Smart Home 3.0 - are smart homes a smart idea?

Smart homes are on the rise: open/close the door with an app, water the lawn remotely, and see the inside of the refrigerator from the office. Today, all this is no longer a problem. The downside: The 'smarter' your home, the more entry points there are for cyber criminals. Where 'smart' helpers make everyday life easier.

Today, there is practically nothing that the 'Internet of Things' has not already conquered. A bathroom scale that synchronizes with your smartphone. The toothbrush with Bluetooth interface. The microwave oven on WLAN. Anyone who is concerned with making their home. Smart home technology can make life in your own four walls more economical, safer or simply more comfortable. The advantage: Small, inexpensive applications are already available for low double-digit amounts. However, if you want more, it's imperative that you get to grips with wireless standards and the manufacturers' packages so that you don't perhaps find yourself in a development cul-de-sac.

The good news, however, is that the smart home is gradually emerging from its infancy. Mainly because many manufacturers have understood that the previous policy of proprietary systems that do not interoperate with those of the competition was counterproductive to the highest degree because it was the biggest obstacle to acceptance and sales.

What does it take to get started with smart home?

Smart home technology means modularity and individual components. But what does it take to get started with it? Smart home. Behind these two terms lies one of the most promising technologies for the future of living, which will probably soon be on the same basic equipment level as electricity, water and perhaps gas are today. But how can an existing house or apartment be made smart, and what can it be used to control? We provide comprehensive answers to both questions in this guide.

A smart home allows for an incredibly wide range of possibilities, from the smallest remote-controlled light bulb to a completely networked house. But everything is built on some basics that must be mandatory.

Fast Internet

Quite a few smart home components, although not all, need to communicate with the Internet for various reasons. For example, in order to be controlled from a cell phone via an app. The basis for this is therefore that you have an Internet connection in the first place. Traditional DSL, which works via copper-based telephone lines, is the minimum requirement.

It is better to have a fiber-optic connection installed because it is more promising in terms of data volume and transmission speed.

WLAN routers with external, adjustable antennas are the more sensible alternative, especially in large buildings. WLAN routers with external, adjustable antennas are the more sensible alternative, especially for large buildings.

But beware, there are also big differences in this technology, depending on where the fiber optic line is routed to - in the case of VDSL, for example, it ends in the gray boxes at the edge of the street and is continued from there via cable. This is already sufficient for many applications, but once again has to contend with the limitations of copper cables.

However, if you want to focus primarily on the multimedia components of smart homes, you should opt for a complete solution such as FttH, in which the fiber optic lines are run into the home and end at the router, free of copper cables.

WLAN

Neither cell phones nor tablets have connection sockets for network cables these days - this also applies to a large proportion of smart home applications. The Internet connection should therefore be supplemented by a central WLAN supply. The most important thing here is to choose the location of the WLAN router so that there are no "white spots" in the house that are undersupplied. This can be problematic in that WLAN can be severely restricted in its range by walls or ceilings.

Any repeaters

For many apartments and single-family homes, a well-positioned WLAN router is sufficient. However, there are architectural problems that leave gaps in coverage open, even with careful planning. In this case, repeaters can be used.

These are signal amplifiers that are connected to the wall socket like a night light, pick up the WLAN signal from there, amplify it and send it out again. However, this is not an all-around worry-free solution, because the repeater halves the data transfer rate for technical reasons, because it has to communicate with both the end devices and the router.

As advantageous as cables are, because they have to be flush-mounted, they can practically only be used in new house construction and renovation. As advantageous as cables are, because they have to be flush-mounted, they can practically only be used in new house construction and renovation.

A smart home is also based on sending and receiving data. Therefore, there are of course two solutions for transmitting this data, radio and cable.

Why radio is the better retrofit solution: However, in the reality of an existing building, these options often disappear. Because: even though cable-based transmission offers enormous advantages, such as interference immunity and a much greater range, cables and lines still have to be installed flush-mounted. In a house that is already occupied, this is often associated with major disadvantages because, for example, the walls have to be pried open, which in turn requires new plastering and painting or wallpapering.

It is therefore advisable, if you are not building or planning a large-scale renovation anyway, to opt for radio-based solutions at a later stage. These often require a free socket as the only connection and also function without any further connecting cables. Problem wireless standard? An overview: Behind the term smart home is a comparatively young technology that has only been on the market for a few years. However, this has led to several radio standards currently existing in parallel. All of them have advantages and disadvantages. WLAN is only one option, but its advantage is only its wide distribution. In fact, it is a disadvantage of WLAN that the receiver also needs a power connection - this is not the case with other wireless standards.

However, it also depends on what exactly you want. Some wireless standards can only work in one direction, for example, they can only execute commands. However, they do not require an additional connection.

3 Simple WLAN applications

The good thing about the smart home is that no one is forced to commit to packages and transmission standards. On the contrary, anyone who already has WLAN can integrate the first convenient applications into this system without much effort.

Automated lighting control: Perhaps the simplest application is the so-called WLAN light bulb. These are light bulbs, usually with an E14 or E27 socket, which are based on dimmable LEDs and are quite simply replaced with an existing light bulb. Four of the most widely used systems currently are:

- Osram Lightify

- Philips Hue

- Ikea Tradfri

- LifX

Smart light sources do not look any different from conventional ones and are just as easy to install. Smart light bulbs do not look any different from conventional ones and can be installed just as easily.

Depending on the provider, such bulbs can be registered directly in the WLAN or require a separate control unit, the so-called bridge. Also depending on the provider, they can then be dimmed, color changed or programmed via app or also via personal assistants such as Amazon Echo, for example to simulate sunrises or sunsets.

Roller shutter control

Anyone who already has an electric roller shutter motor that is simply controlled via a switch next to the window can also integrate a smart solution without much effort. Here simply the manual switches are exchanged for such, which are to be steered by radio. Depending on the manufacturer and system, these then also require a bridge or can be controlled directly via a manufacturer-internal app from the smartphone and also programmed.

Smart sockets

The third in the group of entry-level applications are WLAN socket outlets. These are available either as a closed system in the form of a dedicated surface-mounted or flush-mounted socket. However, there are also a variety of solutions in the form of intermediate sockets that are simply plugged in between the socket and the consumer. In principle, this makes it possible to switch everything that is connected to this 230V socket on and off via an app or personal assistants - through the Internet connection, theoretically even from the other side of the globe.

Heating packages usually consist of a few owner-replaceable thermostats for the radiators, a bridge, and a control app. Heating packages usually consist of a few owner-replaceable thermostats for the radiators, a bridge and a control app.

Manufacturer-dependent individual packages

Competition is fierce in the smart home market. And there is still a certain battle over which wireless standards will prevail. This is one of the reasons why many manufacturers offer complete systems that are dedicated to a somewhat larger, but thematically centered field of tasks. Energy control of the house: One of the most important smart home achievements is to make a house more energy efficient. This is accomplished through sensor- or app-controlled regulation of heating. Such systems can, for example, set all radiators to a certain temperature at the touch of a button or automatically turn them down during certain times of the day.

Convenient lighting control

For many people, smart home means comfort above all. This is where lighting controls step in. In the simplest version, this simply involves several WLAN lighting elements together with a bridge and an app. However, more elaborate systems additionally supply motion detectors, and in some cases roller shutter controls as well. This already shows that many packages also work across applications:

- Philips Hue and Color Ambiance Starter Set

- Bosch Smart Home lighting control

- Osram Lightify package

At the same time, such lighting controls also offer an additional security aspect. They are the technically more sophisticated successor to the timer and can thus also be used as a presence simulator to actively protect against burglary.

Surveillance

Camera images that you can stream to your cell phone from anywhere - in real time. This is the most important surveillance option in the smart home. In addition to such pure camera systems, there are also those that act as door viewer replacements:

- Magenta SmartHome indoor camera

- Bosch Smart Home Starter Set Security or Smart Home Eyes

- E.ON Indoor Cam

- Tink Netatmo and Canary camera respectively.

The systems are divided into pure indoor applications, some with 360-degree function, and devices that can also be used outdoors. However, a note on this: German data protection law sets very tight limits on outdoor cameras. In principle, only the user's own property may be in focus. And if it is to be expected that strangers will enter the property - this also includes the letter carrier - clearly visible warning signs must be attached to inform about the surveillance.

Burglary protection / security

Burglary figures have been rising steadily for years, as has the desire of many people for additional security against other dangers, such as fire. So it's no wonder that the smart home is also getting involved here. However, it should be mentioned that many systems here consist of individual devices that can be integrated into a basic system from the same manufacturer:

- Gigaset Elements (various sizes)

- Olympia Protect

- Egardia SmartHome alarm system

Indoor smart home camera systems can be accessed from anywhere. Especially convenient for frequent travelers. Indoor smart home camera systems can be accessed from anywhere. Especially convenient for frequent travelers.

Such installations usually consist of a basic package with various door and window sensors, often an indoor camera and, in some cases, alarm sirens that can be muted if desired. In addition, there is the option of replacing front door locks with app-controlled systems and thus also integrating an additional convenience component. Such helpers are rounded off by smoke detectors that are often networked with each other and thus not only alarm on site, but also via an app.

Lawn robots in your garden.

The smart home has long since outgrown the four walls. Many systems are also aimed solely at garden owners, flower growers and hobby gardeners. It must be mentioned that such systems are also among the most expensive - especially in the field of robotic mowers.

- Robotic mowers from various manufacturers (Automower, Bosch, Gardena, Husqvarna...).

- GreenIQ Smart Garden Hub (internet weather and sensor controlled irrigation)

- Gardena smart system (including mowers, irrigation control, water pumps).

For example, such a system may involve adding a hose and irrigation nozzles to a vegetable bed. The smart controller controls when and how much to irrigate. It not only compares sensor-based actual values such as air and soil moisture, but also consults weather information from the network - to avoid watering two hours before a cloudburst. This automates the entire irrigation control process.

Music and TV

Smart applications that deal with the large area of multimedia probably have the largest scope to date. Precisely because there are so many systems here, it is impossible to create a manufacturer-based package list. Therefore, only a small list of possible applications is given here:

- Sensor-based speaker systems that play a preset playlist or even radio when a person enters the room. When fully equipped, this allows people to "take" their music with them as they walk through the house.

- Central servers that serve as a focal point for all entertainment media and can stream it to devices throughout the home.

- Voice controls to control individual devices without manual remote control.

- Sensor-controlled TV mounts that swivel the set as soon as you change your sitting position.

Another interesting aspect of these systems is that more and more manufacturers are turning the TV into a control center for other smart home applications, including those that have nothing to do with multimedia, by integrating appropriate wireless standards

Here some smart home basic rules for beginners

Most (radio-based) smart home solutions are very concerned with beginner-friendliness. However, this is exactly what creates certain problems. They make it necessary to follow some basic rules in everything.

Radio needs security

The biggest advantage and simultaneous disadvantage of radio is that the number of consumers is practically unlimited - as with radio, for example. But since a lot of things work both ways in the smart home, it is imperative to imply appropriate protection mechanisms.

Anything that is connected to the network can also be hacked. All smart home systems should therefore be secured by well-chosen passwords. What is connected to the network can also be hacked. All smart home systems should therefore be secured by well-chosen passwords.

Only passwords are truly effective. This means that you should always make the effort to secure your smart home with a really good password - and especially for all applications that revolve around security and/or monitoring. This applies both to the WLAN in and of itself, as well as to systems based on other wireless standards that originate from it.

Combining is not always easy

A major and much-maligned problem with wireless standards is that not everyone can communicate with everyone else. ZigBee, for example, can only do it partially, while Z-Wafe does it very well. It is therefore essential, especially if you are planning an extensive smart home expansion, to read into several points:

- The wireless standards and their limitations.

- The different manufacturers (packages) and which standards they use

- The possibilities of building on them

For example, if you want to buy only a starter package for lighting, you can omit these steps. But even if you plan to link it to a heating and ventilation package via the shutter control, for example, it is necessary to think about the compatibility of the two systems - especially if they come from different manufacturers.

Smart WLAN plug-in sockets are among the most useful basic applications and cost only small, double-digit amounts in the process. Smart WLAN plug-in sockets are among the most useful basic applications and cost only small, double-digit sums.

Beware of anything too superfluous

The smart home belongs to the even larger circle of the so-called Internet of Things (IoT). This includes the fact that there are countless things that can be connected to the Internet today. In the smart home space, most of it makes sense. However, there are also things in the IoT itself that are not at all. Example: illuminated WLAN Christmas tree balls that can be controlled via app. As with all IoT applications, these actually seem very sensible - they are switched on and off via WLAN.

However, due to the fact that every radio-based Internet application offers an additional gateway and also consumes electricity, you should always check how useful it is at all and whether it represents a real everyday aid or merely a nice-to-have gadget before buying it.

And there are also dedicated applications in the smart home that don't make sense for everyone, but only for a special target group. For example, it is now possible to add vital data monitoring to the smart home. The data is registered and reported by special amulets or bracelets. For healthy people, this is simply superfluous, also under the heading of risk minimization. For the sick and/or those in need of care, on the other hand, this is a blessing that offers additional security because the systems can also sound the alarm if vital data exceeds or falls below threshold values.