Making the switch to a smart home is one of the best decisions you can make right now. You want to automate your home so that it can fit your daily routines and schedules. One of the best ways to get started on your home automation is to get a good central hub.
A hub is simply the brain that controls and manages all your smart devices so that you can get all the efficiency and convenience you need. There are a few smart hubs in the smart home industry that guarantee you all these than the Samsung SmartThings.
Samsung SmartThings incorporate the latest DIY technology and comes with a plug-and-play kind of method that has gained popularity among many homeowners.
Let’s face it; nobody wants to purchase a smart device that will take them hours to set up. You’re switching to home automation to get more comfort, and for that reason, you need devices that only take few minutes to install and set up, and SmartThings is definitely one of them.
SmartThings is for the people who want to build their smart homes with as many smart devices as possible and have them work together seamlessly. With SmartThings, your smart home will have everything from smart lights, plugs, locks, speakers, thermostats, motion sensors, and many more.
Basing on the SmartThings website, this ecosystem might seem a bit more complex than it is in reality. This article aims to inform you about the important things you should know before creating your SmartThings-powered smart home.
Samsung SmartThings Features
The most important piece of the SmartThings ecosystem is the SmartThings smart hub. This hub acts as the brain of your entire smart home and is responsible for controlling and managing all the smart devices and offering you the convenience you so desire.
With the SmartThings hub, you’re able to connect every smart device compatible with SmartThings and control it from your mobile phone in the SmartThings app or a digital voice assistant. The SmartThings hub works very well with devices that use the Zigbee or Z-Wave networks and Bluetooth.
One important thing that makes SmartThings stand out from other home automation platforms is its ability to incorporate many third-party devices and platforms.
With Samsung SmartThings, purchasing smart devices becomes a whole lot easier since you do not need to worry so much about compatibility; you can focus on the quality and the features.
The Samsung SmartThings has the following features;
- It works well with Z-Wave, Zigbee, LAN, Bluetooth, Zigbee3, and Cloud-to-Cloud. This means that if your smart devices share any of these networks, they can be integrated into SmartThings.
- Samsung SmartThings supports smart devices that use a wireless connection.
- The SmartThings hub can be linked to the SmartThings app for more customized functions and remote control.
- When you link your Samsung SmartThings Hub with the SmartThings app, you can receive personalized alerts for any chosen triggers from your smart devices.
- Samsung SmartThings works well with both Google Home and Amazon Alexa.
One slight concern however, Samsung SmartThings only works over Wi-Fi connection and doesn’t come with any form of back from either cellular or battery. This means that if your home internet is down, then your SmartThings ecosystem won’t be working.
Samsung SmartThings Installation Process
Setting up your SmartThings ecosystem begins by installing the SmartThings hub, a very simple process that any DIY-enthusiast will like. First, you install the SmartThings app on your Smartphone, create an account and then proceed to tap on the ‘+’ icon.
By doing this, you will add the smart hub into the mobile app to control it from there. The SmartThings hub offers two ways of powering it; plugging it directly to the router using an Ethernet cable and connecting it wirelessly using over Wi-Fi.
Regardless of the method you choose to connect your SmartThings hub, to connect it to the SmartThings app, you have to scan the QR code at the back of the hub.
Once the hub is connected with your SmartThings app, you can add all the smart devices you want to control using your Smartphone. This can be done by tapping on the ‘+’ icon and choosing Add New Device, the same procedure you used to add the SmartThings hub.
Samsung SmartThings Products
Although Samsung SmartThings is compatible with many third-party smart devices and platforms, it does manufacture its own smart devices available for its users. These smart devices range from sensors, smart lights, outlets, plugs to trackers.
One of the fronts that Samsung SmartThings thrives a lot is in manufacturing smart sensors. This is because the company has a line of multipurpose sensors that can be placed almost anywhere in your home; doors, windows, kitchen cabinets, liquor cabinets, garage, and many others.
This multipurpose sensor is even fitted with temperature monitoring which sends you alerts whenever the temperature at any point of your home changes.
Here are some of the smart devices manufactured by Samsung SmartThings;
- Water leak sensor
- Arrival sensor
- Motion sensor
- Multipurpose sensor
- Wi-Fi smart plug
- SmartThings Cam
- Smart Button
- Smart outlet
- Smart lightbulb
- Tracker
Samsung SmartThings Automation
Whether you decide to purchase the SmartThings smart devices or get other smart devices from different manufacturers, Samsung SmartThings offers you efficient home automation like no other.
Using the SmartThings app, you can create different scenes and rules for your smart devices and have them perform accordingly.
For example, you can create a routine named ‘Good Morning,’ which, when activated, can triggers responses such as turning on the lights, playing music, and brewing your coffee using the smart coffee maker.
Samsung SmartThings Integrations
Some of the platforms that can be integrated into Samsung SmartThings include;
- Google Nest
- Ring
- Arlo
- Leviton
- Sonos
- IFTTT
- Yale
- Kwikset
- Honeywell Home
- Lutron Caseta
- Genie
- Schlage
- Google Home Assistant
- Philip Hue
- Amazon Alexa
Conclusion
Samsung SmartThings is without a doubt one of the best means of home automation you can get. Not only does it provide great functionalities, but also there are many devices you can use with it. This makes any amount you spend on it worthwhile.
If you are still feeling a little muddled up and looking for some help, then check out my Smart Home in 8 Weeks course designed to take you from zero to a fully integrated smart home!