Starting with the end in mind, let me first introduce our current smart home (Smart Home) configuration so that everyone can have a concept and imagination. In the future, I will introduce step by step how I got to where I am now.
If you are still vague about the concept of smart home, you can refer to this concept introduction:What is a smart home? How to start a smart home? Three essential elements for a smart home. The degree of laziness determines the degree of intelligence of the home🤣 – Smart Home EP 1
Table of contents
Daily use functions
The picture above shows several daily use screens of our Home Assistant. From left to right they are:
- Dashboard: briefly displays several basic information (Ashan and I’s conditions at home, weather, temperature, humidity, air quality) and two commonly used scenarios (Scenes).
- Visual control interface: Use the floor plan as a basis and place each device in the corresponding position. Compared with the common grid arrangement of Homekit and Google Home, using the floor plan can quickly find the lights, air conditioners or other devices you want to control. .
- Sweeping robot control: Integrating the functions of Roborock S7 MaxV sweeping robot, you can perform most common operations.
- Automated settings: The most important part of a smart home is basically a brain-like existence, and it is also the most fulfilling part in the evolution of smart homes.
Basic information of family members
Before building a smart home, you need to take stock of the basic attributes of family members so that you can have a basis for choosing various configurations in the future.
- Members: Me, Ashan, Fat Brother (Cat)
- Commonly used devices and operating systems:
- Mobile phone: My Android, Ashan iOS
- Computer: Mixed use of Windows and Mac
- TV: Google Chromecast with Google TV
- Main activity areas: living room, dining room
Summary of smart home related configurations
Here are some brief explanations. In the future, we will introduce the selection process of various configurations and the advantages and disadvantages of different solutions in separate articles in the future (this is how we will have traffic! You are right?).
- Network configuration: The network configuration has a very important relationship with the size of the space and the condition of the partitions. Our home is about 25 to 30 square meters, with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The weak current cabinet is probably in the middle of the entire space. I only use one. ASUS TUF-AX5400 is currently usable, but the WiFi signal is weak in only a few locations (eg. master bedroom bathroom, back balcony), and according to the inventory of "Family Member Basic Information", the activity areas are mainly concentrated in the living room and dining room. It can be used. If necessary in the future, you can add other routers through ASUS's AiMesh.
- Smart device connection method: In principle, I choose Zigbee as much as possible, and if I don’t have a choice, I will use WiFi.
- Central system: Home Assistant integrates all devices, liberating the constraints of various APPs, and the automated settings are more flexible. You can move it as you want; based on the inventory of "family member basic information", Homekit is directly excluded from the plan, because Android loves Users like me cannot use XDD
I hope the above will give you a preliminary concept and imagination of smart home construction. We will introduce each link in detail later. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a message below for discussion!
Thank you so much~ It’s really useful information~~ Thank you Neil for your selfless sharing~
I purchased some smart light bulbs for my newly decorated home. After installing them, I realized that I needed a messenger (gateway), Wi-Fi, and Zigbee. After reading the article that Neil carefully shared, I had a little idea. Although I read It seems that some passages are still alien to me, but I believe I will understand them all in the future (make fist).
Oh ~ I just left a message to express, thank you for selflessly sharing your profound wisdom👍🏻
Hi Summer, no problem, I hope it helps you~
Hi Neyo, if you use other brands of smart devices to access Home Assistant, do you need to add another gateway of that brand? Or can it be paired with just the Home Assistant device?
Hi Willson, it depends on how your smart device is connected. Matter can directly connect to HA, and Zigbee can use Z2M gateway to access HA. If it is WiFi or Bluetooth, you basically need the brand gateway. The recommended device selection sequence is: Zigbee > Matter > WiFi > Others
Hello Neil:
Before the construction, all my family members used iOS systems. Since I didn’t know much about the relevant knowledge, I had no doubts about using Homekit when I considered building a smart home. All my devices are mainly based on VIZO’s Zigbee, and I use VIZO’s gateway. After joining HK, currently the Vizo APP for light switches, door and window sensors, and some basic automation is combined with HK. It is generally OK and very simple to use. Recently I want to further study automation, such as turning on the lights when I walk into the kitchen and turning off the lights when I leave, the same goes for the toilet; voice control or automatic start of the air conditioner. These are things that cannot be accomplished with the above-mentioned devices alone, so I came up with the idea of using HA. After reading your article, I purchased Shumei Pie (still on the way). I would like to ask you about my current thoughts whether it is feasible:
1. VIZO equipment is connected to its own gateway, and then the gateway is connected to HA. The HA manages and controls VIZO equipment in a unified manner. I don’t know if this is feasible, or should I simply not use the VIZO gateway and connect each VIZO device directly to the HA?
2. My air conditioner is an international RX series, and the DYSON air purifier itself has a WIFI module, which is directly connected to the HA.
3. Buy a human body presence sensor and connect it to HA, and all subsequent newly purchased equipment will go directly to HA.
The above device uses Homebridge to connect to HK, so that it can also be controlled by HK. In the end, HK should only have voice control function... I wonder if this is feasible? Do I need a Z2m gateway to integrate these things for me? Thank you very much for your generous reply~
Hi Richard,
Thanks Neil for replying~~
Please tell me Neil, how can the floor plan be presented? Is there a ha plug-in?
Hi Zackery,
Please refer to this article~
https://neiltw.com/home-assistant-floor-plan-dashboard-tutorial/
Our house will be handed over next year, and the indoor area is about 30 square meters. We have already bought a NAS and installed a HomeAsistant. I would like to ask Neil, if we will also use Zigbee in the future, what specifications do we need to buy for the router?
Please give me some advice, thanks.
If you want to buy a NAS, you must have storage needs, right? If so, I suggest just sticking to the standard, the transmission speed will be faster. If there are not many compartments at 30 square meters, the whole family can eat it if the router is placed in the middle. If you are worried about poor signal in the corners, you can consider getting a Mesh router.
I'll study Mesh, thanks Neil.
I also use the aqara system but I use it with HomeKit. Although I haven’t used the home assistant yet, I may need it in the future.
Your content is great, very complete and thoughtful. I benefited from it. Thank you.
Thanks, hope it helps you
YT who just finished watching Bullet Shell House came over quickly!
My home is being renovated and I want to go HA in the future. Your article is very useful to me!!
Great! Hope it helps everyone