Smart Home - automation

[Core Shot]

Didn’t see a thread.
Been all over the interwebs. Getting frustrated.
Tried cync by ge. Friend works for a division. Gave me some freebies to try. Worked great for two weeks. Now the app is wonky and won’t add devices back in. Deleted and reinstalled. Even fired up an old android to see if the googles app was better. Still fucked.

I don’t want much. Just outdoor lights on at dusk and off at midnight.

What are y’all using?

[Meathelmet]

Yeah...no.

[::: :::]

just install a dumb switch with a photocell triggered light fixture

or wire a photocell in between the lights you want on and the wall switch

[Core Shot]

This post sums up why I don’t.

Yeah...no.

Yeah. I’m a bit of a Luddite as well.
But when I look for info it’s all about scenes and over the top shit.
Kids wanting to hey Alexa without getting up off the couch.

just install a dumb switch with a photocell triggered light fixture

or wire a photocell in between the lights you want on and the wall switch

Yeah. Tried that. But photocells are fucking up. Some are shaded.

I would rather have automated on off of both wall switches and landscape transformers.

[Ørion]

Hass.io is really the end-all be-all solution to any question about home automation.

[JimmyCarter]

I’m still terrified about how lax the security appears to be on some of these things, so don’t really want it connected to my network in any way. I’m sure it’s getting or gotten better, but I don’t really need it so not going to chance it.

I do have google home though, so probably a moot point.

[davjr96]

I’m still terrified about how lax the security appears to be on some of these things, so don’t really want it connected to my network in any way. I’m sure it’s getting or gotten better, but I don’t really need it so not going to chance it.

I do have google home though, so probably a moot point.

The running joke is the "S" in "IOT" stands for Security

[Meathelmet]

Yeah. I’m a bit of a Luddite as well.
But when I look for info it’s all about scenes and over the top shit.
Kids wanting to hey Alexa without getting up off the couch.

I am probably the opposite of a luddite...

My concern is a bit about the low value that they provide, a tad more about the shitpoor design & quality of the IoT stuff but my main issue is the IT security.

Most of the IoT stuff is absolutely fucking riddled with security issues that range from risky to absolutely catastrophic. Forget about connecting them to your home network unless your IT & firewalling skills are on the Matrix level. A simple smart bulb can provide vectors, let alone some alibaba/china ordered security cam or whatnot.

Um, no thanks. As long as I can get up from the sofa, I think I'll manage..

[::: :::]

I would rather have automated on off of both wall switches and landscape transformers.

Re: just time of day
Timers work great for that [not "Hey Alexa"...]

If retrofit, the difficulty is often either running the various fixtures thru the control device. Dumb control requires the fixtures be downstream of the timer, preferably a plug-in. Fancy controls require a control wire in addition to the power wires.

If new, you can go dumb or fancy smart...it just boils down to burning money...

Re: IOT
they are just broadcast devices used to open your private home to the world
#harrumph

[Core Shot]

Hass.io is really the end-all be-all solution to any question about home automation.

I have stumbled into that.
Haven’t tried it yet.

I thought you need a local server or even a raspberry pi to host it?

[Ørion]

I have stumbled into that.
Haven’t tried it yet.

I thought you need a local server or even a raspberry pi to host it?

A raspberry pi 4 is the most supported method. Its admittedly a small investment but if you're wanting to get into any sort of home automation it gives you much more control and privacy in the long run, not to mention saves you $$ as you'll buy fewer proprietary hubs and accessories.

[Adolf Allerbush]

I have a WeMo light switch for the outdoor lights that goes on at dusk and turns them off in the middle of the night at the time we set, I think it's around 2am. It works, I haven't had to touch it other than once when the power went out and it couldn't find the network without me intervening. The power has gone out a few more times since then (over two years or so) and it reconnects fine.

I worry about the security issues too. I might get rid of it.

[spanky]

I am probably the opposite of a luddite...

My concern is a bit about the low value that they provide, a tad more about the shitpoor design & quality of the IoT stuff but my main issue is the IT security.

Most of the IoT stuff is absolutely fucking riddled with security issues that range from risky to absolutely catastrophic. Forget about connecting them to your home network unless your IT & firewalling skills are on the Matrix level. A simple smart bulb can provide vectors, let alone some alibaba/china ordered security cam or whatnot.

Um, no thanks. As long as I can get up from the sofa, I think I'll manage..

I’m a big fan of smart home devices and the automation they provide. I run a Samsung SmartThings hub controlling various brands of Z-wave/zigbee/wi-fi devices. Regarding security, it’s not hard to set up a separate “IoT” VLAN that is isolated from both your home network and blocked from reaching the internet. Essentially, anything that is not a computer or mobile device gets relegated to the IoT network… smart home, speakers, vacuum, thermostats, etc.

[spanky]

Not really smart home related, but anyone else name their home network, “maggots”?

Although, my guest wifi is “HPD” (name of my town starts with H). So I don’t have to explain the network name to guests.

[Kevo]

I installed some Meross light switches. You need a neutral wire in the gang box. Everything is tied into Alexa.

My porch lights and driveway lights come on at dusk and turn off at 10. I've also automated some living room lights and a string of lights in the backyard. I think all in I've got 6 smart switches and dimmers installed and several other smart plugs for various devices. I never have to worry about leaving lights on.

I'm still looking for a decent 3 way smart dimmer. So far it's been hard to find a good one.

[Touring_Sedan]

We have more home automation devices than I'd like to admit.

Kasa for the majority of the indoor switches and smartplugs.

Sengled for the remainder of our bulbs.

Bond handles the ceiling fans and fireplace, basically anything with an old school RF remote.

Nexx controls the garage door

Rachio handles the sprinkler system

Ecobee for the thermostat

Harmony for the entertainment systems

Foscam and Amcrest for our security cameras

Ecovacs for the robo-vac

Everything is united via varied Amazon Echo devices and can all be summoned by voice, cell phone or my watch.

Overkill, perhaps... handy, for sure.

[nickwm21]

I am probably the opposite of a luddite...

My concern is a bit about the low value that they provide, a tad more about the shitpoor design & quality of the IoT stuff but my main issue is the IT security.

Most of the IoT stuff is absolutely fucking riddled with security issues that range from risky to absolutely catastrophic. Forget about connecting them to your home network unless your IT & firewalling skills are on the Matrix level. A simple smart bulb can provide vectors, let alone some alibaba/china ordered security cam or whatnot.

Um, no thanks. As long as I can get up from the sofa, I think I'll manage..

Help explain the security concerns… I hear this a lot but I’m not an expert in this world and I don’t understand….

To my simple mind, my home is not a nuclear reactor. If someone hacks into my IOT oven, what are they going to do? Turn the broiler on high?

Even the IOT locksets or garage door openers…. I feel like if someone wants to break into my house they are going to physically break into my house, not hack my smart door lock. I don’t have floor bolts and window bars installed….

Now if some hacker can get from my IOT light bulb to my bank account. Then we have a problem… Is that the concern?


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[dannynoonan]

Help explain the security concerns… I hear this a lot but I’m not an expert in this world and I don’t understand….

To my simple mind, my home is not a nuclear reactor. If someone hacks into my IOT oven, what are they going to do? Turn the broiler on high?

Even the IOT locksets or garage door openers…. I feel like if someone wants to break into my house they are going to physically break into my house, not hack my smart door lock. I don’t have floor bolts and window bars installed….

Now if some hacker can get from my IOT light bulb to my bank account. Then we have a problem… Is that the concern?


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I figure they can watch you whack off via, well, any number of things including the tv, light bulbs, probably even the fucking coffee maker.

As for the original problem, just use a timer? Or a light switch?

[Flyoverland Captive]

eBay is full of X10 stuff. Can’t be hacked, and just works. I use it to turn indoor and outdoor lights on every day. Rock solid reliable. No app, but that’s not an issue for me.

Standard plugin timers work ok, but every time your power goes out, they drift a bit. X10 is clock-based, so 5pm is always 5pm.

[ötzi]

I'm a light switch guy myself. Seems pretty easy after the initial learning curve.

[bobz]

We've been really happy with the Honeywell light switch that times our porch light:
- Isn't networked, doesn't depend on wi-fi or internet at all;
- Calculates sunrise and sunset;
- Can turn on light at sunset, turn off at a specified time, or at sunrise;
- Can be used as a dumb switch.

And I'm playing with some dirt cheap (pack of 4 for under $25) TP-Link Kasa plugs. Can be set up to turn whatever's plugged in on and off at scheduled times, or for a specified duration. Can be turned on and off at the plug, or via app (if the phone is using the same wi-fi network as the plug; it isn't accessed via the open internet). So far non-essential but amusing, and these things will indeed replace our old-tech light timers for when we're out of town for extended periods.

[Touring_Sedan]

eBay is full of X10 stuff. Can’t be hacked, and just works. I use it to turn indoor and outdoor lights on every day. Rock solid reliable. No app, but that’s not an issue for me.

Standard plugin timers work ok, but every time your power goes out, they drift a bit. X10 is clock-based, so 5pm is always 5pm.

Jesus, people still use that bulky bullshit?!! I gave up on that crap in 2001 when every errant RF signal would turn on a different light. If you take off the tin foil hat, you'd realize there are much better options out there. Or, you could just go back to using the Clapper.


Edit. Turns out that I still have some of that crap. Yours for the cost of shipping.

[schuss]

Help explain the security concerns… I hear this a lot but I’m not an expert in this world and I don’t understand….

To my simple mind, my home is not a nuclear reactor. If someone hacks into my IOT oven, what are they going to do? Turn the broiler on high?

Even the IOT locksets or garage door openers…. I feel like if someone wants to break into my house they are going to physically break into my house, not hack my smart door lock. I don’t have floor bolts and window bars installed….

Now if some hacker can get from my IOT light bulb to my bank account. Then we have a problem… Is that the concern?


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Most are designed to "phone home" for firmware updates and the like. The problem is that they usually use hardcoded passwords that are easily reverse-engineered. They can then use your device as an ingress point to other things on your home network, as hitting it from inside your network will often bypass security if you have things like sharing on your desktop. In practice, it's pretty easy to hop to other things on the network and gain control/access. It's only a matter of time until there's easy script-kiddie things that let people do stuff like blast music at 2 AM or make your lights strobe for laughs. Just play around on https://www.shodan.io/ and see how open most shit is.

[Percy Rideout]

Jesus, people still use that bulky bullshit?!! I gave up on that crap in 2001 when every errant RF signal would turn on a different light. If you take off the tin foil hat, you'd realize there are much better options out there. Or, you could just go back to using the Clapper.

Easier to use for old school luddites who dont play with apps.

x10 is Not a bad option for afterthought automation.

If we were going to do it the proper way and run all the low volt wires to the control panel....Lutron is the best compared to the rest.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

I'm a light switch guy myself. Seems pretty easy after the initial learning curve.

Yeah, it’s not that hard.




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