Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team
In This Guide
You'll Learn:
The following technologies are commonly found in use for Home Automation equipment.
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi; the same technology you're used to using to connect your laptop, smartphone, and home entertainment systems to your home network.
ZigBee
ZigBee is a very low-power personal network technology at a very low-cost. Used not only in home automation tasks, but also in industrial, scientific, and medical fields.
Z-Wave
Z-Wave is a low-powered mesh network system designed specifically for home automation.
X10
Very long-standing home automation system.
End X10 commenting-->
Recently, a few companies have begun offering simple 'hubs' or 'routers' that provide all the antennas you may need for these disparate technologies.
These are a second box that you connect to your home router, and provides a single, integrated 'on-ramp' to a diverse range of different Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Wi-Fi home automation products in a single place.
Wink
Wink is one company that provides a single hub to connect to Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Wi-Fi technologies, as well as other, less common technologies.
In essence, the Wink Home Hub is a collection of antennas for all these different technologies, some basic processing to connect it to the Wink servers, and app.
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While each individual system offers great control and convenience, the real power with modern home automation comes from tying together your various services.
For example, when your smart lock unlocks with your key, it should let the other systems in your home know to turn on the lights in the hall and living room. Performing such tasks is the job of an aggregation system.
There are a great many free aggregation services available. These allow you to define a set of rules that then make other actions happen. The starting action can be anything, from a change in the weather, the time of day, when someone scores for your favorite team, or when a door is opened, or light is turned on, or any of thousands of different options. It can be something as public (the weather or your favorite sports team, for example) to something more private (a smart lock, for example).
In many cases, the free aggregation services are limited; either they're not super fast, or not super reliable, or push advertising through a specialized app on your phone.
There are usually paid option for most free aggregation services available. They tend to have more features, better availability, and faster response times than their free counterparts.
Some providers of home automation devices provide an extremely large range of products. Having the ability to control them all from their custom app can often provide enough devices that simply sticking to a single brand provides the level of integration you are looking for.
A Home Security provider is often a very specialized aggregation service. They tie together cameras and sensors into a single panel in your home, but rarely have any sort of 'external connection'. You can't trigger your lights from another company, for example. But the benefits, such as a single company to work with, dedicated technicians, remote monitoring, etc., may be what you're looking for.
This is important, because it may be easier to choose products to purchase after you explore the various platforms, without cost, using apps on your smartphone to get a feel for each, before committing to purchase something that may or may not fit your needs. You may also already own devices that coincide with a particular Smart Home Platform, which can also affect your decision.
While there are many, the 3 major Smart Home platforms currently available are Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant.
Amazon Alexa
Apple HomeKit
Google Assistant
IFTTT
IFTTT is not the same type of platform as the other choices here. It stands for "If This, Then That"; meaning it provides a way to "trigger" one action using another.
In each case, it is recommended to install the app (or, start using the app if it's pre-installed), linking the services and devices you may already have, and testing the platform out, rather than purchasing expensive speakers or other devices that may not do exactly what you want, how you want.
Amazon Alexa
Amazon's Alexa is a good match if you find yourself using the Amazon services, such as Amazon Video and Amazon Music frequently.
Amazon Alexa has excellent compatibility across Android and iOS devices, as well as most smart home devices.
Also, if you already own other Amazon devices, such as Fire tablets and streaming devices, Alexa will integrate well and is usually already available. It also has some ability to control third-party streaming devices, such as Roku.
Amazon's smart speakers are often times the lowest price as they are subsidized by Amazon, because you can also purchase other things from Amazon using voice commands directly.
More information is available on the web at https://www.amazon.com/b?node=17934671011.
You can always check this site to be sure a new home automation device you are thinking of purchasing is compatible.
Apple HomeKit
Apple's HomeKit is a good match if you find yourself with a home full of Apple branded products already, such as iPhones and Mac computers.
Devices, such as Apple TV and HomePod, tend to be more expensive.
Can use some other streaming services.
Does not function well in 'mixed' environments. It has no ability to be installed or used on Android phones or other TV streaming devices outside ones provided by Apple.
Familiar, as it uses Siri for voice recognition.
More information is available on the web at https://www.apple.com/ios/home/.
You can always check this site to be sure a new home automation device you are thinking of purchasing is compatible.
Google Assistant
Google Assistant is a good match if you are already using Android phones, or have just a couple iOS devices. An app is available for iOS to allow them to use the Google Assistant.
Works well with many other streaming devices, such as Roku.
Has a huge range of speakers produced by Google, and Android TV devices made by Google and other companies that integrate well.
If you're already using GMail, Google Calendar, etc., will be able to access each of these and provide custom, personal responses to a greater variety of commands, such as "When is my next meeting?" or "Send an Email to John."
More information is available on the web at https://assistant.google.com/.
You can always check this site to be sure a new home automation device you are thinking of purchasing is compatible.
IFTTT
IFTTT is a great addition to any of the other services mentioned here.
While you can't interact with IFTTT directly, you can write simple rules to create complex, useful, and fun interactions with your Smart Home devices.
Like the other Platforms listed here, it speaks to your various smart home devices. On top of that, IFTTT can speak to your various smart home services.
More information is available on the web at https://ifttt.com/.
You can always check this site to be sure a new home automation device you are thinking of purchasing is compatible.
We have a special guide available to give you more information on Amazon Alexa, and how it works.
Clicking this button will open a new guide that will provide you with steps to resolve your issue.
We have a special guide available to give you more information on Apple HomeKit, and how it works.
Clicking this button will open a new guide that will provide you with steps to resolve your issue.
We have a special guide available to give you more information on accessing Google Assistant, and how it works.
Clicking this button will open a new guide that will provide you with steps to resolve your issue.
Clicking this button will open a new guide that will provide you with steps to resolve your issue.