How To Set Up Your Smart Home For Beginners

How To Make Your Home A Smart Home Avast

If your home doesn't seem very smart, you might want to consider upgrading to add more technology to things like lighting, heating, security, and more. But it can be difficult for beginners to know where to start, and the sheer number of smart home options can seem overwhelming.

Do not be afraid! We cover the basics of building a smart home from scratch, the best tools for beginners, and how it all works together so you can build a home automation plan with confidence.

Important note: smart home works over a Wi-Fi connection (usually). Make sure your Wi-Fi network is password protected and using the latest encryption settings. This greatly reduces security issues and ensures that no one can hack your device.

understand compatibility

When choosing the first smart home device, compatibility is the big question: will all smart technologies work with each other? If it's not integrated, you may lose valuable control or require separate apps for each device, which can quickly become confusing and cumbersome.

The good news is that now is the perfect time to launch a smart home, as compatibility has improved tremendously thanks to the Matter protocol, a co-development of the major tech giants, which is expected to roll out later this year. Devices and brands already advertise support for Matter (we have a more detailed guide on this here), so when shopping for a new smart device, we recommend looking for a product that supports or supports Matter. So you can use a single app, Google Home or the Home app on iOS, to control most home devices, even voice assistants, without worrying about compatibility.

Select the center of the voice assistant

You don't need a voice assistant hub in your smart home, but it's a great place to start, and voice commands can often control other parts of your smart home as well. Voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant can help you set up procedures to control multiple devices simultaneously, add new features, or schedule certain actions, such as turning off lights or arming security systems. They can also answer questions, create lists, call people, and perform other useful voice assistant functions.

If you like listening to music, you can choose something like Nest Audio or Sonos One, place it in a central location and connect it to the voice assistant app on your phone. Smart displays like the Echo Show 15 can be hung on a wall or placed on a table to display video via the touchscreen and even live stream from a security camera. And small speakers like the HomePod Mini or Nest Mini can sit at your desk and listen to your requests.

Add some smart lighting

If you have smart speakers (again, an optional but recommended step), one of the easiest ways to adopt smart home technology is to also adopt smart lighting. It might be easier than you think: brands like Philips Hue and Kasa, among many others, produce long-lasting LED bulbs that fit into existing sockets. This includes an app that lets you control the color, brightness, and color temperature of a light bulb. You can schedule when you want to turn the lights on or off and connect to a voice assistant to give you commands to turn the lights on or off.

This is a great way to bring some smart devices into your home because you can go as quietly as you like (not all lights have to be smart) and experiment with the capabilities of the light bulb. When everything is ready, you can confidently add more bulbs or use other devices. And if smart bulbs are your thing, you can upgrade multiple lighting systems with smart switches, perpetual switches that add the same benefits no matter what bulb you use.

Choose a pair of smart plugs

If you're looking for new territory for your smart home, it's time to explore smart plugs! This small device is designed to be plugged into an existing wall outlet in your home. Then connect other devices, such as lamps, coffee makers, diffusers, etc., to the smart plug. With this app, you can set a schedule to turn your device on or off at specific times, as well as monitor power consumption. Plus, many smart plugs are compatible with voice assistants for quick commands and can be connected to any larger smart home routine you want to create. Among many other brands, Kasa and Belkin have very reliable smart plugs.

Switch to smart thermostat

Next on the list: Find a great smart thermostat and replace your central heating and cooling with one you can program on your phone to save money and receive monthly energy usage reports. Nest's latest smart thermostat is a great choice, the Ecobee still has a great selection, and many other brands have their own offerings. Some wiring is required, but can be easily handled or managed with a quick visit to an electrician.

Smart home security integration

The time has come to talk about security. Smart devices are a popular choice for a variety of home security appliances, many of which are DIY-friendly, with or without monitoring subscription options. Here are some of the more common options to consider:

Smart security camera. These cameras can be mounted almost anywhere and usually include a motion sensor, two-way audio, spotlights, and more. You can view and receive all sorts of alerts through the app, and current versions are generally smart enough to identify packages, exclude cars, and more.

Videophone: This is a surveillance camera designed for entrances and coupled with a digital doorbell. They're a great choice for security, even if you don't have another security system, and battery-powered versions like those offered by Nest and Ring are very easy to install.

Smart Lock: Smart Lock replaces or upgrades your lock with a high-tech lock that you can control from apps, create digital credentials, document entry, and more. Smart locks are a great security boost when you're more comfortable in your smart home, even if it's a bit bulky.

Smart Sensors – This is a security system that has a hub that communicates with a variety of sensors, including motion sensors, door sensors, window and glass sensors, escape sensors, and more. They can also interact with other smart devices in your home. This is an expensive but more comprehensive security solution, often bundled with a monitoring plan.

Be innovative with new equipment

There are many places where you can take your smart home further and it is up to you to decide where you want to go. We recommend looking at smart speaker panels for your entertainment system, smart smoke detectors that notify you when the battery is low, and window blinds that you can open and close on a schedule. You might also like the idea of an extra smart speaker upstairs or as an alarm clock in the bedroom.

When you're ready to take things a step further, apps like iOS Home, Alexa, and Google Home usually offer a way to pair tasks across smart devices or allow you to manually set up routines. It could be a morning routine like turning on the coffee pot, reading the news, and turning on the light. People also like to have routines at home, romantic routines, watching movies at night… you get it. This is an easy way to experiment and find the settings that work best for you.

When it's time to buy a bigger device, you can find some that can integrate with your smart home app and send you alerts or messages. This could be anything from a smart toaster that detects the temperature or a smart washer that notifies you when the cycle is complete. Again, check out the Matter protocol to keep your devices safe and compatible with each other and there's no limit to how smart home you want to be.

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