A smart home setup is not a sci-fi fantasy these days. It is easy, practical, and pretty smart than you might think. However, a smart home setup might seem overwhelming if you are not tech-savvy or less than others.
It is hard to know where to start, but luckily, with this post, we have put together a beginner’s guide that will help you with your smart home setup. Therefore, without further ado, let us get started.
Let’s first understand what a smart home is.
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What is a smart home?
Nowadays, cutting-edge technology makes your life seamless by entirely changing how we use our electrical services. You can control everything at your fingertips when you can convert your traditional home into a smart home.
In a smart home, your electrical devices will be connected to your Wi-Fi network. So, you will get comfort and convenience at your fingertip. When you are done with the smart home setup, you will be able to control everything in real-time with the help of an app on your smartphone, tablet, or smart voice-controlled speaker.
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Where do you start a smart home setup?
An answer to this question is quite simple – a smart home setup depends on your budget, time, and interest. An honest answer to this question is you can buy only one smart home gadget and one brand’s app. After some time, you can make any additions.
However, if you have some bigger plans in your mind, you will probably need to buy one of the following ecosystems.
- Amazon Alexa
- Google Assistant
- Apple HomeKit
Here are a few ways to successfully do a smart home setup with a minimal budget.
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Ways to do a smart home setup
Invest in the best internet connectivity
You need fast and reliable internet connectivity for a smart home setup. Your smart home is highly dependent on internet connectivity. To make everything run smoothly and seamlessly, investing in the best internet connectivity is vital. According to us, if you are a small family with average smart home usage, you will need 100Mbps internet connectivity. On the other hand, if you are a medium-to-large family with average smart home usage, go for 300-500Mbps internet connectivity. If you/your family is a power user of a smart home, you should invest in 940 to 1,000Mbps internet connectivity.
Choose the ecosystem wisely
Before investing in any smart home devices, you should decide which ecosystem is the perfect pick for you. Mainly there are three ecosystems:
- Google Nest
- Amazon Alexa
- Apple HomeKit
If your family members use iPhones, iPads, and Macs, investing in Apple HomeKit is the obvious choice; however, if most members use Android phones in your family, then you should go for Google Nest. For third-party devices, multiple standards will be supported.
However, it is prudent to invest in any one main ecosystem. Google Nest is a voice assistant that responds to voice commands seamlessly. Therefore, for Android users, pick Google Nest. Amazon Alexa supports various third-party compatible devices. You need to install the Alexa app to control Alexa from your smartphone.
Apple HomeKit is the perfect pick for iPhone owners. Apple offers tight third-party certification, ensuring smooth operation for the supported devices. Of course, you will not find many Home-Kit-supported devices like Google Assistant or Alexa, but all the major brands are covered.
Pick the right hub
Using your smartphone, you cannot control all your smart-home gadgets. For that, you need the right hub. A smart home hub is a conduit that connects all your smart home devices to one source. Selecting the right hub depends on which features you expect and the products you use. As per our recommendation, you should choose your hub first and select the compatible products. However, if you already have devices, you can select the hub that perfectly aligns with them.
Once you select the hub, the next step is to add it to your network; you need to follow the instructions provided with the products. If your smart hub is a voice assistant, it is best to try out a few commands before installing it on any other equipment if your smart hub has a voice assistant.
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Invest in smart plugs
Generally, we think smart plugs are not the first device that you should set up with your ecosystem. However, you are mistaken here. Plugs work well with lamps, cookers, heaters, irons, and almost everything you want to automate. Such plugs are even easy to set up. The plug’s app will help you in connecting to the internet. You can even connect the plug to the speaker for voice control if you have a smart speaker.
Purchase smart lights
The next important thing is to set up smart lights. It is usually the easiest thing to set it up. All you need to do is connect it to Wi-Fi, then synchronize it to the hub, and you are done. Are you unsure about connecting a light to the Wi-Fi connection? It is easy. Most of the time, you will find your light as an option under your internet connectivity list. All you need to do is select it, open the light’s brand app, and connect it. Once you have completed the setup, you can enjoy it a lot. You can switch on or off lights from another room or even state.
Be safe
One of the most advantageous things about home automation is you can install a security system on your own. Like other smart home gadgets, it also requires a strong Wi-Fi connection. You can choose security cameras, door locks, open/close sensors, or a motion detector. Therefore, you can include your smart home suite as per your need. Various security brands provide starter kits if you do not want to search for everything separately.
Get smart thermostats
Do you want to keep your home’s temperature warm or cool as per your family’s needs? If yes, invest in smart thermostats. Such thermostats are easy to use and set up and can save your hard-earned money in the long run. Smart thermostats will make you aware of how much energy your family uses and how much it will cost. Therefore, keeping an eye on your home’s output is quite easy.
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Summary – Smart Home Setup
In a nutshell, properly understanding connectivity protocols, voice assistants, and selecting the best products for smart home setup is not as easy as you think. However, keeping in mind the above discussion and perfect setup using the right combination of devices can make the entire smart home setup journey relatively easy and convenient.
Hopefully, this guide has explained smart home setup jargon better. Still, if you have any questions, share them in the comment box below.
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