How to build a smart home: Everything you need to know today

What to Know About Smart Home Systems

Want to buy your first smart device but don't know where to start? These guides are overviews of what to consider before purchasing any connected appliance or product. In other words, read these first before you click 'buy' or head to the store. This information will help you develop a plan that will ensure you will have no interoperability issues when setting up your system:

• How to make your house a smart home: This article helps you understand the basics of building a smart home system.
• From B to Z: How your smart home speaks wireless: This article explains several wireless protocols you need to know when building a smart home.
• What Works with Matter, The New Wireless Standard for Smart Devices: Learn about the new wireless protocol, Matter. See how it works and which devices will be compatible.
• 5 questions to ask before purchasing a smart home system: GearBrain has put together a simple buyer's guide for first-time users of smart home devices. Here are questions you need to ask yourself that will help educate you on the options to consider before you start down the road of building your smart home.
• Here are 6 cool smart home systems to consider: This will help you learn more about the alternative smart home systems today.
• What is IFTTT, and how can it help you run your home? Learn how IFTTT (stands for If This Than That) can control all your connected devices no matter what type of connected devices you have in your smart home.
• The best places to shop for smart devices: If you can buy any new connected devices for the home, here is our recommendation on the 5 best retailers to help you find suitable device or devices for your smart home.
• 7 smart home installation services to hire that will set up (nearly) anything you buy: Here, you will learn which companies can assist you in building your smart home and help troubleshoot any issues you might have if you installed devices or systems yourself.
• Five professional installers who can create the ultimate smart home space: If you don't want to build a smart home by yourself and want to call a guy, this article will help you learn which guy to call to build your perfect smart home.
• Building a new smart home from the ground up: Here are the options to consider: If you want to build the perfect one, here you will learn which companies specialize in building customized smart homes in the U.S.
• What You Need To Know Before Buying Smart Security Cameras - This article will get you up to speed on what you need to know about smart security cameras for your home.

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Podcast: How to Build a Smart Home Series - Part One

Buy a Customized Smart Home Security System from Vivint

Smart Home How-To for Renters

If you're a renter, you probably have less control over what you can do inside your living space. (Landlords can be like that. We get it.) But that doesn't mean you're left out of this smart home revolution. There are tons of devices you can add to your rented space, and we have some guides that focus on exactly you and your requirements:

• How to give your rental apartment a smart home upgrade for $100: Even a rental apartment, see how you can upgrade it over time with a vast range of inexpensive products that carry price tags of less than $100.
• Installing smart lights in a rented home: Your complete guide: In our guide, you will learn the fully reversible and landlord-friendly way to fit your home with smart lights. Smart Lights are the ideal device for people living in rented property, as they can be installed without making permanent changes to the property and taken with you when you move.
• Can renters fit a smart lock to their front door? This article will show you what you can do with smart locks on your rental property.
• The renter's guide to installing a wireless smart video doorbell: This article will show you how to install a wireless smart video doorbell in an apartment and how to remove it when you leave.
• Best smart security camera options for renters: This article will provide you with a list of the best options you can choose from in an apartment.
• The best removable and landlord-friendly smart home tech for renters: Do you want to buy smart home gadgets but don't own your home or dwelling? No worries. In this article, GearBrain can educate you on the connected devices that can be easily installed and removed from your home when you decide to leave.
• Is the smart home market leaving apartments behind? With all the talk about smart homes, why isn't anyone talking about smart apartments? In this article, we help you understand how to use connected devices for apartments and the benefits they offer homeowners or renters.
• The best smart tech to secure an Airbnb: Are you an Airbnb owner considering adding smart devices to your rental property? If so, check out this guide on the best smart gadgets we recommend to use in an Airbnb property.
• 7 IoT devices for the smallest apartments: Here is a list of the 7 must-have IoT devices for flats.

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Podcast:  How to Build a Smart Home Series - Part Two

If renting, this podcast will help you learn what you can and can't do without your landlord's approval.

Budget! Budget! - How to Build a Smart Home on a Limited Budget

Look, we get it: smart home devices can add up, and sometimes, we get overwhelmed with what we need to buy first or what kind of budget we need to set aside to get started. Luckily, there are options for any budget, whether you have $100 or $1,000. These guides can offer you some suggestions on where to start, no matter how much you want to spend at the start:

• How much does turning the average house into a smart home cost? Here, we talk you through the costs of adding smart tech to every room in your home. You will be surprised at how much you can spend to make your house smart.
• How to start your smart home with just $100: This article will help you build a smart home on a tiny budget.
• How to build a smart home for less than $500: This article will help you learn how to build a smart home on a budget of less than $400. You can see the essential devices to help make your home smarter and save money.
• How to build a smart home for between $1,000 and $2,000: This is the game plan for building a smart home when money is not an issue.
• How to create a $170 budget smart home security system: Alexa, Ring, and Wyze can help you put a security system all on your own and within your budget.
• 14 smart home devices to lower your bills and save money: These smart home products are kind to your wallet even after you buy them and put them to use in your home.
• How do you build a smart home sound system for a luxury yacht? Some might call a yacht their home. If so, here is how to make a smart home sound system on your yacht.

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Podcast:  How to Build a Smart Home - Part Three

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Learn How Smart Home Hubs Control Smart Homes

Many smart home devices need a hub to connect to the internet and then to each other. While not all do, it's good to understand which brands are more dependent on these than others. We run through which hubs you may need, and learn if this is something you might need at your home:

• Best smart home connected hubs: GearBrain's list of the best connected hubs which can streamline and simplify your smart home by syncing all your connected devices together.
• Which smart home hub is right for you? Everything you need to know: An article will help you find your house's best smart home hub. You will learn if Amazon Alexa is the best device to power your smart home or if you need a more dedicated or no hub.

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Podcast:  How to Build a Smart Home - Part Four

What To Do With Your Smart Devices When You Move

Moving is stressful enough without thinking about what smart home devices to take and which to leave behind. There are some smart devices you can bring, which are no-brainers. This would be smart speakers, smart plugs,smart light bulbs, and maybe smart home security cameras. But what about your motorized window blinds, smart irrigation system, and the smart home security system you have installed over the years? This is where the line begins to blur. GearBrain has a series of articles that can help guide you through this process:

• Moving your smart home: Which devices should you take with you? Here is our guide to help you learn what goes and what devices stay behind when you move.
• How to reset LIFX smart lights when moving and leaving them behind. If you own a lot of LIFX smart bulbs and don't plan on taking them with you when you move, here is how to factory reset your LIFX system.
• How to hand over a Philips Hue smart light system when selling your home. Here is how you do a factory reset on your Philips Hue Smart Lighting System so you can leave it in a state where the buyer can easily set everything up for themselves when they move in.
• Smart home devices for renters that are easy to install, pack, and move. If you rent and want to build a smart home but are concerned about what to do with these devices when you move, this article will help you solve your problem. We will show you new devices that can be plugged in — and then unplugged, packed up, and easily taken to a new space.
• How to wipe and factory reset your Amazon Echo when you want to sell - Learn how to factory reset your Amazon smart speakers and display to make sure all personal data has been removed before selling or giving them away.
• How to reset your Google Home Mini or Nest Mini to factory settings - Whether you just picked up a used device, or want to hand off your speaker to a friend, here's how to scrape it clean.
• How to factory reset an August smart lock when moving house: Here is a guide for resetting your August Smart Door Lock when selling your home. It's relatively easy to do too.
• How to factory reset your Nest Thermostat when moving house: Smart thermostats are not devices you usually take when you move. So what do you do with them for the new owner? It would be best if you did a factory reset. This article shows you how to do it on the Nest Thermostat.
• 5 tips for moving your smart home to a new house or apartment: Moving house is probably one of the most stressful things we do, and with each move, there's usually more and more stuff to box up and relocate. Here are 5 tips to take out some of the stress from moving.
• How to reset Arlo security cameras before moving or giving them away. Security cameras are among the most important smart home devices to reset when moving out. If you plan to leave them, you must do a factory reset. In this article, we show you how to reset to factory settings. Your Arlo Security Cameras, returning the system to as-new condition. This means any hardware left behind when you move can be set up and used by the new owner.
• How to factory reset your Rachio irrigation controller when moving into a new house: As with any smart devices you leave behind, it is essential to ensure the irrigation system is reset correctly and left in an as-new state for the new owner. Here, we show you how to do a factory reset on the popular Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller.

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Here is the Role Voice Activation Plays in Building a Smart Home

More connected devices are coming to the market that can be controlled just with your device. This could be Amazon's Alexa, Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings' Bixby, or Apple's Siri. You can certainly check our thoughts on this way of controlling our home through our piece, Voice Is The New App. But we also encourage you to look at the different digital assistants, what they can do, and which one you may find you prefer. What's key here is that you'll likely pick one and then build your smart home around that specific digital assistant. So, understanding how they work and which one may fit into your life the best is good to do before you start buying a lot of devices for your new smart home.

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How to use Amazon Alexa as the hub for your smart home.

Alexa is Amazon's friendly digital assistant and tied to the Amazon eco-system, which also includes Ring video doorbells. Here are a few guides that will walk you through some of Alexa's better-known products and how they work:

• Here's how to get started with Amazon Alexa: This guide is your first stop to learn how to use Amazon's digital assistant in your smart home.
• Amazon Echo (4th Gen) vs Echo Dot: Which is best for you? Comparing Amazon's latest Alexa smart speakers to find out which is right for you.
• Which Connected Devices Do You Think Connect with Amazon's Alexa? - Test your knowledge and see what connected devices are compatible with Amazon's Alexa.
• How to use Alexa to find Prime Day deals and save money - this article will show you how to use Amazon Alexa to find special deals during sales events like Amazon Prime Day.
• Amazon Echo Dot review: New look, new sound - still just $50: A good review of Amazon's 3rd generation of Amazon Echo Dot (2018)
• How to teach Alexa to recognize your voice and create a personal profile: A solid How-To on getting Alexa clued into your preferences and data.
• New 2018 Amazon Echo Dot vs 2016 Echo Dot: Should you upgrade? I'm unsure if you should upgrade from an old Echo Dot to a new one. This article will provide you with enough information to help you decide which Echo Dot is right for your smart home.
• Amazon Echo Plus (2nd Gen) vs Echo Plus (1st Gen): Should you upgrade? This article will help you see the differences between Amazon Echo Plus 2018 and 2017 versions, which you can use to determine if you should upgrade.
• Amazon Echo Plus 2nd Generation Review: An Echo speaker and Zigbee hub that can connect to even more smart devices in your home.
• How to set up a second Amazon Echo - and why your smart home should have more than one: Want to learn how to set up your Amazon Echos to talk to one another? This article will show you how and the benefits of connecting multiple Amazon Echos.
• Amazon Echo: Best AI Digital Assistant For Any Smart Home: A good review on Amazon's first smart speaker.
• Amazon unveils a new $99 Echo plus other Alexa goodies at a surprise event: An update on the new Amazon Echo and the other new devices Amazon launched, which you can control using Amazon Alexa.
• What are Amazon Alexa Skills?: Do you know what Alexa Skills are? This article will help you learn what skills are and how you can find the ones you need to help run your smart home.
• We ♥ Alexa: An article with examples of the commands you can give to Amazon Alexa.

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How to use Google Assistant enabled devices as hub of your smart home.

Google's digital assistant is called Google Assistant, and there are myriad devices as well that this voice A.I. controls. Here are just a few devices that work with Google Assistant, along with guides with tips on how to operate them:

• Google Home Mini smart speaker arrives to take on Amazon Echo Dot: A look at Google's new smart speaker, Google Home Mini, and how it compares to Amazon's Echo Dot.
• 8 Ways Google will supercharge your smart home with new Home and Assistant features: An article with 8 ways you can use Google's new Google Home and their voice activation platform, Google Assistant.
• The Google Home starter kit: 6 Google Assistant devices to kickstart your smart home: This will show you which are the best smart devices to get to build a smart home using Google Home.
• Lenovo Smart Display 7 Review: A look at one of the newest, compact smart displays that works with Google Assistant
• Google Assistant crowned smartest AI assistant: After an 800-question test, Google's digital assistant came in first, Siri second, and Alexa third.
• Nest Hub Max Review: A Nest security camera baked inside a smart display that works with Google Assistant
• Google Home Hub Review: A Google Assistant touchscreen device for your home with Google Assistant baked inside
• How to make free phone calls with Google Nest: A guide on using Google Assistant devices to make free phone calls just by asking.

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How to get Apple’s Siri to run your smart home.

Those who own an iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac, or MacBook are very (very) familiar with Apple's Siri. But the digital assistant can also help operate smart home products using the Apple HomeKit platform. The cornerstone of Apple's smart home plan was the HomePod, its smart speaker, which was discontinued in March 2021. However, the company resurrected the HomePod in January 2023 by introducing the HomePod 2nd Generation smart speaker. And they are still making HomePod Mini, which helps with Apple's push to continue to get Siri into more homes and compete with Amazon Alexa's smaller smart speaker, Echo Dot.

For those Mac users who find they are leaning toward Siri, we have several guides that help you understand what the voice assistant can do:

• Apple HomePod to get soothing ambient sounds: Details on HomePod features if you still have one.
• How to train Siri to recognize just your voice: The smart assistant can teach you and your needs. Here's how to set this feature up on your HomePod.
• Apple HomePod Mini Review: Pros and Cons of Apple's smart speaker - this is a review of Apple's first mini smart speaker. Learn about how this speaker works with Siri and Apple HomeKit.
• Apple HomePod 2nd Gen smart home speaker: Here are details to help you decide whether or not to buy Apple's smart speaker
• Apple HomePod review roundup: Initial reviews on the smart speaker praise its excellent sound but note that Siri may not be as advanced as Alexa.
• Apple HomePod Mini vs HomePod: How the two smart speakers compare: Information on Apple's smart speaker or digital assistant, HomePod.
• Meet Apple HomeKit: Putting Siri In Control Of Your Smart Home - a first look at Apple's smart home platform, Apple HomeKit.

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Compatibility - Use GearBrain Product Find Engine to find Compatible Products

One of the biggest challenges you face when building a smart home is finding devices that are compatible with each other.  Interoperability is a big problem today.  I am sure you don't like going out and buying a device.  Then, come home to find out it will not work with your current device or system.  GearBrain can solve this problem with our smart home compatibility find engine, The GearBrain. Using the GearBrain, you can find all the compatible devices that work with a particular smart device, like Google Home or Amazon Alexa.  Here is a list of just some of the connected devices.  You can see which devices work with them:

• Google Assistant
• Amazon Alexa enabled device
• Apple HomeKit
• Samsung SmartThings
• Insteon
• Lutron
• Philips Hue Smart Lights
• Xfinity xFi Home
• Nest
• Ring Video Doorbells and Cameras
• Control4
• Somfy
• Altice One
• Honeywell Home
• Alarm.com
• ADT Home Security Systems
• Microsoft Cortana
• Loxone
• The GearBrain - How to use The GearBrain, A Compatibility Engine and Product Finder for Smart Devices

IoT Security

Finally, one of the biggest concerns among consumers today is the security of their new devices. According to a recent research study by Houzz.com, more than half of the respondents to their survey would not buy a smart home device because they had security concerns. Here are a few articles that will help you understand more about Internet of Things (IoT) security and ways to protect your new connected devices:

• Securing Your IoT Devices: Best Practices and Tips
• Internet of Things: What You Need To Know
• The Biggest Risk with the Internet of Things Explained
  
• The 12 Essentials To Ensure the Security of IoT Devices
• 8 Ways To Secure Your Smart Mobile Device
• Why Your IoT Security Matters

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Time to get started Building a Smart Home

We hope these guides are helpful and prepare you for the next phase in building your smart home.  Even though many of the new connected devices coming onto the smart home market might not be ready for prime time, we are very bullish on the market outlook.  As more consumers understand how all these new devices work, can save you money,  and determine which ones are right for them, we expect to see a significant increase in adoption.

We look forward to joining you on your new journey in building the right smart home for you.

If you need help installing any of these Smart Home systems or products, you can visit HelloTech for online or in-home support.  You can also check out our article:  7 smart home installation services to hire that will set up (nearly) anything you buy to find the right service provider for your build.

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