What are smart home hubs, and do you need one? 

A smart home hub or a smart home bridge is a device that links home automation gadgets on a network and manages communications between them.

Are you planning to utilize the internet of things (IoT) devices with a smart home hub connected to the internet either regionally or via the cloud? In that case, you should look for hubs that use the Z-Wave or Zigbee Bluetooth instead of Wi-Fi.

The scenario outlined above demonstrates that if two devices that utilize different technology but yet require each other to work may successfully interact, they employ a translator known as a smart home hub to link the two.

Therefore, the home hub is the core of a smart home interface, serving as a central coordinating device that connects numerous smart home gadgets and systems. It also streamlines the interface for users, simplifying the collection of their different systems and apps into a single application. Set up a unit that turns on all lights and broadcasting in the house as soon as your smartphone approaches.

A smart home hub is also an excellent gateway for diverting Wi-Fi and Bluetooth traffic away from your router, which reduces the amount of traffic that flows through your network.

Smart home users may control and access numerous systems using their smart home apps even when they are away from home.

Related post: Your Beginners Guide To a Smart Home

How a Smart Hub Works 

In general, hubs are interface means that help many devices communicate and act as channels for sending data in multiple directions.

When building a smart home hub, you need to provide the system with information to keep track of where and how data is transmitted. In addition, other devices offer processing resources for activities to be performed before data forwarding.

With the Smart Home apps, you can control the many parts of the Smart Home network and set tasks to automate, schedule, and otherwise control the smart home.

Home hubs, especially smart hubs, are capable of controlling all of your home’s smart sensors, such as light bulbs, door locks, outlets, smart thermostats, and switches, and energy monitors, sensors, garage door openers, doorbells,  and window covers. 

Do You Need a Smart Home Hub?

A debate exists around the idea that a smart home hub is unnecessary for each smart home network. 

It is possible to replace a smart home hub with an Amazon Echo or an Apple HomePod, becoming the command center of a smart home system. This smart speaker capability is available via companion applications and speech interfaces, such as Siri or Alexa. Unfortunately, essential voice command options are not offered in dedicated hubs, although unifications are available.

The benefits of a Wi-Fi-based linked home may be unnecessary if all connected devices use Wi-Fi.

There is, however, a potential issue with utilizing a smart mouthpiece in place of a smart home hub’s built-in speakers since not all standards and protocols will be supported. 

Although Alexa skills are available, consumers will not notice a change when linking their smart home gadgets with Alexa. Additionally, as dedicated hubs are necessary for complete device functioning, the Echo Plus demands exclusive hubs to stay in place. For example, the Hue gadgets can link to an Echo, but just for controlling the lights and their brightness levels.

The most well-known smart home hub commodities available in the market include:

• Useful for automation, Home Automation
• a wink project
• It’s an Insteon Hub
• Harmony Hub from Logitech
• a Hue Bridge from Philips
• Alexa-enabled smart speaker
• You’ve got Google’s Nest Hub
• 4K Apple TV 

Considerations for smart home hubs

Keep these factors in mind while selecting a smart home hub:

Voice control: Try using a voice assistant that works with your smart speaker to check whether the gadget integrates with it.

System compatibility: Before purchasing a new system, search to see whether it will work with android and iOS.

Make that your smart home devices’ standards are compatible with the hub you have selected.

The main benefit of a smart home hub is that it lets you access all your smart home devices through an app on your smartphone. But, of course, you may also do it using a PC.