How to set up a smart home: the ultimate beginner’s guide

What is a smart home? 

A smart home is a convenient setup that allows residents to control different appliances and functions remotely, via the use of the internet. These interconnected devices can sometimes also be automatic, and will affect things like lighting, heating, home security, entertainment features, and energy efficiency. 

Usually, a smart home can be accessed via one central point. This is usually an app that can be downloaded onto a device like a phone or tablet. It may also be that different elements of your home are controlled by a handful of apps.

For those looking for a one-app-fits-all approach, these multi-purpose smart home systems can either be wireless or hardwired into your property. If you’re trying to decide what kind of system you want to use, weigh up both options:

A wireless system

• Easier to install 
• All-in-one approach is cost-friendly
  
• Some hardwired wireless access points and range extenders may be needed
  
• A good WiFi connection is required
  
• Usually a better option for smaller homes

A hardwired system

• Very reliable
• Difficult to hack
• Can be very expensive to install
• Ethernet cables are required
• Usually included in new builds as they’re easier to scale

Defining the purpose of your smart home 

Your first step will be to clearly define your goals. Most smart homes provide benefits in four primary ways. What specific devices you choose to add to a home will depend greatly on which of these you want to focus on: 

• Safety and security. Smart devices can provide an additional layer of security that gives you peace of mind every time you leave the house. Whether it’s remote doorbell technology that monitors visitors, automatic locking and unlocking features, smoke and carbon monoxide detection, or just general surveillance, it’s never been easier to keep our homes protected. 
  

• Automation. As we continue to evolve as a global society, more focus than ever is being placed on the automation of certain tasks and roles. This is no truer than in the home, where factors like turning lights on and off, setting alarms, scheduling and reminding you of events, maintaining a comfortable room temperature, and even sprinkling your garden are all possible without your involvement.  

• Improved entertainment. Modern innovations make it possible for residents to pause what they’re watching in one room, and then pick up right where they left off in another. Algorithms provide you with shows or films you might enjoy based on your viewing history, while audio systems can be fine-tuned to keep you engaged in every room of the house. 

• Energy efficiency. Optimising our energy bills is more important than ever. A smart home allows you to automate your heating as efficiently as possible, turning it off or on once it reaches a certain temperature. The same is true of lighting, which can be turned off if motion sensors detect nobody is in the room.

Deciding what rooms to focus on 

Once you know exactly what your priority is, it’s time to start thinking about how this will affect different rooms. Breaking it down by all the different parts of your house, think about what a smart renovation might look like. 

• Living room. This area of the home is likely to be where you spend the most time. There are a host of additions which can be made, such as sound bars, entertainment systems, lighting, climate control, and voice assistance. 

• Bedroom. Your sleeping area should always be a place of immense comfort. That’s why additions in this room should prioritise temperature. Furthermore, you can also think about using voice-activated alarms that only turn off when you tell them to. 

• Kitchen. Touch screens and touch sensors are one of the best optimisation choices for the kitchen. This is a part of the home where time management is usually a necessity, so finding any way to save minutes or seconds could make a huge difference.

• Office. If you’re fortunate enough to have a home office, there are additions which can be made here too. Smart furniture that incorporates charging devices and USB ports is a popular option. Adjustable lighting is also a handy aspect of office life – particularly for those who find themselves staring at a screen regularly. 

• Bathroom. Water wastage can be negated with the help of smart showers and taps that turn off after a preset period of time. For those wanting to really embrace new-age tech, smart mirrors can provide you with built-in displays that provide news updates, outside temperatures, and a host of other useful information. 

Accessibility requirements in your smart home 

It could also be that you, an inhabitant, or someone who regularly visits the home has specific accessibility requirements. This is again something which can be taken into account during this planning stage, with key considerations being: 

• Voice control. These kinds of autonomous controls make it easier for those with physical disabilities to stay on top of household chores, as well as comfort levels. Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant or any other kind of virtual helper make hands-free management of the home easier than ever. 

• App integration. If someone struggles to stay on top of more than one thing at once, unifying household management through a single app or ecosystem could be the best way to go. This keeps everything in one place, making it simpler to manage on a day-to-day basis. 

• Guest access. If you have a visitor who has accessibility requirements, you can make it easier for them to manage their stay via a guest network connection. This allows them to access your main hub and make adjustments to suit their needs, without giving them total control of your wider network.

Network considerations when designing a smart home

In order for your smart home to be optimised, you’ll need to make sure your network connection is able to handle it. When it comes to this, there are a handful of considerations that need to be made in order to ensure your existing WiFi is capable of handling all requirements: 

• The type of network connection you need. Most smart devices will need a traditional WiFi connection. It can also be the case that a hardwire ethernet cable works best. In very rare cases, additional radio wave frequencies might be needed to facilitate the use of a smart device. 
  

• The speed of your home internet. In order for your devices to work as efficiently as possible you’ll need quite a lot of bandwidth. While factors like voice command don’t require particularly fast upload or download speeds, they are a necessity for efficient video streaming, security camera optimisation, and even smart doorbells. Ensuring you have a strong connection like Full Fibre broadband (also known as FTTP) is one of the best ways to ensure your speeds are up to scratch. 

• The range of a smart home network. Most WiFi hubs have a predetermined range when it comes to how much coverage they provide. You’ll need to make sure yours is large enough to accommodate your entire home. If you’re fortunate enough to live in a bigger house, you may need more than one hub for maximum efficiency. 

• Any special hardware. WiFi extenders or power adapters are common additions to a smart home setup that help to keep things running smoothly. The smart hub itself is also likely to be a piece of hardware. Finding room for all of these is a consideration that needs to be made.  

• Your network security levels. Smart devices tend to collect personal data as part of their day-to-day operations. As such, you’ll want to make sure that you’re keeping this information as safe as possible. A good way to do that is with the use of a virtual private network (VPN). These hide your location, while also serving as a firewall that blocks spam and malware attacking your network. 

Smart home FAQs

If you’d like to discover more about how to set up your smart home, you may still have further questions. Browse this section to find out more about converting your home for maximum efficiency and comfort.