The smart home concept is a great thing: It allows us to automate things from lighting to temperature, make video calls while we prepare dinner, and get answers to questions instantly. In its current state, it has one fatal flaw, however: The smart home is not really meant to move.

Contenuti

  • What to know about moving smart home gadgets
  • What to do about lost QR codes?
  • What to do with permanent smart home fixtures?
    • Should you leave smart home gear as part of the house?
  • What about privacy? How can you wipe data?
  • Moving your smart home
    Show 2 more items

What to know about moving smart home gadgets

Think about it: Some of us have literally dozens of devices including lights, thermostats, robot vacuums, speakers, security cameras, wireless alarm systems, and more. How would you go about removing, relocating and reconnecting all those devices to Wi-Fi in a new house if you ever need to move? On the surface, it sounds daunting.

Use of adhesives in smart home products

Some smart lighting, in particular LED strip lighting like that from LIFX, Philips Hue and Govee, attaches with adhesive tape to the underside of cabinets, the back of TVs, headboards, and even bathroom mirrors. Does that mean you can’t take it with you?

It’s possible to remove adhesive with the right product — Goo Gone comes to mind — but it could leave a mess behind that requires painting, patching or touch-ups and only adds to your moving checklist. In the past, I’ve used 3M Command adhesive strips as opposed to the sticky tape included on smart lights to stick them into place, and this allows easy relocation if necessary.

So while taking your adhesive-backed lights with you this time might result in some minor repairs, when you move to your new place, consider less permanent installations (including staple-style clips), particularly if you’re renting. To the manufacturers of smart home products: How about some less permanent installation options instead of gluey tape?

Philips Hue thankfully offers clips for installing some of its smart strip lighting, while Nanoleaf was one of the original smart light manufacturers that shipped its flat LED light panels with Command Adhesives in the package, so props to them.

What to do about lost QR codes?

Some smart home devices employ scannable QR codes found in the manual or on the package to connect them to an app; think Apple HomeKit devices in particular. To use these devices and add them to the necessary apps, you scan a photo of the QR code and then the app automatically adds the device. What happens when you lose that paper code?

In some cases, the code is also reprinted on the rear or bottom of the device. And fear not: There’s usuqlly a way to manually add the device using a serial number or Near Field Communication (NFC) if that paper becomes hopelessly lost.

Use your move (or just the initiative after reading this article!) to create a binder or accordion folder where you can stash all your smart home manuals, warranty cards — and those all-important QR codes.

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What to do with permanent smart home fixtures?

What do you do about smart home devices that are installed more permanently? Things like a Nest Thermostat, Ring Video Doorbell, or even a Samsung Frame TV?

In most cases, there’s no expectation that you leave a TV behind, though if it’s big and unwieldy enough, you might want to see if the new owners are interested in negotiating its inclusion in a property sale. You will need to leave a thermostat, but there’s no rules that say it has to be a $300 smart one.

Realtors are a great resource here. Because some buyers may have an expectation that what they see in an open house or showing stays in the home, you might ask your realtor to spell out that certain smart home gadgets won’t be left behind, noting they would be replaced with more basic versions.

Should you leave smart home gear as part of the house?

For the most part, things like light bulbs are considered part of the property in the sale of a home. But what about smart light bulbs?

Smart light bulbs can be expensive; I have about a dozen smart bulbs throughout my home, and at a cost of about $20 to $60 (plus a hub in some cases), it’s not feasible to simply abandon them, particularly if it will then cost you hundreds of dollars to replace them.

Meanwhile, what are you supposed to do for the new owners? Invite them into your Philips Hue app? That’s not really practical. What is practical is removing all your smart light bulbs to bring with you and replacing them with regular light bulbs.

What if your smart lights are fixtures in the home? We installed a dozen Liteline Skye OnCloud connected downlights in our home following a renovation. Each is Wi-Fi connected and hardwired into the home, so there’s no taking those with us. But what will the new owners do?

Come lo vedo, ho due opzioni: Lascia loro una lettera che spiega come utilizzare e collegare queste luci alla propria rete Wi-Fi e quale app da usare (liteline skye usa il portale di Wiz Smart Home), o posso considerare Lasciando il mio router Wi-Fi e invitarli ad essere un amministratore nell’app Wiz, quindi lascia che succino l’intero sistema. Né è l’ideale da quando preferirei non abbandonare un router potente costoso, ma sarà noioso per i nuovi proprietari per riconnettersi ogni luce al proprio wi-fi dopo che si muovono. Se qualcuno ha una soluzione migliore, mi piacerebbe per sentirlo

per quanto riguarda la privacy? Come puoi cancellare i dati?

Se stai pensando di lasciare un router Wi-Fi dietro, probabilmente lo troverai confortante per conoscere i router memorizzare pochissimo dati, principalmente perché non hanno molta conservazione, quindi potrebbe essere fattibile (e facile) lasciare un router Per i nuovi proprietari – mantenendo tutti i gadget domestici intelligenti che si lasciano collegati e felici. Se stai pensando di lasciare alcuni dispositivi domestici intelligenti dietro, assicurati di effettuare passaggi per eliminare ciascun dispositivo dai propri account e eseguire un hard reset prima di ricollegarli per i nuovi proprietari.

Sposta la tua casa intelligente

Una volta che hai deciso cosa portare con te – ed è stato trasportato in sicurezza ai tuoi nuovi scavi – come inizi a restando la tua casa intelligente? Probabilmente stai immaginando un enorme incubo che coinvolge il ricordando l’e-mail e la password di ogni account e la necessità di reinstallare ogni singolo dispositivo. Fortunatamente, questo non è necessario.

La cosa più semplice assoluta da fare è semplicemente portare il tuo vecchio router. Dovresti essere in grado di ricollegarlo al potere e al servizio alla tua nuova casa, e dovrebbe semplicemente riconnettersi a tutti i tuoi dispositivi originali.

Se finisci con un nuovo fornitore di servizi e un nuovo router, cosa allora? Basta dare il tuo nuovo router lo stesso nome e usa la stessa password del vecchio router e dei tuoi dispositivi dovrebbe riconoscerlo.

Certo, potresti anche usare questa opportunità per ripulire la tua casa intelligente iniziando fresco. Investire in un nuovo router Wi-Fi, nuove luci, e quel vuoto robot che hai sempre desiderato. Se non sei pronto per questo, un po ‘di pianificazione significa che puoi prendere la tua casa intelligente con te con uno sforzo minimo.