In most homes, yes. The short answer:

  • You have Flair Smart Vents: you need a Flair Bridge or Bridge Pro.
  • You have only Puck 2s, each running in Solo mode: you do not need a Bridge.
  • You want your Puck 2 to run on batteries, with no cable: you need a Bridge or Bridge Pro.

The Bridge is the hub of the Flair system. It connects to your home network over Ethernet or WiFi, and talks to your Smart Vents and Pucks over Flair's own 915 MHz, long range, low power radio.

Do I need a Bridge for Flair Smart Vents?

Yes. Flair Smart Vents do not connect to WiFi themselves. They reach the Flair app and the rest of your system over Flair's 915 MHz radio, which means you need a Flair Bridge or Bridge Pro in the home for your vents to work.

This is true no matter how many vents you have, and no matter which thermostat or HVAC system you have.

Do I need a Bridge if I only have Puck 2s?

Not always. A Puck 2 can run in Solo mode, where it controls the mini split, window unit, or portable unit in its own room and nothing else. A Puck 2 in Solo mode connects to your 2.4 GHz WiFi network on its own, so you do not need a Bridge.  If you plan to run multiple Puck 2s, all in solo mode, you won't need a bridge.

Can I run my Puck 2 on batteries without a Bridge?

No. To run a Puck 2 on batteries, with no cable to an outlet, you need a Flair Bridge or Bridge Pro.

Without a Bridge, a Puck 2 in Solo mode has to keep its own WiFi connection up, which uses far more power than batteries can support, so it needs to stay plugged in with the supplied USB cable and adapter. With a Bridge, the Puck 2 uses Flair's low-power 915 MHz radio instead, and can run on batteries.

Can a Puck 2 act as the hub, or be converted to a Gateway Puck?

No. There is no Gateway mode on the Puck 2, and a Puck 2 cannot be converted into a Gateway Puck. A Puck 2 either runs in Solo mode on its own, or it connects through a Flair Bridge or Bridge Pro. It never acts as the hub for other Pucks or for Smart Vents.

If you need a hub, the answer is a Flair Bridge or Bridge Pro.

What about first-generation Gateway Pucks?

Gateway mode is a first-generation Puck feature only. A first-generation Puck could be set up as a Gateway Puck and carry the network for Smart Vents and Sensor Pucks, and homes set up that way still work.

The Bridge replaced that role because it does the job better: longer radio range and support for more devices than a Gateway Puck could handle. For any new or expanded system, use a Flair Bridge or Bridge Pro as the hub.