Smart Home

A Smart Home describes a home in which many appliances and devices in the home are internet enabled and Networked with each other. Smart devices at home can include Fridges, Washers, TVs, Smart Lights, Home Security and more.

Smart Homes can be set up in a wide variety of ways depending on the devices at home as well as personal tastes and preferences. In general Smart Home devices can be used via apps, smart assistants like Google Home Assistant, Siri and Amazon Alexa or automatically by other devices in a Smart Home network. For example a Smart Phone or Smart Watch paired with an Air Conditioner and Smart Speaker can automatically greet visitors with cool air and favourite songs on getting home.

Devices with smart assistants can be controlled with voice commands and respond with their own voice. They are great for managing a schedule, answering quick questions and controlling other smart devices.

With multiple devices at home connected and controlled via the internet, the risk of getting hacked or exposing other devices is heightened. It's important to create unique and strong passwords for each device, account and log in. These should be made with mixed text case (Capitalisation and lower case) plus include numbers and symbols in one passcode. If you have trouble remembering multiple passwords, consider using password management Software to help create and store unique passwords. Remember to change the default Wi-Fi Router username and password at home too.

The router is the primary intermediary between devices and the wider internet so make sure that its firmware is updated regularly to maximise security. You can also create a separate network for Smart Home devices using features like guest access. This will isolate Smart Home devices from other devices such as a mobile phone or Computer which are likely to contain more sensitive data.

Many smart devices at home are compatible with digital assistants that can control other networked smart devices. Rather than juggling multiple apps and remotes, create a unified control environment across devices of different brands or manufacturers for example, a Smart Speaker with a built-in voice assistant like Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Apple Siri (via Apple HomeKit) can be used to control other smart devices in the home as well as the speaker itself.

Most brands support Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa or both (less support Apple at this stage) even if they have their own proprietary digital assistants like Samsung Bixby built-in as well. Both assistants are great for managing a Smart Home setup, and deciding between the two largely comes down to personal preference and compatibility with devices. Google Assistant is found more commonly and tends to be more accurate, whereas Amazon has a larger and more diverse lineup of Smart Home tech.

When it comes to setting up a Smart Home, consider what it should be able to do and tailor the setup to suit all needs, tastes and preferences. Smart Home setups can provide accessibility options for people with disabilities such as opening doors and location guidance.

For most people a Smart Home will start out being geared towards entertainment with Smart Speakers including digital voice assistants, and networked to other Wireless Speaker Systems and entertainment technology like a TV. Some TVs include Smart Home features while others can be controlled by other smart devices via Wi-Fi.

Smart Lights, Air Conditioners and Thermostats are great features to maintain a comfortable and well lit home. Smart Lights can be turned on and off, dimmed, brightened, switched between warm and cool tones and even have their colour changed via an app or assistant. Smart Home appliances such as Fridges and Ovens can be used to put together shopping lists or send a notification when food is cooked.