Smart Things and Home Automation

[TheRealTMA]

Not clear to me. Is your NBN gateway routing internal traffic as well or just working as a gateway to a second router? I'm guessing it actually must be the latter as I can't imagine the Telstra supplied router is going to handle multiple subnet and restrict traffic flow between them.

Yes. I had thought I'd have to put the Telstra Gatwway into bridge mode as I had done with the previous Gatwway Cable modem but that would have meant that I couldn't passthrough NBN phone. (Silly Telstra.) So I tried just pluging my Fritzbox 7890 router into a port of the Gateway and it worked out-of-the-box. (Fritzbox internet connection is set to Connection to a cable modem.) The NBN phone is plugged from the Gateway output into the Fritzbox PSTN connection to have answering machine plus I have another SIPP connection for a second phone to the Fritzbox. (Again silly telstra who lock down the NBN phone connections to a single connection only.)

The Telstra gateway is connected to the NBN and has its own network (192.168.0.X) to which Arlo router for cameras is plugged in via a cable, and other devices such as Ring video doorbells and chimes and wifi extender by WiFi on their own seperate Guest network (192.128.2.X) with no links to the main network. As I said above, my main Fritzbox router is just plugged into a port of the gateway and runs it's own network (192.268.10.x) for all my other 26 computers and devices in the house/office.

Was trivially easy to setup.

 

[samh004]

I run my 'smart home' on HomeKit. We have roughly ~30 LIFX downlights, one Hue bulb, about 8 Sonos speakers and are looking into connecting a tap timer for watering the garden. We previously had a smart garage door at our old address, but it wouldn't integrate with HomeKit so we didn't get it again at the new build.

I find that smart lighting works great... after the second click it rarely works on the first attempt. Same with automating it. You can say you want the light at 70% and on a particular colour, but it doesn't mean it will actually do that. So I often set scenes that will change and then I'll have to tell them to change again for them to actually work.

I did dabble with Google Home instead to see if it was just HomeKit, but actually found the experience worse. YMMV.

 

[jb747]

Unifi/Ubiquiti gives a lot of control and capability for reasonable dollars. I expect that those who play with professional gear for a living might sneer at it, but it's much better than most of the home equipment. My system has grown, and morphed, quite a bit since I originally installed it. There are now 8 wifi access points. This would be massive overkill in most homes, but my house's insulation has proven to be quite a barrier to wifi. These are all run by POE from the various switches.

There are five switches. A 24 port 250w device has just been retired from the study, as it had to much fan noise, and it now lives in a spare closet. As it's quite capable, albeit noisy, I expect to migrate other devices to that same closet. There are two 8 port, 150w switches, which are mostly used to run local wifi access points, and cameras. There's a new 16 port 'lite' switch which handles connections to hardwired devices, Apple TV, and the like.

The modem is bridged, and it connects to a USG and then to a Cloudkey V2, which between them give me all the management, camera, and firewall functions. I'm planning on replacing the pair when the Unifi UDM Pro SE becomes available.

Lastly, there's a USW Flex XG, which is a small 10g switch, and that connects two of the computers, and the NAS. I'm currently trying to work out how to extend the 10g to and external building. I has a single Cat 6 connection...sadly I didn't think ahead enough to have wired it with a pair. At the moment it terminates at an in wall access point, and two devices are also hardwired to it. I could pinch the cable for 10g use, but then I'd lose the access point...

 

[TheRealTMA]

I run my 'smart home' on HomeKit. We have roughly ~30 LIFX downlights, one Hue bulb, about 8 Sonos speakers and are looking into connecting a tap timer for watering the garden. We previously had a smart garage door at our old address, but it wouldn't integrate with HomeKit so we didn't get it again at the new build.

I find that smart lighting works great... after the second click it rarely works on the first attempt. Same with automating it. You can say you want the light at 70% and on a particular colour, but it doesn't mean it will actually do that. So I often set scenes that will change and then I'll have to tell them to change again for them to actually work.

I did dabble with Google Home instead to see if it was just HomeKit, but actually found the experience worse. YMMV.

We find Google Alexa works very well.

 

[JinbaIttai]

How are you updating IoT device firmware if they can't route to the internet?

I can temporarily drop the firewall on that subnet for firmware upgrades or connecting a new device.

 

[exceladdict]

I run my 'smart home' on HomeKit. We have roughly ~30 LIFX downlights, one Hue bulb, about 8 Sonos speakers and are looking into connecting a tap timer for watering the garden. We previously had a smart garage door at our old address, but it wouldn't integrate with HomeKit so we didn't get it again at the new build.

I find that smart lighting works great... after the second click it rarely works on the first attempt. Same with automating it. You can say you want the light at 70% and on a particular colour, but it doesn't mean it will actually do that. So I often set scenes that will change and then I'll have to tell them to change again for them to actually work.

I did dabble with Google Home instead to see if it was just HomeKit, but actually found the experience worse. YMMV.

I've recently acquired a holman 'smart' tap and it's been hit and miss so far. It triggers a rule when it's raining but the rule isn't overriding my scheduled watering correctly. Need to troubleshoot but haven't got around to it yet.

 

[samh004]

We find Google Alexa works very well.

I have no idea what you're talking about, as Amazon owns Alexa, not Google. Regardless, have only tried Google as an alternative so far and was left very unimpressed. May consider trying Alexa in the future, but HomeKit does work very nicely for our home, especially considering every device is Mac, iPhone, iPad, AppleTV, HomePod etc...

I realise there's a bigger debate about which personal assistant is better and that can have a big impact on controlling items, but both Google and Amazon have had some very un-private and creepy things happen with their assistants, who listen for every word you say, that leads me to believe I am happier having a less personalised experience if I keep my privacy intact. YMMV.

I've recently acquired a holman 'smart' tap and it's been hit and miss so far. It triggers a rule when it's raining but the rule isn't overriding my scheduled watering correctly. Need to troubleshoot but haven't got around to it yet.

I once used a Holman garden light set and returned it quite quickly when I found some of the features it was advertised with did not work the way they said. Case of them pretending to be Philips Hue... but not actually having the technical know how yet.

We were looking at Eve Aqua | evehome.com but I note they only support HomeKit 'integration' (though you can use the app, otherwise). I like that they have thread support, and presumably that will eventually translate to better interoperability as the standard becomes more mainstream.

 

[TheRealTMA]

I have no idea what you're talking about, as Amazon owns Alexa, not Google. Regardless, have only tried Google as an alternative so far and was left very unimpressed. May consider trying Alexa in the future, but HomeKit does work very nicely for our home, especially considering every device is Mac, iPhone, iPad, AppleTV, HomePod etc...

I realise there's a bigger debate about which personal assistant is better and that can have a big impact on controlling items, but both Google and Amazon have had some very un-private and creepy things happen with their assistants, who listen for every word you say, that leads me to believe I am happier having a less personalised experience if I keep my privacy intact. YMMV.

I once used a Holman garden light set and returned it quite quickly when I found some of the features it was advertised with did not work the way they said. Case of them pretending to be Philips Hue... but not actually having the technical know how yet.

We were looking at Eve Aqua | evehome.com but I note they only support HomeKit 'integration' (though you can use the app, otherwise). I like that they have thread support, and presumably that will eventually translate to better interoperability as the standard becomes more mainstream.

Aah sorry. Amazon Alexa! Woops a typo. I found HomeKit didn't work with some of the devices when we first installed the systems so we went with Alexa. YMMV. Their "routines" etc work well including Phillips Hue bulbs and light strips, Xiomi desk lamps and devices, tplink switches, iRobot, variouls Miele appliances, watering timers such as Orbit B-hyve, pool robot, harmony remotes, and more traditional devices such as Marantz stereo etc.

Any smart device that listens in to our house will die of boredom.

 

[samh004]

I found HomeKit didn't work with some of the devices when we first installed the systems so we went with Alexa. YMMV.

And therein lies the rub, three large ecosystems (Google, Apple, Amazon) tried to get exclusive access to devices, or bought companies and then made them exclusive to their system. It seems everyone is a part of the Thread Group now, so there is hope that one day, if not this generation of devices, but future generations of devices will all be able to communicate with each other easily and interoperate. For example, I'm pretty sure the Eve products only do HomeKit, so you'd have issues getting them to work as well on Alexa? From my understanding.

I try to aim for products that have Thread built-in already if I can – or the one I forgot about last night but really is the up-and-coming standard – Matter, for the hope that when the big 3 adopt it properly, I'll have a robust system. For example, the Eve Energy switches I have are Full Thread Device (FTD), meaning they can act as relays for other Thread devices in my home, and if one goes dark, the network self heals to another point. I figure Matter will one day be the same, and as devices upgrade to support it (or you need to buy new devices unfortunately) it will make smart home networks more stable but perhaps also less prone to jamming your local network. My wifi has something like 50+ devices on it, which I find insane, truely.

On another note, the Orbit B-Hyve looks great and I would've gone down that path, had I installed a proper irrigation pipe in when the new house was being built. As it stands, I've had to do the work myself, with irrigation pipes buried, but there's not a branch from the mains water to facilitate a proper system, so I have to take the tap timer route.

 

[TheRealTMA]

And therein lies the rub, three large ecosystems (Google, Apple, Amazon) tried to get exclusive access to devices, or bought companies and then made them exclusive to their system. It seems everyone is a part of the Thread Group now, so there is hope that one day, if not this generation of devices, but future generations of devices will all be able to communicate with each other easily and interoperate. For example, I'm pretty sure the Eve products only do HomeKit, so you'd have issues getting them to work as well on Alexa? From my understanding.

I try to aim for products that have Thread built-in already if I can – or the one I forgot about last night but really is the up-and-coming standard – Matter, for the hope that when the big 3 adopt it properly, I'll have a robust system. For example, the Eve Energy switches I have are Full Thread Device (FTD), meaning they can act as relays for other Thread devices in my home, and if one goes dark, the network self heals to another point. I figure Matter will one day be the same, and as devices upgrade to support it (or you need to buy new devices unfortunately) it will make smart home networks more stable but perhaps also less prone to jamming your local network. My wifi has something like 50+ devices on it, which I find insane, truely.

On another note, the Orbit B-Hyve looks great and I would've gone down that path, had I installed a proper irrigation pipe in when the new house was being built. As it stands, I've had to do the work myself, with irrigation pipes buried, but there's not a branch from the mains water to facilitate a proper system, so I have to take the tap timer route.

No. I mean this one

{productName}

Find {productName} at Bunnings. Visit your local store for the widest range of products.

www.bunnings.com.au

 

[Brissy1]

We find Google Alexa works very well.

Yes, alexa timer, couldn't cook without it now.

 

[angelblue]

I've only done a couple of things and they integrate with Google Home. Most important one is the coffee machine so I can turn it out without getting out of bed

Otherwise it's just my garage door. I don't frequently use it to open or close, but I like receiving notifications on my phone when it opens and closes, pus an alert if it is left open. Also useful that I could open it if I wasn't home if someone is dropping something off and then safely close it.

What I'd really like is smart lock for my front door. The problem is it's really the security screen on the outside of it I want a smart lock on and I've not seen any options for that.

We had the same issue with our back door. We bought a new door and security screen and had the security screen placed on the inside, and the door on the outside, which (when we’re home obviously) then has an attachment securing it to the wall. This was also to alleviate the fact that we previously had to close the main door in order to open the fridge. Sounds weird but works!

We Installed and Ultraloq U-bolt Pro to the main door - it’s a deadlock with a (hidden, yet easy to access) standard key, fingerprint access, PIN access (for you or one-time for visitors), as well as sensing when your mobile is present and opening/closing automatically. It all connects with Bluetooth & Wi-Fi to Google Home so you can tell Google to, ‘Lock the back door’. Honestly can’t praise it enough.

All up we have that, one Google Mini, a Google Hub Max, standard Google Hub, Google Mesh Wi-Fi extenders (3), about a dozen smart lights (mix of Philips Hue and Mirabella Genio - save yourself trouble and just pay for Hue), two Google Nest Protects (with more to come), Google TV and connected the TV and Sony Amplifier. Next we are adding automation to new blinds!

Post automatically merged: Nov 8, 2021

I've only done a couple of things and they integrate with Google Home. Most important one is the coffee machine so I can turn it out without getting out of bed

Otherwise it's just my garage door. I don't frequently use it to open or close, but I like receiving notifications on my phone when it opens and closes, pus an alert if it is left open. Also useful that I could open it if I wasn't home if someone is dropping something off and then safely close it.

What I'd really like is smart lock for my front door. The problem is it's really the security screen on the outside of it I want a smart lock on and I've not seen any options for that.

 

[exceladdict]

We had the same issue with our back door. We bought a new door and security screen and had the security screen placed on the inside, and the door on the outside, which (when we’re home obviously) then has an attachment securing it to the wall. This was also to alleviate the fact that we previously had to close the main door in order to open the fridge. Sounds weird but works!

We Installed and Ultraloq U-bolt Pro to the main door - it’s a deadlock with a (hidden, yet easy to access) standard key, fingerprint access, PIN access (for you or one-time for visitors), as well as sensing when your mobile is present and opening/closing automatically. It all connects with Bluetooth & Wi-Fi to Google Home so you can tell Google to, ‘Lock the back door’. Honestly can’t praise it enough.

All up we have that, one Google Mini, a Google Hub Max, standard Google Hub, Google Mesh Wi-Fi extenders (3), about a dozen smart lights (mix of Philips Hue and Mirabella Genio - save yourself trouble and just pay for Hue), two Google Nest Protects (with more to come), Google TV and connected the TV and Sony Amplifier. Next we are adding automation to new blinds!

Post automatically merged: Nov 8, 2021

Love it. What blinds are you aiming for and which amp are you using? We have a handful of Google speakers and was hoping to pick up an amp that I could add to a casting group.

Meanwhile I've just installed my first instance of home assistant on a virtual box on an old computer. Already noticing a significant speed increase when toggling lights such as hue lights compared to triggers on my phone.

Next challenge is to get the Holman tap timer into the tuya app, then figure out connecting that to home assistant!

 

[angelblue]

We are getting shutters for one side of the house and probably Timber Venetians for the other - the automation for the blinds will likely be Somfy, which is a French company that ‘Works with Google’.

Our amp replaced an old NAD with the Sony STRDN1080, as I have very good Klipsch speakers that will soon be joined by surround rear siblings and a subbie. Also plan on ceiling mounted Dolby Atmos speakers.

 

[ajobbins]

I've got a LOT of stuff set up in Home Assistant. Some of the things that were useful when I was travelling (which is essentially never now as in the last 2.5 years I have gone from 0 to 2 kids and a pandemic) was to have timer and security routines to give the appearance of someone being home even if I was not.

I have automations set up so that if neither my wife or my phones are present on the WiFi, after dark (and a period of randomness) lights will start to turn on, electric blinds will close etc. Then the lights turn off progressively as you would expect people going to bed.

I also have notifications that will trigger if a door is opened when we are not home, and a Ring doorbell means we can 'answer' the doorbell. A suspect character rang our doorbell a couple of years ago when I was in Thailand - and I was able to talk to (and see) them - hopefully persuading them I was home I just didn't want whatever they were 'selling'.

There is definitely some clever stuff that you can do in a security sense when away from home that goes well beyond what most alarm systems would do.

I have a Kwikset Kevo smart lock on the front door. In theory it locks or unlocked for a bluetooth paired phone when you touch the outside of the lock - but it's quite unreliable. It just looks like a normal deadbolt lock from the outside (I didn't want to draw attention to it). When it works, it's really handy, including when you get back from a trip and your keys are buried somewhere in the depths of a bag after weeks of not being needed. In fact, if I am not driving to the airport I don't need to take any keys away. It's not connected to the net/Home Assistant in any way. There is a bridge you can buy but it's not available in Australia. I chose the Kevo because a) I wanted something very discrete and b) I wanted something that worked a bit like the keyless entry on the car - touch the door and it locks/unlocks. But it's nothing like that really. It's slow, taking at best 3 and at worst 20+ seconds to respond if at all. Next time I will go for something with a pin code I think.

 

[exceladdict]

I've got a LOT of stuff set up in Home Assistant. Some of the things that were useful when I was travelling (which is essentially never now as in the last 2.5 years I have gone from 0 to 2 kids and a pandemic) was to have timer and security routines to give the appearance of someone being home even if I was not.

I have automations set up so that if neither my wife or my phones are present on the WiFi, after dark (and a period of randomness) lights will start to turn on, electric blinds will close etc. Then the lights turn off progressively as you would expect people going to bed.

I also have notifications that will trigger if a door is opened when we are not home, and a Ring doorbell means we can 'answer' the doorbell. A suspect character rang our doorbell a couple of years ago when I was in Thailand - and I was able to talk to (and see) them - hopefully persuading them I was home I just didn't want whatever they were 'selling'.

There is definitely some clever stuff that you can do in a security sense when away from home that goes well beyond what most alarm systems would do.

I have a Kwikset Kevo smart lock on the front door. In theory it locks or unlocked for a bluetooth paired phone when you touch the outside of the lock - but it's quite unreliable. It just looks like a normal deadbolt lock from the outside (I didn't want to draw attention to it). When it works, it's really handy, including when you get back from a trip and your keys are buried somewhere in the depths of a bag after weeks of not being needed. In fact, if I am not driving to the airport I don't need to take any keys away. It's not connected to the net/Home Assistant in any way. There is a bridge you can buy but it's not available in Australia. I chose the Kevo because a) I wanted something very discrete and b) I wanted something that worked a bit like the keyless entry on the car - touch the door and it locks/unlocks. But it's nothing like that really. It's slow, taking at best 3 and at worst 20+ seconds to respond if at all. Next time I will go for something with a pin code I think.

Nice. How are you finding the ring doorbell? I was leaning towards the google nest ones, as that seemed the easiest way to get a chime on the google speakers, but I imagine that can be facilitated via HA?

 

[ajobbins]

Nice. How are you finding the ring doorbell? I was leaning towards the google nest ones, as that seemed the easiest way to get a chime on the google speakers, but I imagine that can be facilitated via HA?

It's OK. I've had it for years, before the Nest stuff was easy to get here (or maybe the doorbell wasn't even out). I looked at Nest more recently as I have a Nest Hub, and the Ring won't stream video to it, but I don't have power to the front door so needed a battery option anyway. I think there is a new battery powered Nest Doorbell now, so I may look at the if the Ring dies at some point.

I do have the Ring hooked to HA, but it's a little slow as HA has to poll the Ring servers for events. We have a Ring Chime for an audible alert but otherwise just use the phone apps.

 

[Carrots]

I thought I knew technology pretty well.....

And then we started renovating and I started contemplating home automation...... And then I read this forum....

Fortunate to have a good friend who's an electrical contractor. He talks. I nod. It happens!

 

[i0sam0i]

I guess I have lots of stuff, and this was in mind when we built our house. We initially went with Sonos and Philips Hue, eventually using 63 Hues. The Sonos has been good, the Hue somewhat less so. network is partially 10G capable, but that's a work in progress.

Assuming you have an earlier sonos set up?how have you gone with the fact they have now decided not to support their earlier hardware? We have a number of speakers throughout the house and a sub, but have to ignore the update system button. I've been trying to find an open source controller/app to not much success.

 

[jb747]

Assuming you have an earlier sonos set up?how have you gone with the fact they have now decided not to support their earlier hardware? We have a number of speakers throughout the house and a sub, but have to ignore the update system button. I've been trying to find an open source controller/app to not much success.

Whilst not all of the speakers are the current spec, they're late enough that all have been accepting the updates without issues. I had a One die, probably from a power supply failure.