Turn your home into a Smart Home:
Once upon a time, the concept of a smart home was nothing more than a pipe dream and something found in science-fiction movies and fantasy novels. However, with the recent advancements in automation technology, Internet and smart devices, it has become more of a reality now than ever before.
See also: What is Smart Home? -Home Automation Technology for your Home
If you want to turn your home into a smart home or even enhance the efficiency of your existing smart home, you should consider the tips below:
1. Research and Examine All Privacy Policies Closely
Before you dive into installing and configuring various devices within your home, take the time to examine all applicable privacy policies. Keep in mind that the Internet of Things (IoT) is designed to accumulate a vast amount of consumer data within a relatively short period. You should be fully aware of that information is handled.
There is not one specific policy enforced for all devices, which is why it is vital to study the agreement(s) for each of them.
2. Educate Your Family on Proper Use
Education is the cornerstone of efficiency when it comes to any type of technology. This principle applies to smart home technology and related solutions as well. Just because you may be familiar with how the smart home devices work within your home does not mean your spouse and/or children share the same level of confidence.
It is imperative for your entire household to remain on the same page when it comes to the use of IoT technology.
Otherwise, you run the risk of damaging your devices.
See also: IoT Based Smart Home Controller Using NodeMCU
3. Compatibility is Essential
There is not a “one size fits all” rule when it comes to matching different smart devices together. You must take the time to ensure that your smart home devices are compatible and will work well together.
As referenced above, research plays a vital role in the shopping process – especially if you are new to the world of smart home solutions. If one device does not work well with another, you should make the necessary changes (or exchanges) without delay.
The last thing you want is to get stuck with a high-priced system that you cannot use or return because you allowed the allotted window of time for returns & exchanges to close.
4. Keep an Eye on Your High Speed Internet Speed
The efficiency and speed of your smart home will greatly depend on the efficiency and speed of your internet service.
You may have been able to fulfill your personal and/or professional needs with a basic package and relatively slow bandwidth speed.
To get the most value from your smart automation technology, you will more than likely need to upgrade your speed package.
For IoT technology to work well for your home, it is highly recommended to conduct a periodic speed-test by going to this link https://www.speedcheck.org/xfinity-speed-test-review/ of your existing connection. Doing so will help you to ensure that your home continuously reaches the download/upload speeds for which you pay.
In addition, you will be able to easily diagnose and troubleshoot any areas of concern that may hinder the performance of your connection.
5. Use Strong Passwords from Your Network
Smart devices and systems are attractive to homeowners due to the overall efficiency boost they experience when using these tools.
However, the grim reality is that they are even more attractive to cyber-criminals and identity thieves eagerly searching for a way into your sensitive information.
Perhaps one of the best ways that you can protect your household and keep your smart home running smoothly is to only use strong passwords for all accounts, access points and other applicable credentials.
- Avoid commonly used passwords (ex: “Password123”, “Password”, etc.)
- Blend numbers, letters and special characters together within the same password
- Change all passwords periodically to enhance the overall protection of your data
You should never leave the safety and security of your home and household to chance. Protecting your smart automation technology with strong passwords will help you to achieve this goal.
See also: Cybercrime a trending issue of Digital World || Cyber Security || Internet of Things
6. Embrace the Beauty of Smart Lighting
As you explore various options for enhancing the efficiency of your smart home, do not forget about smart lighting.
It is easy to overlook this type of smart technology – especially if you already have first-class lighting options and LED bulbs within your home.
Investing in smart bulbs and switches may seem like unjustified expenses when you consider the price tags associated with each of them.
However, if you are looking for a lasting solution, remember that smart lights are designed to last 20-25 times longer than regular bulbs.
In addition, you will save a substantial amount of money on your energy bills as smart lights emit less heat as well.
7. Enjoy the Journey, But Exercise Caution
It is an enjoyable experience to be able to communicate with your home. You can finally move away from the world of manual operations into the futuristic land of automation. Nonetheless, it is still important for you to exercise caution and make wise decisions as you transition into a smart home ownership.
Doing so will help you to reap all the benefits without becoming overwhelmed by the risks involved.
See also: How to make your home a Smart Home with the help of AI and IoT?
Let us know what you think about 7 pro tips for how to ‘turn your home into a smart home‘ in the comment section below.
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ABOUT AUTHOR:
Emily Jacobs is Happiness Ambassador for SpeedCheck.org. She is extremely knowledgeable and loves to write about latest technology trends. She represent her knowledge through her articles.
