
Zigbee homeseer software#
For example, the latest hub supports Lutron if you have a Lutron hub already and it has an integration with Life360 software so it can tell where occupants of the home are. However, Hubitat is constantly updating the software, adding new devices, and fixing issues, so I expect a richer feature set now. Kevin tried a Hubitat device two years ago and found it good for home automations that you can set and forget, but bad for folks who want a simple app interface to manually tweak things in their home. Obviously, if you have a cloud camera or want to use Google or Alexa the cloud will have to come into play. Hubitat’s claim to fame is that you can keep a lot of your devices communicating on your local network thanks to the internal radios and computing power on the $129.95 box. Hubitat Elevation: Hubitat bridges the divide between some of the more hardcore maker-type platforms and those with easier user interface and established integrations. I plan to test it when the products ship. If you want to control devices that aren’t on Ezlo’s list, you’ll have to do it using the smart speaker integrations.

I haven’t tried the Ezlo software, but it offers the basic radios as well as integrations with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. That cellular feature could be really important for those who want to use their home automation hub as a security system. There’s a $69.95 option for casual users that includes the necessary Z-Wave and ZigBee radios and a fancier $199.95 Ezlo Secure hub that includes backup LTE connectivity. At CES the company announced two new smart home hubs that will ship later this month. Update: It’s not available now, but a SmartThings representative emailed to say it should be available in a few weeks.Įzlo: Ezlo is the combination of three smart home brands including the older Vera platform. For those wanting a ZigBee and Z-wave hub that works well with SmartThings, look for a SmartThings WASH (Work as a SmartThings Hub) option such as this one from Aeotec. The company also started pulling back from manufacturing its own hardware, which means that the current SmartThings hub can be tough to find. But last year SmartThings made significant changes to its platform that limited the customization that some of its users had cherished.
Zigbee homeseer Bluetooth#
SmartThings: This is the granddaddy of the generation of DIY home hubs that added a user-friendly mobile app, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth radios to the established home automation companies that included Vera, Insteon, and others.

But the easiest options aren’t actually available, so if you want to switch today, you’re going to have to build your own. We’ll rank them in terms of the most user-friendly to the most complicated.


I may even decide I no longer need my beloved Z-wave outdoor outlets since the Wi-Fi options available have gotten so good.īut for those of y’all who still have Z-wave or ZigBee gear on hand, and who are frustrated with Wink’s downtime and general unreliability (it was out for a few days during the summer) I have some hub options that offer a compelling switch. So after the weeklong Wink outage, I finally was able to say goodbye to my Wink hub without feeling a sense of loss. However, after moving in 2019 from Austin, renting for a year, and then dealing with the pressures of the pandemic, I stopped using the Wink hub because I only had a single lock, and a few Z-wave outdoor outlets left. Up until last week, when I wanted to control my Z-wave or ZigBee sensors I used a second-generation Wink hub, paying $4.99 a month for the privilege. After that, I ended up with a first-generation Wink hub and a device from Staples that was later discontinued. I’ve had some sort of smart home hub in my life since 2013 when I received one of the first Kickstarter-backed SmartThings hubs. What the heck is going on? Has COVID caused disruptions in the supply chain? Many of them have been unavailable for the last few weeks, so I suspect that’s the case, but it’s hard out there for a home automation lover who needs Z-wave radios and decent software. This was going to be a post about the smart home options to buy after you ditch the Wink hub that has been down for the last few weeks, but it has since turned into a realization that there are no smart home hubs available on the market from established and reliable vendors.
