Advice

How exciting, you want to turn your home into a Smart Home!

However, automating your home means making choices and diving into the subject. This involves a lot of reading about all the different systems and devices available. Chances are you might be overwhelmed by the multitude of options? But you want to make a solid choice, both now and for the future.

Moreover, you want to ensure that the ideas you have now are feasible and preferably within one and the same system, with one app, and workable for the whole family.

Fortunately, Home2Link can assist you with this choice.

Follow the steps below for a thorough choice in your home automation or contact us for personal advice at your home.

Before you start, it's wise to know what a Smart Home can offer. In short, we can best compare it to our car, which has been "smart" for years.

Our car has various handy features, such as;
- Automatic lighting
- Climate control
- Sensors (rain, light, position, obstacles)
- Integrated security systems
- Problem notifications
- Controls within reach
- Keyless entry

However, the car is used for only 1 to 4 hours a day, while we are home 8 to 18 hours a day. Isn't it strange that our home, where we spend most of our time, is not equipped with the comfort, convenience, and security systems that our car has? Especially considering that we use our home more broadly for work, relaxation, and longer stays, creating a need for more extensive features.

Clearly, it's time to change that with a Smart Home; for better quality of living, working, and life, with more convenience, comfort, security, and additionally saving energy. But what Smart Home products do we need for that?

The foundation of a Smart Home is the base station, also known as a gateway or hub. It's a mini computer that connects and controls all your Smart Home devices.

On your PC, you can use a user-friendly interface (software) to install each device, adjust settings, and create scenes. You can control the system via voice commands or with a downloadable app on your smartphone or tablet.

Good infrastructure is essential here. This infrastructure facilitates communication between the devices in your smart home and ensures that these devices can also communicate with the outside world. Therefore, you can also see the infrastructure as your network; the links between all devices, the base station, and your modem/router. More on this later.

The first step you take is to inventory which devices you want to connect or automate, where these devices are located, how they are connected, and how you want to control them, such as through a sensor. Also consider the future, what you might want or be able to automate later. Think about your entire house, garden, and shed/garage, and categorize them into Actuators and Sensors.

Possible switches and scenes via Sensors or Actuators in the living room;

- Motion sensors
- Lighting switches
- Lighting dimmers
- Lighting and appliance plugs
- RGBW LED mood lighting
- Door/Window sensors
- Thermostatic valves
- Multimedia controls
- Remote controls

Possible switches and scenes via Sensors or Actuators in the kitchen;

- Motion sensors
- Sunshade, roller shutter, and curtain switches
- Door/Window sensors
- Smoke detectors
- CO sensors
- Water sensors
- Temperature sensors
- Thermostatic valves
- Intercom, smart doorbell

For effective communication, and thus proper operation, the infrastructure (network) must be optimal. Few of us are in the position to build a new house and run network cabling throughout the entire home from the start. And breaking open walls to install network cabling later is not something we're going to do, especially if we're renting. So, it has to be wireless.

We all know that Wi-Fi coverage throughout your home can be problematic, and Bluetooth has a limited range, so it's not an option. But there are other (new) forms of wireless communication that are increasingly used in Smart Home applications, such as Z-Wave and Zigbee.

The advantage of the Z-Wave protocol is that chipsets and certification are available from only one manufacturer, namely Sigma Designs. In contrast, Zigbee is an open standard without a certification process. This means that there is better compatibility with Z-Wave products, based on certification.

Z-Wave has the advantage of a lower frequency, which penetrates walls and ceilings more easily, thus providing a greater range. Both Z-Wave and Zigbee use signal repeating, also known as a Mesh Network, where different modules also forward signals, making it (indirectly) easy to reach the attic from the living room.

These protocols are also secured with AES 128 encryption and are bi-directional, meaning a response is expected after a command; otherwise, the command is resent, and if it ultimately fails, an error message is sent to the user. This is a significant advantage over the widely used KlikAanKlikUit switches, which do not have this feature, and you can never be sure remotely if the switch worked, and your network is not secured.

So, Z-Wave is clearly the best choice as the foundation for your Smart Home network.

By now, we know what we want to automate in the house (switches & actuators) and how (sensors & scenes), and possibly in the future, making it future-proof. We also know that we should choose Z-Wave, possibly in combination with other protocols like Zigbee, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, IR, etc. Home2Link has the solution for you!

The FIBARO SYSTEM. The most complete Smart Home system in one, where all devices can communicate with each other via the base station, and you only need one app to control your entire Smart Home:

- Complete home automation
- Wireless communication via Z-Wave
- Open infrastructure with free plugins from many manufacturers
- Free user-friendly Interface and App
- Modular construction and expansion
- Future-proof
- Easy integration and installation
- Always and everywhere accessible
- Affordable
- Secure via AES 128 encryption
- Produced in Europe

For the complete FIBARO Smart Home product overview, click here.

In addition to the FIBARO System, we also offer solutions from other manufacturers to make your home automation as complete as possible. Using filters on our website, you can check compatibility and ensure that the devices work together (can communicate).

For example:

• Homey, a voice-controlled hub from the Netherlands with multiple protocols onboard, and works excellently with Fibaro modules.
• Logitech Harmony, a universal RF and IR remote control for your audio & video equipment, integrated with your Smart Home.
• Philips Hue, integrates into your FIBARO Smart Home system via a plugin. Also works with Homey.
• Anna Smart Thermostat from Plugwise, integrates into your FIBARO Smart Home system via a plugin. Also works with Homey.
• NEST Smart Thermostat from Google, integrates into your FIBARO Smart Home system via a plugin. Also works with Homey.

If you're still unsure, contact Home2Link for FREE no-obligation personal advice at our office or at your home (within 30 km of Haarlem).

In about 1-2 hours, we will discuss the possibilities, your preferences, and whether you'd like us to complete the installation and programming, after which you'll receive a tailored quote.

Appointments can be made during office hours, on Saturdays, or in the evenings on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday. Or schedule a visit for a real Smart Home experience in our showroom.

You can make an appointment by email at: [email protected]
Or by calling: +31 85 029 05 78

We look forward to helping you make your home smart!