Ted quite a few smart products for the last 6 years or so. It was so refreshing to get rid of every single one of them. Not only did it get rid of the laziness I think cognitively it was refreshing to actually get up and read a book.
I don't think it's laziness. A lot of these products have helped, especially if scheduling is involved. Since I have a family member with dementia and memory loss, I find this to be useful so they don't need to remember to turn off a heater or light, or lock the front door when they go to bed. Plus, having smart radon sensors and temp readers can be life saving. There's a time and place for smart products, but as I mentioned in the video, I wouldn't put any of these on the same WAN as my secure work network.
Wow. So many different apps. Lunacy. You really should look into home assistant so you can control ALL that nonsense from a single point, and automate EVERYTHING.
Shannon, great video, like all that you do! Very helpful, too, as I didn't know the Wemo smart plugs went EOL. Their reliability already had made me end-of-use them in my smart home. But now I'll e-recycle them too as I sometimes had used them as a backup. I'll check out the Tapo switches. Do they work with Apple HomeKit?
Tp Link's smart plug lineup is way too confusing. They have Tapo and Kasa and I don't understand the difference. They have some that work with matter, some that don't, etc.
I had a wemo smart plug once. It was a terrible experience. I still have no idea why people actually get smart plugs. I'm assuming Im just not understanding something.
The key with smart home stuff is to only buy it if it's reasonably open. For example if your Belkin switches could have run Tasmota after Belkin abandoned them. At least with Matter you can run everything offline and on an isolated network, so security problems after likely to be a lot less impactful.
Thanks for the ideas! I'm excited to watch the security/segmentation video too :) We're building a new home and facing the difference between retrofit switches and full-blown lighting systems w/ load control in the utility room. I wish the gap between the two approaches wasn't so opaque and inaccessible to consumers (vs. integrators)
I can't justify WiFi devices. If you're replacing wemo, why not replace it with something that uses Thread first class? AFAIK there's no point in a WiFi device that supports matter
If you're comfortable using Thread then by all means, it's an excellent choice. A lot of folks want something plug n play that can be managed via wifi, so if you're putting them on a segmented network, then you can still have reasonable security.
I had Govee in my house for about 3 months before I grew frustrated with their API integration into my Home Assistant deployment. I now use SK6812 RGBW LEDs on WLED whenever I want to add colored lighting to a room as well as Inovelli Red RGBW bulbs in lamps that are not smart. The Govee lights were buggy, they had a limiter on how many API requests you could send to the cloud per account not per device and their LED strips used to be only 30 LED/m when most of BTF's are 60 or 144. I have also used Z-wave controlled relays to add cool white FCOB leds under my kitchen cabinets and control my garage door (I had a MyQ device but their API stopped working so I took matters into my own hands in HA). I have a first gen Nest thermostat tied in as well for climate control when I'm home and away. The Aqara FP2 is a game changer for presence sensing, no more momentary IR sensors. It is slightly more expensive but I try to keep most of my devices on Z-wave if not on local only wifi. I try to include the cloud as little as possible so I control if and when it works, I'm not beholden to some developer updating the API and breaking everything. I have a Netgear switch that I can setup with different VLANs but I have no clue how to set it up or how to isolate all of my smart devices in their own VLAN. I have external cameras that I really should figure out how to put behind a wall.
Great Video! I have all my IoT things assigned to my "IoT" VLAN on the UDM Pro. I just removed my last Wi-Fi IoT module/switch and have replaced them all with Zigbee switches and modules. I like that they still use the 2.4Ghz band, but not Wi-Fi. Most of the hackers I knew stick with Wi-Fi I0T things, where 95% of the market is. Granted, no one's IoT things are totally safe. As far as cloud dependence, I have only 2 required ones left and I will be eliminating 1 of them soon. Just about totally local.... electric is next.
I’m one of those ADHD cases where if I don’t watch the time, I’ll end up gaming until the sun comes through the windows and then realize I have to now work and do dad things on no sleep. I have a bunch of Govee smart lights and strips in my gaming room and living room and set up an automation that changes every single light to red at 11pm to tell me “HEY, TIME TO CALL IT A NIGHT”, and then after 10min they shut off entirely as a second reminder that 10min have passed… just in case I needed to finish a game or find a save point! Great video!
Just a head's up, Snubs: The AirThings Wave Plus is currently listed at $229 on both Amazon and AirThings, not $169. Even so, I'm getting a couple for my house and sending your link to my daughter and son, each of whom have newborns (yes, egads, I'm now a grandfather!) Also, I'm kind of surprised your not using Home Assistant. Not only can you totally air gap all your automation devices from the Internet, but you get so much more functionality. This is especially important since manufacturers (*cough* Belkin *cough*) fail to support or patch security flaws after their product's short lifecycle. To be fair, I'm sure that TP-Link would take a similar stance to Belkin if an issue was found with one of their EOL products. Hugs to Starbug and Luna!
Good stuff! Secluded network for my home assistant server and I prefer devices that are ZWave and not Wifi after my introduction to it being through TPLink Kasa wifi smart home things. I've been loving my Zooz zwave devices lately, nice switches and a bunch of other sensors like door/window, temp/humidity, motion, etc.
Ted quite a few smart products for the last 6 years or so. It was so refreshing to get rid of every single one of them. Not only did it get rid of the laziness I think cognitively it was refreshing to actually get up and read a book.
I don't think it's laziness. A lot of these products have helped, especially if scheduling is involved. Since I have a family member with dementia and memory loss, I find this to be useful so they don't need to remember to turn off a heater or light, or lock the front door when they go to bed. Plus, having smart radon sensors and temp readers can be life saving. There's a time and place for smart products, but as I mentioned in the video, I wouldn't put any of these on the same WAN as my secure work network.
Thanks for sharing your upgrades. Blessings on your day!
Thank you! You too!
Wow. So many different apps. Lunacy. You really should look into home assistant so you can control ALL that nonsense from a single point, and automate EVERYTHING.
That's a great choice! I run everything through Google home so I really don't open the apps for any of these and generally uninstall them after setup.
Shannon, great video, like all that you do! Very helpful, too, as I didn't know the Wemo smart plugs went EOL. Their reliability already had made me end-of-use them in my smart home. But now I'll e-recycle them too as I sometimes had used them as a backup. I'll check out the Tapo switches. Do they work with Apple HomeKit?
Answered my own question; they support Matter.
Always remember to be smarter than your home lol. Great job on the video,hope you have a blessed and wonderful day.😄🤗🤟👍👍
Tp Link's smart plug lineup is way too confusing. They have Tapo and Kasa and I don't understand the difference. They have some that work with matter, some that don't, etc.
I had a wemo smart plug once. It was a terrible experience. I still have no idea why people actually get smart plugs. I'm assuming Im just not understanding something.
The air quality products are pretty nice especially for a household dealing with allergies and eczema
love to see another tech person using google home instead of a.l.e.x.a. :)
The key with smart home stuff is to only buy it if it's reasonably open. For example if your Belkin switches could have run Tasmota after Belkin abandoned them.
At least with Matter you can run everything offline and on an isolated network, so security problems after likely to be a lot less impactful.
I like the Bond Bridge for controlling RF and IR devices.
Oh that's awesome, I JUST decided to step into it after discovering home assistant and local control. :)
Fantastic!
Thanks for the ideas! I'm excited to watch the security/segmentation video too :) We're building a new home and facing the difference between retrofit switches and full-blown lighting systems w/ load control in the utility room. I wish the gap between the two approaches wasn't so opaque and inaccessible to consumers (vs. integrators)
All right ,giving the kitty's some love.
hi what is the lamp you had the smart bulbs?
Do you use Aqara products?
I can't justify WiFi devices. If you're replacing wemo, why not replace it with something that uses Thread first class? AFAIK there's no point in a WiFi device that supports matter
If you're comfortable using Thread then by all means, it's an excellent choice. A lot of folks want something plug n play that can be managed via wifi, so if you're putting them on a segmented network, then you can still have reasonable security.
My man! Came here to check something new and found another paid promo video for wifi e-waste.
Great Ideas!!! Sorry Haven't been around here as much lately I have a new baby and that has destroyed my time!
Also a Govee Product I love and recommend are their water leak sensors. I have 8 of them (washer, water heater, 5 sinks, smaller water heater)
ooo i should check those out.
I had Govee in my house for about 3 months before I grew frustrated with their API integration into my Home Assistant deployment. I now use SK6812 RGBW LEDs on WLED whenever I want to add colored lighting to a room as well as Inovelli Red RGBW bulbs in lamps that are not smart. The Govee lights were buggy, they had a limiter on how many API requests you could send to the cloud per account not per device and their LED strips used to be only 30 LED/m when most of BTF's are 60 or 144.
I have also used Z-wave controlled relays to add cool white FCOB leds under my kitchen cabinets and control my garage door (I had a MyQ device but their API stopped working so I took matters into my own hands in HA). I have a first gen Nest thermostat tied in as well for climate control when I'm home and away. The Aqara FP2 is a game changer for presence sensing, no more momentary IR sensors.
It is slightly more expensive but I try to keep most of my devices on Z-wave if not on local only wifi. I try to include the cloud as little as possible so I control if and when it works, I'm not beholden to some developer updating the API and breaking everything.
I have a Netgear switch that I can setup with different VLANs but I have no clue how to set it up or how to isolate all of my smart devices in their own VLAN. I have external cameras that I really should figure out how to put behind a wall.
Thanks for finding more matter-supported devices!
Great video.
Glad you enjoyed it
Great Video! I have all my IoT things assigned to my "IoT" VLAN on the UDM Pro. I just removed my last Wi-Fi IoT module/switch and have replaced them all with Zigbee switches and modules. I like that they still use the 2.4Ghz band, but not Wi-Fi. Most of the hackers I knew stick with Wi-Fi I0T things, where 95% of the market is. Granted, no one's IoT things are totally safe. As far as cloud dependence, I have only 2 required ones left and I will be eliminating 1 of them soon. Just about totally local.... electric is next.
nicely done! And props for using a segmented VLAN - that's exactly what I do as well.
I’m one of those ADHD cases where if I don’t watch the time, I’ll end up gaming until the sun comes through the windows and then realize I have to now work and do dad things on no sleep.
I have a bunch of Govee smart lights and strips in my gaming room and living room and set up an automation that changes every single light to red at 11pm to tell me “HEY, TIME TO CALL IT A NIGHT”, and then after 10min they shut off entirely as a second reminder that 10min have passed… just in case I needed to finish a game or find a save point!
Great video!
I LOVE this as a fellow neurodivergent person ❤️
Just a head's up, Snubs: The AirThings Wave Plus is currently listed at $229 on both Amazon and AirThings, not $169. Even so, I'm getting a couple for my house and sending your link to my daughter and son, each of whom have newborns (yes, egads, I'm now a grandfather!)
Also, I'm kind of surprised your not using Home Assistant. Not only can you totally air gap all your automation devices from the Internet, but you get so much more functionality. This is especially important since manufacturers (*cough* Belkin *cough*) fail to support or patch security flaws after their product's short lifecycle. To be fair, I'm sure that TP-Link would take a similar stance to Belkin if an issue was found with one of their EOL products.
Hugs to Starbug and Luna!
Sometimes the prices change after I post a video - so if the price went up, I'd recommend checking a site like camelcamelcamel for price drops!
You should give the Nanoleaf 4D a try too! Its features are really impressive for a smart home upgrade.
If they send me products to review I'd be happy to demo them!
😻😻😻😻😻
Nice work Shannon 👍
Thank you! Cheers!
Good stuff! Secluded network for my home assistant server and I prefer devices that are ZWave and not Wifi after my introduction to it being through TPLink Kasa wifi smart home things. I've been loving my Zooz zwave devices lately, nice switches and a bunch of other sensors like door/window, temp/humidity, motion, etc.
I'm the same with Z-Wave and local wifi I just need to work on getting everything secluded on my network while still allowing Nabu Casa cloud access.