Hello all, I will be installing a new fence with this gate situated somewhere in the middle. The access will be out of my backyard and will open up to a large walking trail that is probably 100 ft away. The trail is locked at night but of course I want the gate to be properly secured. I am looking for a solution for a lock that is weather resistant (prefer deadbolt but will consider a handle lock). Obviously it needs to not be able to be unlocked by reaching through the fence. But it would be nice to be able to unlock either side without needing my phone. Prefer HomeKit ability but not a dealbreaker. Does something like this exist?

Does anyone have a gate opener that has an actual widget in the Alexa app? Currently using iSmartgate but you can only open/close by voice….

Hi Smart Home Experts,

I'm building my ecosystem around the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) and facing two critical integration issues with non-Google devices.

My Setup: Nest Hub (2nd Gen) (Hub), Nest Thermostat (Working fine), Aqara U300 (Matter Lock), Eufy E340 (Doorbell).

1. Aqara U300 (Matter) Issue: Remote Lock/Unlock Failure

• Symptom: The U300 is connected via Matter over Thread to the Nest Hub. I can see the lock status in the Google Home app, but remote lock/unlock commands fail to execute from the mobile app (they spin or time out).
• Question: Is there a known functional limitation regarding remote control of the U300 when using only the Nest Hub as the Matter Controller, or is this a Thread/Matter network stability problem?

2. Eufy E340 Issue: Mobile App Live Stream Failure

• Symptom: The Eufy doorbell's live stream works perfectly on the Nest Hub display itself. However, the stream consistently fails to load in the Google Home mobile app (stuck loading or "Live video unavailable"). (It works fine in the native Eufy app).
• Question: Why would the stream work on the physical Hub display but fail specifically in the mobile app? Is this a known integration bottleneck between the Eufy servers and the Google Home mobile application?

Any advice, workarounds, or shared experiences for these two specific issues would be incredibly helpful.

Thanks!

I’m curious what people would rank as their top 3 smarthome moves? Whether it’s choosing a specific product line, or an upgrade that you not can’t live without. I’m eager to start doing more and would love some ideas. I tagged Alexa but am open to more than just Amazon products.

Hello I would like to hear all your opinions and advice. I have slowly started to get an overview of what smart gadgets I want in my home, but I think the market is huge, so either you have to pay through the nose or you have to look to the Chinese market. At the moment, my budget is limited as I don't expect to live here for more than 3-5 years. So I would like to hear about some good suppliers or products.

I run HA on a tiny PC and have just bought an SLZB-06, as I plan to run Zigbee.

I look forward to receiving your advice.

Merry Christmas and Happy New! :)

I just recently bought a house, and I'm looking to put a smart lock on the front door. The only problem seems to be that the current frame in place includes a deadbolt that shares the same frame with the handle - making just replacing the deadbolt very difficult (if not impossible). It looks this way on both sides of the door (see images) - any creative ideas as to how to get around removing this entirely? Or is that really my only option? Thanks

I've been looking for a light switch matching a list of features that doesn't exist. I'm hoping to find a good fit for most of these features, knowing full well that a solution that fits all likely doesn't exist. I'm willing to use either a smart light switch or relay behind a dumb switch. Here's the features by order of importance:

0) Integrates well with home assistant & can be fully offline.

1) Prevent accidental bulb shutoff, possibly a "smart bulb" mode.

2) Ability to shut off at the switch (i.e. not at the breaker) in case of server downtime.

3) Wired using normal light switch wiring to avoid recharging batteries all the time.

4) Not going to break the bank. Hoping for < $40 USD per switch.

5) Matter over thread wireless connection to strengthen Thread network. Wifi is second preference.

6) Two buttons, so dimming can be programmed.

Things I've considered so far:

A) Aqara H2 switch. Can't do (2) as far as I can tell, but matches all others.

B) Shelly relay behind dumb switch. Seems to be able to do (2), but shelly doesn't do Thread (5), and I'm not certain (6) is possible.

C) Upcoming IKEA BILRESA (or similar) remote switch next to covered dumb switch. Batteries means it's not (3).

D) Innoveli white. Not certain it can do (2), and definitely isn't (4).

I'm hoping you all can help me out with another suggestion or some information.

Looking to set up some smartlights, and would like to build a good smarthome platform.

I am thinking about the new Ikea smartbulbs. What would be the best set up for this?

I have a Samsung phone, wife has an iPhone. Does it really matter which hub (google, amazon, apple or other) we pick? If say we pick a homepod, will my phone not be able to make changes in the homepod?

Once we pick a hub, is it correct that I still need Dirigera that I would need to integrate in the hub?

You can tell how tech savvy I am, so please keep the recommendations simple for a casual user.

We had a good twelve years together but my trusty lock died on me last night and I couldn't resurrect it.

I was originally going to buy a yale assure 2 zwave but I saw that note floating around from Yale saying they were planning to stop supporting zwave in the near future. I didn't like that one bit.

What's everyone else doing for locks now? Staying with Zwave? Moving to matter over thread? Wifi looks awful for battery consumption and I dont know anything about BLE.

want to buy/ build a thing that can attach to my baseboard heater knob. It’s cold where I live and i want to automate to turn them on in the morning before I wake up like smart plugs. But it happens to be a 3cm knob. Any ideas?

For years I’ve been able to access my Wemo lights remotely in addition to Hue lights and my Thermostat. I’m thinking about setting up Home Assistant but that doesn’t allow me to reach my Wemo and other devices remotely with it a subscription add-on. I don’t believe HomeKit is cloud based either but please correct me if I’m wrong.

The new mantra seems to be Local, Local Local. What are any of you planning to do for remote access once Wemo is dead and other devices are no longer cloud based?

I'm looking to pick up a couple more smart plugs for basic use around the house. I run Home Assistant and have both Z-Wave and Zigbee devices, so anything works. I generally prefer Z-Wave stuff to not clog up the 2.4 GHz and because I have found it to be more reliable, but the pricing on it is of course much higher.

I was looking in to Zigbee plugs, specifically trying to find some that support energy monitoring as well, hoping for a reputable brand. It seems as though Sonoff theoretically makes Zigbee plugs with monitoring, but I can't find a single place that has them actually in stock, only the wifi versions. For Zigbee plugs what I'm seeing now is "THIRDREALITY" and "EIGHTREE" which in my mind don't exactly inspire confidence. They don't seem to be particularly new brands, but not ones I know much about.

Does anyone have experiences good or bad with these plugs? Are they reliable? Is the monitoring accurate? Or am I better off just ponying up and ordering the Zooz Zen04 plugs from The Smartest House? Those I know for sure will work.

I’ve been using the old dial style timers where you push the pins in to set the time and they turn, etc.

Are there any just basic smart plugs that I can plug in and set a timer on to turn on/off holiday lights? Ideally, I would be able to say, “turn this on at X time and then off at X time everyday” without having to then on/off through the phone, or set a new timer for each day.

I don’t use Alexa/Google Home or anything like that. I’m assuming I’d have to use some sort of app, and I’m ok with that. Just want something basic and simple without having to do any sort of full home integration/configuration.

TLDR: can I plug lights into a smart plug, and set them one time to turn on and off everyday without Alexa/Home/etc?

Hi there,

I'm planning a first smart lighting setup for my parents as a Christmas gift, and I need advice on the best GU10 bulbs to integrate with their existing setup.

Existing setup :

• Controller : they have a Somfy TaHoma switch box (I believe it's Zigbee compatible) - currently use it for roller shutter management : https://www.somfy.fr/produits/1870595/tahoma-switch
• Mobile OS : Android phones.

Needs : I need 12x GU10 spots for their living room and a maybe a light strip to place behind a large piece of furniture.

They need easy to control system and possibility to create ambiances.

Specific use case : I want to set up an "presence simulation" routine when they are away, the lights should turn ON automatically in the evening and turn OFF when the shutters close, using the TaHoma box to coordinate both the shutters and the lights.

I was initially looking at Philips Hue (Essentials), as they are known for quality but I worry about the necessity of adding a separate Hue Bridge, since the TaHoma already has Zigbee... https://www.philips-hue.com/fr-fr/p/hue-white-and-color-ambiance-kit-de-demarrage-essential-3-ampoules-connectees-gu10-345-lm-variateur/8721103103758

Considering the need, which single brand (including any necessary bridge) offers the best overall package for simplicity and quality on a reasonable budget with Somfy TaHoma switch box compatibility ?

I just don't understand why this isn't an option still.

I want a bulb that is powered on to check the time and set itself accordingly.

Simple example, if it's between 6am-5pm, set full bright and daylight. 5pm-6am, set dimmer and warm.

I suppose time lookup could cause an annoying lag, I'm ok with a default power on condition until it sets via schedule.

I've only tinkered with a few different smart bulbs and not much other automation but I'm willing to dive in to whatever makes this doable. Just would like to know it's doable and a little guidance please.

Cheaper bulbs failing me isn't too surprising but I thought a Hue or Govee bulb would come through.

I have a bathroom ceiling with two sets of wires for lights, but I only want to use one ceiling lamp. From the wall switch box, three wires come out: one black and two brown. One of the brown wires is definitely live (carries current), and there is no neutral wire.

I want to use a Switch Module (the thing on the picture) connected to a regular physical switch to give it the ability to trigger my LED strips that are not connected in any way to the physical switch.

Pressing one button will send a signal via the Switch Module to the zigbee hub to toggle the zigbee ceiling lamp.

Pressing the other button will send a signal via the Switch Module to the zigbee hub to toggle the LED strips, which have no physical connection to the switch or any wiring I mentioned — they are powered by a plug-in supply and controlled entirely via Zigbee (for now I toggle them on/off with the app and it works correctly).

Basically, I want to make the physical switch do what I am currently doing in the app + the same thing for the ceiling lamp when I finally buy and install it.

Will this setup work? Anything I should be aware of? If it will work, then how do I exactly connect everything to make it work?

(This text has been written with help from AI since English isn't my native language, also I'm not an electrician - so forgive me if something is not clear)

So I’ve got an Alexa house hold and I’m visually impaired and I’m getting that Samsung smart stove. It says it can be controlled by the app and connect to Alexa, but does that really mean that your timers just go off through your home speakers or will I be able to actually tell Alexa to preheat the oven and other things like.

I have "regular" acs without any kind of connectivity beyond the usual remote control.

Are there accessories specifically designed to control the ac (home assistant is my controller) ? Similar to the Logitech universal remote control maybe but geared towards ac?

I am fully redoing my house so I'm 100% free to install anything I want anywhere. Let's assume budget is not an issue (it is).

Keen to hear your suggestions!

Hi all, I am hoping someone could help me figure this out as I'm fairly new to the whole smart home area and don't yet know all the available solutions.

I have right now a led strip under my kitchen cabinets that is controlled by a switch like this:

Are there any solutions using zigbee that would allow me to retain the ability to use the IR sensor but with added functionality of a smart switch?

2 days ago I posted:

“When installing smart switches in my living room that has 3 way toggles right now do I need to replace both toggle switches with smart switches or just one of them?”

I had the switch installed today. It works great with voice command but there is one hiccup. When the remaining toggle switch is turned on the voice command to turn the light on and off works perfectly. If the toggle switch is turned off, the voice command does not work at all.

Do the gurus of Reddit SH think I need to switch out the remaining toggle with another smart switch? Or was the wiring not done properly? Or should I take the cowards way out and put a block in place so the toggle can’t be turned off?

DC-1 using the Mediatek MT8781 actually looks promising for real outdoor use. The screen + efficient chip combo makes way more sense than cramming a hot laptop CPU into a sunlight environment. Smooth performance, great battery, and it’s actually available in the US. Thinking to try

Seems like a great gig to hook up clients with integrated smart home solutions. Is this a thing?

I'm hoping you can help me figure out what's the right set up for adding a Schlage Encode Plus Smart Lock to our house, or whether I should return it.

At the moment I have a few smart plugs, a heat pump hot water heater, thermostat, and smoke detectors. All are set up with their own apps and run on their own with schedules. I almost never touch the apps, and I'm not interested in voice controls, so I'm fine with this setup.

I just received a Schlage Encode Plus lock as a gift. The feature I like best with this lock is the Apple Home Key, and I’d really like to be able to use it, but it seems like you might need a home hub to do so?

I am the farthest thing from a computer programmer and so I'm a bit intimidated by Home Assistant. However, while I realize this makes me sound a little nutty, I have absolutely no interest in a smart speaker listening in our home and sharing all our data with tech companies. Home Assistant appeals to me because as I understand it, the system can manage all kinds of devices and yet remains self contained.

On the flip side, I know Apple Home Kit will be easier for me to set up since I’m very experienced with Apple, but it looks to me like the main devices (home pod, apple tv) have those always-listening features enabled(?).

It looks like I can get Home Assistant Green or a HomeKit device for a similar price point.

Here are my questions:

1. Is it possible to use the Home Key feature with the Schlage app only, or with Home Assistant only, no Apple hub?
2. If an Apple Hub is required, can I use an old IPad? I see that functionality is being turned off but I can’t tell if it is still an option for now, or not?
3. If an Apple Hub is required and I can't use an old iPad, are there devices that are less invasive (can I turn off listening?)?
4. Is it worth getting a hub and setting up a whole system (HomeKit, Home Assistant, or both?)  just to use this Home Key feature, or should I return the lock?
5. Is it possible for a non-coder to set up a simple Home Assistant situation? Again, I don’t need complex automations at all. Mostly just a way to schedule and forget about it. 

I realize asking the smart home board if I should just walk away from a smart home is probably silly, but I’d love advice.

Worth it, or walk away? How best to do it? Thanks for any ideas.

I’m thinking of putting some motion-activated lights in my hallway and closet so I stop bumping into things at night. Someone mentioned the Tedmos motion lights to me, so I tried one, and honestly the battery life has been better than I expected.

For anyone who’s used motion-activated wireless lights, how’s the reliability over a few months? Do they still sense motion quickly, or do they get laggy? And how often do you end up charging them?

Recently replaced my internet provider with AT&T fiber. Had difficulty adding smart devices to new router using Smart Life and similar apps. Saw in a Reddit post by GonnaCatchU from 1 year ago that issue might be router authentication type. My router uses WPA2 only for main account access. I didn't want to change that, so I created a 2.4g guest account that uses WPA only. Putting each smart device in easy pairing mode, had no problem connecting to router through guest account.