Internet Of Things / IoT / Connected Home / Smart Houses

username?

That sounds like enterprise wifi with a RADIUS server as the ACL store rather than pre-shared key consumer wifi. The difference being that a RADIUS system is going to have username + password and may have optional certificates, and the home wifi is only going to have a passphrase.

I'm not sure that LIFX bulbs will support that... as in, the encryption, the interface, anything.

You may see the network on your phone... but I'm not sure that the bulbs could connect even if you have the RADIUS username + password that you login with.

Unless you specifically know that you can attach these to a corp network... I'm going to suggest that you actually cannot as they were never designed for it.

Note that this is why there's a whole different Philips Hue for "Commercial"... needs a different level of hardware and you can't just plug consumer things in and hope they work.

Hue doesn't require internet access does it? I thought it built its own network just using the Router for distribution? Could you use a separate wireless router altogether? I'm not certain but I'm sure I have used a similar setup in live audio In ear monitoring?

Hue communicates locally without an internet connection.

The Hub does all of the work.

However the Hub may require an internet connection to be set up initially.

I do know from monitoring network traffic that once a Hue Hub is set up, that if you run the app on the same Local / Wi-Fi network that you can talk to the Hub and work the lights without the internet.

I'm unsure on the set-up though... because my internet was up when I configured it.

ok, I'm not totally up on all this stuff, so sorry if this is a stupid question -

Could you theoretically setup the Hue lights with the bridge / hub with your broadband line in connection at one location, then physically move them to a second location? (once setup)

Whereas LIFX you couldn't because it's requiring the network to carry the info, rather than a bridge?

In theory what you propose works.

However... how are you going to control the Hue Hub once on the new network?

I mean... the Hub can communicate with the lights... but how will you communicate with the Hub?

on the wireless router that would be exclusively for the hue? I'm including a wireless router as part of the setup - the app would connect to that router, it would just no longer be connected to the internet.

Ah... that should work.

Hue is introducing 'squirrel cage' lamps.

And a (very expensive) smart plug.

Worth mentioning that the new Hur bulbs won't need a hub and will be controllable by Bluetooth and WiFi.

We are using the innr smart filament bulbs. Had ordered them a few weeks ago but they initially didn’t work with SmartThings. Contacted innr to be told they were being tested for SmartThings approval which was granted yesterday and they are working perfectly for us.

What's going to be the best lighting/power system to install if I'm rewiring anyway? Not fussed about voice control and would need something that is contained within the local network.

Just rewire, smart lighting and smart plugs are aftermarket products and should be treated as such.

The things to consider on a rewire are providing LAN cables to your sockets while you have the opportunity.

Given the quality of mesh products I’m not convinced of the need to do every room but running one from front to back and up to down so you can move your access points about would help solve signal problems which may arise as the spectrum becomes saturated by light bulbs sending details of your fridge contents and effects on your flatulence back to China.

OK, will definitely be placing a few strategic LAN sockets and some wifi access points in the process.

Maybe a couple of ceiling boxes with power and ethernet for CCTV

Getting a new thermostat soon, and would like zone control at some point (although not straight away). I'm quite keen to avoid motorised TRVs in bedrooms though as I'm a light sleeper and I've heard they can be noisy.

Is there some kind of (quieter) inline valve that can control zones, and integrated into some app based operation? I'll be having some re-plumbing done at some point, so they could be installed then. Not fussed about voice control guff.

Which thermostat did you go for? I'm keen to to replace my current tempremental rf one.

Tado, getting it installed this Friday. TW had a few things to say about them which I can forward to you. They're all pretty competitive on price now and some of the others sounded like they had worse support. The other option was Hive for me, but their new TRVs are being widely slated and are just a rebranded cheaper unit I think.

Thanks, and for info in the pm.

I'm making a smart thermostat at the moment, using an Arduino dev board and about £15 of other components.

Time will tell if it actually works. Quite a few of the iot thermostats are based on Arduino anyway.

That's another thing I've been tempted by but know that I'd never get round to sorting out properly. Has someone done the heavy lifting on the software?

At the minute I've moved the thermostat closer to the relay which has fixed my immediate problem. I suspect this will become the long term solution. I'll continue to research the relative merits of each and every system and never make a decision.

Yes and no. Plenty of sample implementations out there, but nothing that works off the shelf.

I'm a little out of my depth tbh, but I'm enjoying learning as I go.

There's a Raspberry Pi version, check that thread. I've got a thermometer and a Raspberry Pi, not got around to trying it out yet...

Anyone got any temperature sensors that they'd recommended?
Heating is controlled by Nest so don't need them to coordinate with that but would like the ability to ask the Google mini to see what the temp is in my daughters bedrooms and have some sort of look back so you can see what the temperature has been doing over the last week etc.
Any recommendations?