Amazon Echo Show 5 2nd Generation Review
Smart displays have become an everyday part of many people’s homes. These individuals and families appreciate that they can combine the convenience of voice-and-motion-activated assistance with fast access to the content they need to complete daily tasks and enjoy their lives.
Amazon's Echo Series
I recently had the chance to unbox and try out the 2021 Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Generation). What can I say other than I consider it an excellent improvement for the most part over the 2019 (1st Generation) model. In this Amazon Echo Show 5 Review, I cover everything you need to know about the basics along with what I consider to be the major pros and cons of this smart display:
Specifications and Basics
The Echo Show 5, a hands-free smart display that flawlessly combines the best parts of Amazon’s Alexa Assistant with a 5.5-inch touchscreen, a 2MP camera and a lot of sensors, has an overall size of 5.8 x 3.4 x 2.9 inches (148 x 86 x 73 millimeters) and a unit weight of 14.5 ounces (410 grams).
As with all Echo displays, it comes with Wi-Fi connectivity. It doesn’t support peer-to-peer networks, but it does support dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n/ac networks and offers wireless connectivity to Bluetooth speakers. It has a 1.65-inch, built-in speaker with audio streaming with Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) support and voice control with Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AV RCP). It also offers both English and Spanish language support.
System compatibility includes web browsers and Amazon Fire OS, Google Android and Apple iOS. All software and security update automatically occur for up to four years after the last available-for-purchase date. It also comes with a standard 1-year, limited warranty. Additionally, Amazon offer several plans for purchasing and extending the warranty up to three years.
Convenience in a Smart Package
The Echo Show 5, which is sometimes also known as the Alexa Show 5, offers all the convenience that you would expect with this type of Amazon product. The device arrives with a 15-watt, 4.9-inch, glacier white, power adapter. You can order the device to arrive standalone or pay extra for a tabletop stand or Blink Mini bundle. As previously noted, the display comes standard with a 2 MP camera and several sensors designed to make voice and movement interactions with it easier.
Users can effortlessly make video calls, interact with news details or a calendar, stream music and shows from their favorite streaming services like Prime Music, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Prime Video or Netflix and set alarms and timers. The smart display also offers preset routine options that you can set so that they activate when the display detects motion or at a particular time of day.
It interacts seamless with your home’s other smart device. For example, you can schedule interior lights to turn on when you enter a room and turn off when you leave the room or exit the house. These features along with other details outlined in a different section of this review make this device extremely eco-friendly. You can also set the lights to come on slowly and weather details to appear onscreen first thing in the morning, which makes it a great alternative to a separate weather alert system or an alarm clock.
For anyone who really feels the need to match the display with their home’s interior design, Amazon offers the unit in white, charcoal, sandstone, deep blue sea and chameleon. There’s also a version with the latter color specifically designed for kids.
Plenty of High-Quality Camera Functionality
With the 2 MP camera and 5.5-inch smart display, it’s easy to make the Echo Show 5 double as a digital photo frame to display photos from different sources as static, rotational or slideshow images. It’s also an excellent way to keep in touch with loved ones who have a similar device.
Amazon didn’t scrimp on security features with this unit. The system disables the camera entirely when you select mute or use the off button for the microphone and camera. More importantly (I love this feature), it has a physical, built-in shutter as an additional layer of security and protection to prevent hackers from using the device for spying.
With the 1080P HD indoor Blink Mini, a plug-and-play security camera that features two-way audio and motion sensors, you can monitor any room of your home at any time through the Alexa Show 5. The best part? It’s possible to use the Alexa app to set up a remote, home-monitoring feed. You can use a mobile phone, tablet or computer as a remote viewer through the Alexa Show 5 and any attached cameras. If the sensors detect certain types of sounds or movements, such as movement in what is supposed to be an empty house, the sound of broken glass or the sprinkler system turning on, you receive an immediate alert.
Everything Kids Need to Learn and Thrive
The Alexa Show 5 is also one of the least expensive secure educational portals for children on the market today. if you’re a parent, you have total access over the parental controls, including filters and blocks designed to protect your children from certain types of content on the internet and different media platforms.
I really like how kids can use the display with the Alexa Assistant to discover answers to common and important questions about the world and life and explore videos, music and other useful educational content. If you don’t want your children underfoot while making preparations for different meals or events, such as holiday and birthday parties, you can set up the Alexa Show 5 in their bedroom.
With an extra Kids+ subscription, you can go one step further and guarantee that your children have access to an extensive library of information that includes games, skills and videos. You can even provide them with access to Audible audio books.
Accessibility Tools That Actually Work
Many people purchase a smart display or similar assistant because they’re dealing with health issues or disabilities that make it difficult for them to fully experience the world without assistance. These tools provide them with a better quality of life. In the past, people with hearing, vision and mobility problems, for example, might need a half dozen or more devices in their home to perform the tasks that the Echo Show 5 does on its own.
People with these and other difficulties can make their lives easier and make more efficient use of their time with the device’s many accessibility tools. The Alexa Show 5 comes standard with closed captioning and Alexa captioning. People with vision difficulties can use a VoiceView screen reader.
The screen also has color inversion and correction options and a magnifier! With internet connectivity, people coping with accessibility issues can also access online tools that offer even greater flexibility and freedom.
Excellent Sound Quality, But...
I’ve now reached the point of this review that I have to discuss cons. The truth is that the Amazon Show 5 is near-perfect given its many features and price. It has few downsides. Beyond a smallish screen, the unit has two audio-related problems:
Through the speaker, Alexa is clear as a voice assistant without any strange after “echoes” or digitized sounds. The volume is fantastic. That said, it’s obvious that Amazon focused more on Alexa’s voice-and-speech recognition than on playback of music and other types of audio.
Although you can easily connect to your online playlists and other entertainment via a variety of platforms and Alexa can pick up commands even while music or movies play through it, the playback isn’t the best sound quality on the market. I agree with other reviewers who describe it as slightly “tinny.”
The biggest downside or “but” is that Amazon decided to remove the auxiliary audio 3.5-millimeter jack or port, which means that there’s no option for plugging in a wired headset or speaker with that size plug. Instead, you must depend on wireless connections.
Focus on Tomorrow's World
Many people are worried about the changes humanity is making to the environment. They want to know if the companies they invest in when they buy products and services show the same concern and strive to leave the world a better place. One of the things I like about the Alexa Show 5 is that it has a high post-consumer recycling history. In some ways, it’s more renewable than many similar products.
The display is made with 38% post-consumer plastics and 100% recycled fabric. The power adapter is made of 50% post-consumer plastics. The packaging it arrives in is made of 96% wood-fiber materials from recyclables and carefully managed forests. There’s also an extensive trade-in and recycling program. As a result, you know that your device goes back into the recycling process any time you upgrade to a new model.
Power consumption is another important area to consider. A lot of personal electronics on the market are power hogs during use and vampires that pull leaked energy from outlets in standby mode. When it comes to power consumption, the Alexa Show 5 offers a lower power mode and an energy dashboard designed to make electricity usage more efficient. Amazon has also announced that it’s working to make solar and wind farms available to improve electric utility usage and markets everywhere.
An Affordable Option
My main thought about the Echo Show 5 is that it’s a worthwhile, inexpensive deal at approximately $55 before taxes. Even though it has a small 5.5-inch touch screen, it has many potential uses that aren’t hindered too much by the screen’s size. The touch capability and voice-and-motion capabilities are well above average. Many similar smart displays in the market just don’t respond as quickly or as well.
Although it might work in a pinch, I don’t recommend using this display as the main speaker in a kitchen. There are always things to consider when deciding to set up any types of electronic, non-appliance device in a kitchen because of heat and humidity. The greater concern is sound. Music might sound “fine,” but it won’t be at a high enough quality for long-term, prep zone or breakfast-bar or nook enjoyment.
Instead, I think it’s a great secondary system for the living room or a bedroom, especially in a room for kids or an elderly member of the household who has mobility issues and rarely leaves their room. Of course, for the safety of everyone in the home, I highly recommend that you close the 2MP camera shutter or mute the display when it’s not in use to prevent someone from hacking it from outside and breaching your security. That said, when the camera is in use, you definitely get to enjoy much better picture quality than the 2019 1st Generation model.
Lastly, if you already own the 1st Generation Echo Show 5 device, I don’t recommend that you upgrade even though the 2nd Generation is currently so inexpensive since the differences aren’t great enough to make an upgrade worthwhile. The 2nd Generation also doesn’t have that useful aux 3.5-millimeter jack found in the 1st Generation that’s great when you want to plug in a wired headset or even a second wired speaker.
When it’s time to upgrade, there are other models that are far more worth the time and money it takes to make this type of change in your home, such as the Echo Show 10 and Echo Show 15. The latter offers an impressively large screen that’s worth a second look. Amazon does provide simple setup of the Echo Show 5, but you might deal with a significant disruption while you’re trying to set up access to content and sync it with other smart devices in your home. You also need to take extra time to set up additional security cameras.
FAQ
Do you need to pay a monthly fee to use an Echo Show?
No. There is no monthly fee. There are optional services like Amazon Music but they are optional.
Do I need a Internet Connection?
Yes . To be able to use an Echo Show you will need a Wi-Fi network in your home.
Do I need an Amazon account?
Yes. You will need an Free Amazon account.
Can I use the Amazon Echo Show 5 as a security camera?
Yes. You can use it as a security camera and monitor the live feed from your home on you smart phone.
Can I make video calls with the Echo Show 5?
Yes. Echo Show devices can place video calls to other Echo Show devices and the Alexa phone app.
Pro's & Cons
During my review I have identified the following Pros and Cons
Pros
- Great price. A very inexpensive way to get started with a smart speaker
- No monitoring fees or long term contracts
- Compatible with other smart home devices
- Integrates with surveillance cameras
- Built-in security features – physical camera shutter.
Cons
- Not the best sounding smart speaker on the market.
- Screen is a bit small at 5″.
- Missing the 3.5mm audio jack found on its predecessor.
Alternatives
Conclusion
All of that said, if you’re looking for a winter holiday gift that your loved ones will appreciate and enjoy day after day, then you don’t need to look any further. It’s an accessible, convenient, fun smart display.
Products Covered in this Article
Other related Products
Specifications
|
Approx. Size |
148mm x 86mm x 73mm (5.8” x 3.4” x 2.9”) |
|
Approx. Weight |
410 grams (14.5 oz) Actual size and weight may vary by manufacturing process |
|
Display |
5.5” touch screen |
|
Camera |
2 MP - built-in security shutter |
|
WiFi connectivity |
Dual-band wifi supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi networks |
|
Bluetooth connectivity |
Audio streaming from your mobile device to Echo Show 5 or from Echo Show 5 to your Bluetooth speaker. Bluetooth speakers requiring PIN codes are not supported. |
|
Audio |
Full range 1.65” built-in speaker. |
|
Processor |
MediaTek MT 8163 |
|
Accessibility features |
On Echo devices with screens, you can enable Alexa captioning and closed captioning, magnify the screen, toggle colour inversion, and choose between colour correction options. You can also enable the VoiceView screen reader to use gestures to navigate the screen and hear spoken feedback about the items you select. Learn more about Echo with a screen accessibility and Alexa accessibility. |
|
Warranty and Service |
1-year limited warranty and service included. Optional 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year extended warranty available for Canada customers sold separately. Use of Echo Show 5 is subject to these terms. |
|
Included in the Box |
Echo Show 5, glacier white power adapter (15W)/cable (4.9 ft.) and quick start guide. |
|
Generation |
Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) - 2021 release |
|
Privacy Features |
Wake word technology, streaming indicators, microphone/camera off button, built-in camera shutter, the ability to view and delete your voice recordings, and more. Visit the Alexa Privacy Hub to explore how Alexa and Echo devices are designed to protect your privacy. |
|
Recommended device footprint |
Echo Show 5 device is 5.8”W x 2.9”D. Recommended footprint: 6”W x 4”D. |
Turn on your Christmas lights with a Smart Plug
Turn on your Christmas lights the smart way
Are you tired of crawling under your Christmas tree to plugin the lights? Or wish your Christmas lights would turn on and off by themselves at certain times? Well you’re in luck as we will show you exactly how you can do this without breaking the bank.
Indoor Christmas Tree Lights
You can easily turn on/off your Christmas tree lights by using a smart plug from HBN. What are Smart Plugs? These are inexpensive devices that plug into a normal household receptacle and can be turned on or off using your phone/tablet , by setting timers or by voice commands (if you have Alexa or Google Home).
We recommend using the HBN Smart Plug Smart Plug for the following reasons:
- Is electrically certified for use in the USA and Canada. You will find that all smart plugs are not certified by a recognized authority.
- Provides a full 15 Amps. Some less expensive plugs only provide 10 Amps or less which will not work with higher wattage devices.
- Great quality at a reasonable price
- Works on your existing 2.4GHz WiFi. No additional equipment needed.
Making the HBN Smart Plug work on your phone
Installing the App on your phone/device will allow you to manually turn the smart plug on/off or have it controlled by the time of day. For example, turn on at 6pm and turn off at 11pm.
Before you begin make sure your phone/device is connected to your 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network.
The following instructions are also available in a video.
- Install the Smart Life App from your App Store. This would be Google Play
or the Apple store 
depending on the type of phone/device you have. The App you need is called Smart Life and will have this icon 
Note: You can also use the HBN app found in the same app stores. The setup will be almost identical to the Smart Life App. Either will work great but in this tutorial we have chosen the Smart life - Open the App and it will ask you to log in or sign up. Login if you already have an account or select Sign Up to create one.
- Next you need to read the user agreement and select Agree.
- On the next screen Register by providing your Country and Email address then select Get Verification Code. They will then send you a code by email. Enter the code on the space provided once received. Getting the code should only take a minute or less.
- You will then be asked for a Password. Enter one and select Done.
- We are almost there! Select the Add Device button to add your new smart plug.
- You will then be prompted to allow the App to access your location. Continue then Select “While using the app“.
- A list of devices will be displayed. Select the Socket (Wi-Fi) under the Electrical section.
- Next you need to provide your network name and password. This is needed to enable the smart plug to communicate with the App.
- Select Next and you should be presented with a screen asking you to reset the smart plug (if already plugged in first unplug for 10 seconds then plug it in). Press and hold the reset/power button on the side for 5 seconds. The button/light should start flashing to signify that it’s in the pairing state.
- Select Next then confirm the indicator is Blinking Quickly.
- The app will then begin searching for your smart plug on your network. This could take a minute to complete. When done you will get a screen stating your device was added successfully. Select Done to finish
Congratulations you are now connected to your smart plug and able to control it with the App. You should see a screen with a power button. Pressing this button will turn your smart plug On or Off.
Setting up a Timer for your smart plug
Let’s set a daily On/Off timer for your new smart plug.
- Select the Timer button/link at the bottom of your screen. The Schedule screen will be displayed.
- Select + Add Schedule
- Select the days you want the smart plug to be switch ON.
- Select the time (hour/minute)
- Select the Save button. You should now see the new ON schedule for the smart plug. You can disable this schedule at anytime by sliding the slide switch to Off
- Select + Add Schedule again to add the OFF schedule.
- This time you need to change the action to OFF. Select the ON link and choose OFF from the available options.
- Now set the Days and time as you did in the ON schedule for the OFF times/days. Then select Save.
- You should now see both the On and Off scheduled listed in the schedules list.
- Select the Back arrow at the top left of the screen to return to the main screen.
Naming your Smart plug
When you added your smart plug it was automatically given a default name of Switch 1 or similar. We need to change tis to something more appropriate for your switch.
- To name your new switch select the Edit icon on the top right of your screen.
- Select Device Information
- Enter a new name by selecting the current name then Save
- Select the Back arrow to return to the main screen. Your new name should no be display.
You are now done with the setup. Enjoy your new smart plug. Remember if you run into any problems you can always visit our Community form at https://senexhome.com and post your question.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
I can't connect my smart plug to my Wi-Fi network
The most common cause for this is that phone is not on the same Wi-Fi network as the smart plug. In order for the smart plug to communicate it must be on your 2.4GHz network. I will not work on a 5GHz Wi-Fi network. You phone must also be on this same 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network.
What happens if I have a power failure?
When there is a power outage in your home, the smart plug will reconnect to your wifi network automatically and will retain all schedules and information configured. However, the plug will remain OFF when the power restores for safety reasons.
Can i use this smart plug to switch high wattage or items with motors?
not exceed the maximum rating of what the timer can handle. Which is rated: 1875W Resistive / 15A, 625W Tungsten / 5A, 1/2 HP
Does this smart plug work with Alexa ?
Yes. This smart plug works with alexa.
Can I use this smart plug with Alexa?
It’s a small device that plugs into a standard home receptacle. You then plugin items like like lamps, appliances into the smart plug. You can then turn the device On and Off by using voice commands, time schedules or manually through a smart app.
Related Articles
Review of the HBN Smart Plug
In this review I will take a look at the HBN Smart plug available from Amazon.
Link Philips Hue to Google Home
Link Philips Hue to Google Home
In this tutorial we will be showing you how to link Philips Hue to Google Home Assistant. This will allow you to control and monitor your Hue Lights with Google. If you are looking to connect the Hue Motion to Google then you would be out of luck as Google Assistant does not support this sensor at this time.
If you are the kind of person that prefers videos over written articles then check out our video on our YouTube channel here. It contains the same information found in this article but in a easy to watch video format.
What You Need
- Philips Hue Hub
- Philips Hue Light(s)
- Philips Hue App Installed
- Google Assistant (any model will work)
- Google Home App installed.
- This article assumes that you have already installed the Hue Hub, Hue Lights, and Google Assistant App and all are functional on their own.
How to link Philips Hue to Google Home
To start we will need to open the Google Home App 
on your phone or tablet. Using this App we we will link Philips Hue to Google Home. Linking is the process of establishing a communications link between both online services. This linking is done over the Internet and will require your authorization to perform the link.
- To connect Philips Hue with Google Home select the Plus + button on the top of your Google Home screen.
- In the Add to home section select the Set up device.
- Select the Works with Google link to start linking Philips Hue.
4. A list of Linked services as well as a list of available services will be displayed. At this point you can scroll to find the Philips Hue service or a better option would be to use the search function.
5. Select Philips Hue from the list
6. After a few seconds you should a Log in screen for your Philips Hue account. This is the account you created when you installed the Philips Hue App. If you have not yet installed the Hue App then please do that before continuing with this tutorial. Enter your credentials and select Continue.
7. Because you are linking accounts using the Google Home App Philips Hue knows this and presents a Permissions screen. It is asking for your authorization to let the Google service communicate and control/monitor your Philip Hue devices. Select Yes to provide your permission.
8. At this point Philips Hue and Google Home will communicate and make the connection. You will then be brought back to the Set up a device screen. Use the Back navigation button ← to return to your Home screen.
9. Your Philips Hue devices should now appear on your Home screen. Scroll down until you locate your new devices.
10. You should see your Philips Hue devices. In our example here we had two devices configured in Philips Hue named Driveway and Hot Tub Lights.
11. You can now control these devices from within Google Home by using the App as shown below or by simply saying “Hey Google Turn on the Driveway Light“. You can also set the light level by saying “Hey Google turn Driveway light to 50 percent” and turn off the light by saying “Hey Google Turn off the Driveway light“.
Google Home Rooms
As you can from the above example when the devices were added to Google Home they were added as separate Rooms. This may be what you want but in many cases you want these new devices to placed in an existing or even new rooms. This can be done by changing the room through the Device settings.
To change your devices room:
1. Open the device screen by taping on it.
2. In the top right select the Settings icon to open the Device Settings screen.
3. You can see in our example the Hot Tub light is shown in a room called Hot tub which was created during the linking process. Tap/click on the Room link/title. A new screen will appear allowing you to select an existing room or to create a new one.
4. Choose or create a new room then hit the Save button. In our example we chose Living Room as the new room for the Hot tub light
5. Return to your Home screen to see that your device/light has changed rooms to Living Room.
Summary
In this article we showed you how to link Philips Hue to Google Home. We would love to hear what you have to say about this article so please leave a comment below. If you have any questions or need help you can post your question using the Ask Phil or the Community forums. If we don’t know the answer we will help find it.
Home Automation Protocols
Home Automation Protocols
In this article we will cover the many different communication protocols used in the Home Automation industry.
BLUETOOTH (Mesh)
Bluetooth is a low-power wireless technology that uses radio waves to transfer data between devices. Most of us know Bluetooth as the method we use to connect audio devices like speakers, head phones or cell phones. All of which use Bluetooth extensively.
Bluetooth Low-Energy technology (BLE) is used by many devices and Hubs in the Home Automation industry. This is a variant of the classic Bluetooth and is targeted at low power devices like the Internet of Things(IoT). It is different from the classic pairing version above in that it does not use pairing technology.
In 2017 Bluetooth Mesh profile was released which added the ability to perform a many-to-many style of communication with provisions for message relay from one device to another. This would create a flexible mesh topology with multiple potential paths between devices (nodes) to ensure delivery of messages. This means that data is relayed by transmitting data over the air (flooding) so that all devices in range can receive the transmission. Each device that then receives the transmission will use the unique sequence ID (included in every message) to determine it it needs to re-transmit (relay) the message Devices keep track of the sequence ID’s and do not relay if they have already seen or relayed the message. Messages also use a time-to-live counter (TTL) that gets decremented by one every time it gets relayed. The TTL is typically set to 3 and as it hops and reaches a value of 1 the device will no longer relay the message.
Bluetooth BLE is intended for devices that only need to transmit small amounts of data periodically, which can extend battery life by months or even years.
Thread
It is a low-power wireless mesh networking protocol based on the universally supported Internet Protocol (IP), and built using open and proven standards. A Thread network can self-heal meaning that if one of the devices in the network becomes inoperable the network can adjust and continue to operate. Thread is interoperable by design.
Devices in a Thread network are authenticated and communications are encrypted. Devices also use very little power and can operate on battery power for years.
A thread network will consist of Router and End Devices. A Router is a node that forwards packets for other devices and provides services for devices trying to join the network. A End Device is a node that communicates primarily with a single Router and does not forward packets for other network devices. It can also disable its transceiver to reduce power consumption. The relationship between a Thread Router and End Device is that of a Parent-child. A End Device will attach to only a single router. The Router is always the Parent while the End Device the child as a child.
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is wireless networking technology that uses radio waves to exchange data between a wireless router and Wi-Fi enable devices throughout your home. You may think that Wi-Fi is an acronym for something but it’s not. Wi-Fi is actually a brand name created by a marketing firm.
The IEEE 802.11 standard is what defines the protocols that allow communications between Wi-Fi enabled devices. There are multiple versions of this standard which include 802.11n (Wi-Fi 4), 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) and 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6). There is even an extension to W-Fi 6 named Wi-Fi 6E that allows communication over a new frequency at 6GHz.
| IEEE Standard | Created | Maximum Speed | Frequency Band |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wi‑Fi 6E (802.11ax) | 2020 | 600 to 9608 Mbit/s | 6 GHz |
| Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax) | 2019 | 600 to 9608 Mbit/s | 2.4/5 GHz |
| Wi‑Fi 5 (802.11ac) | 2014 | 433 to 6933 Mbit/s | 5 GHz |
| Wi‑Fi 4 (802.11n) | 2008 | 72 to 600 Mbit/s | 2.4/5 GHz |
| (Wi-Fi 3)802.11g | 2003 | 6 to 54 Mbit/s | 2.4 GHz |
| (Wi-Fi 2) 802.11a | 1999 | 6 to 54 Mbit/s | 5 GHz |
| (Wi-Fi 1)802.11b | 1999 | 1 to 11 Mbit/s | 2.4 GHz |
| (Wi-Fi 0)802.11 | 1997 | 1 to 2 Mbit/s | 2.4 GHz |
Wi-Fi is the most recognized of the protocols/standards because it used by so many products and devices purchased by the general public. Almost every home has a W-Fi router installed which makes connecting Wi-Fi based Home Automation device a snap. In fact, Internet of Things (IoT) devices that utilize this protocol require no additional hardware or equipment. They basically just work out of the box.
Wi-Fi routers will typically use two different radio frequencies 2.4GHz and 5 GHz to communicate with Wi-Fi devices throughout your home. The 2.4GHz frequency has been around from the early days and is shared with many devices like cordless phones, microwaves, baby monitors, audio devices and more common devices used in a home. If you have a lot of these devices in your home you could experience overcrowded channels which will result in interference with your home automation devices. While many older home automation devices would work only on the 2.4Ghz frequency band newer devices will work on both 2.4 and 5 GHz.
While the 5 GHz band provides for faster data transfer speeds it has more trouble going through walls and obstacles in your home. This results in a shorter range (distance) which may cause intermittent disconnects of your devices if they are place too far from your router.
Zigbee
Zigbee is wireless mesh network protocol that targets battery-powered devices in a home automation system. It is based on the IEEE’s 802.15.4 network standard. Zigbee has been used in the home automation industry for more than a decade for low-powered devices that don’t require a lot of bandwidth – like your smart home sensors.
A mesh network is a local network topology in which the nodes (devices, bridges, etc.) communicate with other nodes to efficiently route data to clients. There is no dependency on any specific node which allows very node to participate in the relay of data. This means that each wireless node can communicate with each other and share data across a large area. Zigbee’s ability to utilize mesh networking means it can increase transmission range and provide greater reliability using self-healing algorithms.
For example, in a Zigbee based network you could have a master coordinator node that controls other network nodes. If one node fails for any reason and can no longer communicate with a second node, the master node and second node may re-establish communications by linking to a third node that is within range. In a mesh network every node acts as a repeater of sorts, and all nodes cooperate in the distribution of data – hence mesh network.
Zigbee operates in the 2.4GHz band and can support up to 65,000 nodes on a single network.
Z-Wave
Z-Wave is a wireless communication protocol used mostly in home automation systems to allow devices to communicate with each other. It is also based on mesh technology allowing each device to act as a repeater to provide a self-healing reliable network.
There are 1000’s of home automation products that utilize the Z-Wave protocol which allows for integration between many different manufacturers products. Z-Wave has one of the broadest product selections available.
Z-Wave uses a source-routed mesh network architecture. In this type of network devices send data/messages (initiator) which are then relayed by neighboring devices. Devices can communicate to each other by using other nodes to dynamically route around and circumvent obstacles or radio dead spots that might occur in a typical home. For example, data/messages from node A to node C can be successfully delivered even if the two nodes are not within range by using a third node B which can communicate with bot nodes A and C. If the preferred route is unavailable, the message originator will attempt other routes until a path is found to the C node. This means that a Z-Wave network can reach much farther than the radio range of a single node.
Z-Wave operates at 868.42 MHz in Europe, at 908.42 MHz in North America which avoids interference with systems that operate on the crowded 2.4GHz band. To provide security Z-Wave uses AES-128 encryption.
IP Protocol Over Ethernet
Ethernet is a wired networking technology used in Local Area Networks (LAN) and Wide Area Networks (WAN). It is also considered one of the key technologies that make up the Internet. Data is transferred over a physical cable as apposed to Wi-Fi that uses wireless technologies to send over the air. When it comes to Ethernet vs Wi-Fi speed, Ethernet is almost always lower latency (less delay), and higher bandwidth (more capacity) than Wi-Fi.
Cables for a Ethernet network are almost always classified as Cat 5e, Cat 6e or similar. The Cat stands for Category. The number that follows refers to the specification version supported by the cable. Generally a higher number means higher frequencies and therefore faster speeds.
| Category | Shielding | Max Transmission Speeds | Max Bandwidth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cat 5 | Unshielded | 10-100Mbps | 100MHz |
| Cat 5e | Unshielded | 1,000Mbps to 1Gbps | 100MHz |
| Cat 6 | Shielded or unshielded | 10Gbps up to 55 meters | 250MHz |
| Cat 6a | Shielded | 10Gbps up to 55 meters | 500MHz |
| Cat 7 | Shielded | 100Gbps up to 15 meters | 600MHz |
| Cat 7a | Shielded | 100Gbps up to 15 meters | 1,000MHz |
| Cat 8 | Shielded | 40Gbps up to 30 meters | 2,000MHz |
Note: Maximum distance of an ethernet cable is 100 Meters or 328 Feet
There are many Home automation devices that use the Ethernet (TCP/UDP/IP protocol) over Ethernet. Some examples are IP Cameras, Hubs, Bridges, Televisions, Media devices and many more.
A Ethernet network can also supply power to devices using using Power Over Ethernet (POE) . This is accomplished by sending power over a pair of wires in the Ethernet cable from the POE enabled router. This can eliminate additional cabling thereby reducing overall time and costs.
Comparison
| Specification | Ethernet | Wi-Fi | Zigbee | Z-Wave | Bluetooth | Thread |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technology | Physical Wire | Radio Frequency | Radio Frequency | Radio Frequency | Radio Frequency | Radio Frequency |
| IP Based | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | YesIPv6 |
| Frequency | N/A | 2.4GHz & 5GHz | 915 MHz or 2.4GHz | EU 868MHzUS 908MHzAU 921MHz | 2.4GHz | 2.4GHz |
| Mesh Capable | N/A | No* | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mesh Hops | N/A | N/A | Unlimited | 4 | Unlimited(TTL based) | Multiple |
| Max Devices | 253** | 250 | 65k | 232 | 32,767 | 250 |
| Battery Power Consumption | N/A | High | Very Low | Very Low | Very Low | Very Low |
| Max. Range (indoor theoretical) | 100m 328' | 45m 150' | 10m35' | 30m100' | 100m 330' | 100m 330' |
| Theoretical Max Speed | 10,000 Mbps | 700 Mbps | 250kbps | 9.6-100 kbps | 2 Mbit/s | 250 kbps |
| IEEE Standard | IEEE 802.3 | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax | 802.15.4 | 802.15.4 | 802.15.1 | 802.15.4 |
*Devices do not support Mesh (do not communicate with each other). Wi-fi can support Mesh networks
**Based on a typical home network. Actual number will depend on network configuration.
Review of the HBN Smart Plug
In this review I will take a look at the HBN Smart plug available from Amazon. Smart Plugs are one the most useful smart home gadgets you can have. I can say that from experience as I use them in my home. They are especially useful during the Christmas season to turn on my Christmas tree lights. Saves me from crawling under the tree to plug it in every night.
What you get
You get four (4) of the HBN Smart Plugs.
What you Need
- 3 Prong Receptacles in your Home/Business
- Wi-Fi network (only supports 2.4Ghz.)
- Alexa or Google Home Assistant (Optional)
How does the Smart Plug work?
These plugs allow you to turn lights, fans, and appliances on or off from anywhere in the world as long as you have an Internet connection and the Smart Life App installed on your phone. You simply plug one of them into any existing 3 prong receptacle anywhere in your home/business then plugin the appliance you want to control. Once connected you can manually control or even have them switch on/off based on the time of day.
There is a simple setup process that must be completed to have these plugs connect to your Wi-Fi. When we did it only took a few minutes to download the App and have our smart plugs connected to our network. The instructions were very clear and easy to use.
If have a Google Home or Alexa assistant you can also control these by simply asking Alex/Google to turn on any or all of the smart plugs. “Hey Google. Switch on the Christmas lights” or “Alexa. switch on the Christmas lights“.
Another great feature is the ability to setup a Scene which allows you to control multiple smart plugs with a single command.
So my overall experience with this smart plug was very positive and I believe they will be a great addition to my arsenal of smart gadgets.
Features
- Control using your Phone from anywhere
- Have Lights and/appliances turn on/off based on a schedule
- Issue voice commands using your voice assistant like Google Home or Alexa
- Lights and/or appliances turn on/off based on your location
- Activate appliances based on the outside temperature
FAQ
Do these have the ability to dim my lights?
No. They can be used to turn items On or Off only. No dimming functionality.
Can I control a heater with these?
It will depend on the rating of your heater. These plugs can control up to 1875W Resistive/15A, 625W Tungsten/5A, 1/2 HP. You need to make sure the heater conforms to these specifications before using. If unsure then we recommend contacting an electrician for advise. Heaters are resistive loads.
Do you need Alexa or Google to use these?
No. You can download the Smart Life app to control them and set schedules. However, without these voice assistants you would not be able to issue voice commands.
Is it compatible with Google Home and Alexa?
Yes. It is compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT which allows to to connect and control other smart home devices.
What happens when there is a power outage?
On restore of power after a power outage the smart plug will reconnect to your Wi-Fi network and will retain any schedules and information set. However, the smart plug will remain OFF for safety reasons.
Pro's & Cons
During my review I have identified the following Pros and Cons
Pros
- Works with both Google Home and Alex
- Easy setup and connection to your home network
- The bottom outlet in your receptacle remains accessible (smart plug must be plugin the top outlet).
- Uses the Smart Life App which is widely used by other devices allowing you to use one app for many different devices.
Cons
- Only one smart plug can fit in a single receptacle.
Conclusion
If you are looking for an easy to install smart plug that is dependable then these units are a good choice for the money.
Products Included in this Article
Philips Hue Outside Motion Install
How to Install Philips Hue Outdoor Motion Detector
In this article we will be covering the installation of the Philips Outdoor Motion detector. To use this sensor, you will need a Philips Hue Bridge (Gen 2) and a Hue lamp. By connecting the sensor to your bridge via the Philips Hue app, you can select which lights go on, even inside your home. You can also choose the scene or light setting that should be activated. The integrated dusk-to-dawn sensor makes sure your lights only switch on when it is actually dark outside helping you to conserve energy.
What you get
You will get everything you need to install this sensor in a multitude of locations. It comes with a very ingenious base/bracket that allows you to mount flat on a wall, in a inside corner or outside corner
Motion detector. High quality construction . Comes with batteries inside
Corner mount. Can be used to mount detector on inside or outside corner.
Wall mount. Used to mount on a flat surface or to pipes/down spouts using a cable tie.
Very detailed user’s manual.
Package of wall anchors and screws for mounting.
Step 1- Add Outdoor Sensor to Philips Hue App
The first thing we need to do is to add your new sensor to the Philips Hue App.
- Open the Philips Hue App. From the Home screen select Settings from the menu at the bottom.
- Select the Accessories option from the Settings menu.
- Select Add accessory button.
- Select the Hue Outdoor Sensor
- Remove wall mount from the back of the sensor to reveal the Setup button. Select the Wall mount removed button
- The sensor lens (white portion on front) should now be flashing red to signify it’s ready to be found. Select the LED is blinking button.
- The App will now search for the Outdoor Sensor and will display a Success screen when found. Select the Continue button.
- Select the room you would like this sensor to be added to. In our example we will be adding to our room named Driveway
- At this point your outdoor sensor has been added to the Philips Hue App but has been configured using default settings. If the default setup meets your needs, then select the Done button to complete the setup. If not, then check out the next section for help on configuring the sensor to meet your needs
Step 2 - Configuring the Hue Outdoor Sensor
In this section we will look at the many options you have for configuring your sensor.
- Go to the sensor settings screen by selecting the Change Settings button as shown above. If you are no longer on that screen, then you can select Accessories from Home screen then the name of your sensor.
- The sensor’s settings screen will be displayed. First change the name of your sensor to something that makes sense for you. In our case we will name the sensor “Driveway Motion”.
- Next we need to set the sensor’s behavior during the day. Start by selecting the Between option under the DAY BEHAVIOR section. Here you can specify when the Day period begins by selecting a time (hour and minutes). In our example we will select 8:00am. Select SET when done. Don’t worry about the End time as we will set that from the NIGHT BEHAVIOR section later.
- We now need to tell the sensor what we want it to do during the Day time hours as defined above. From the Settings screen select the Room (in our case we used Driveway, yours may be different).
- Select the scene you want the motion to activate during the Day. In our case we don’t want anything to happen so we will select Do nothing.
- In the After section we can specify what happens after it has tripped during the day. First we need to specify how much time to wait before activating our action. It defaults to 10 minutes but you can change this from 1 to 60 minutes. You can do this by selecting the After option then selecting a time from 1 to 60 minutes. In our example we are not doing anything during the day so we will skip this setting and leave as is. Of course, if you have activated an event/scene above then go ahead and set an After Time.
- While still in the After section, we need to specify what is to happen when a sensor resets and the time expires from step 6 above. Since we have selected to Do nothing during the day we don’t need to worry about doing anything so we will leave this at the default of Do nothing. Again, if you specified some action in step 5 above then you can select what you want to happen After the trip and the After time expires. For example, if you specified that a Bright scene should be activated during the day in step 5 then you could set the After action here to Off or Return to previous state.
- We now need to setup the NIGHT BEHAVIOR for our sensor. In our example we are installing the outdoor sensor to turn on a front door light and we will want the light to turn on between the hours of 5pm and 8am. We do this by setting the Between time.
- We then select what we want to happen by selecting an action from the Driveway room (this could be a different name in your case). Select the Driveway room
- Select an action that you want to happen when the sensor is tripped. In our case we will activate the Driveway light Bright scene.
- Next we need to set the After action for sensor trips that occur during the night between time. Start with the After time. We have set to 5 minutes. This means that 5 minutes after a sensor is tripped the action you specify in step 12 below will be activated.
- In the Driveway room (your name may differ) select an action that you want to occur once the time expires (step 11). In our case we have selected Return to previous state which will set the light to the state it was prior to the motion being activated.
- Finally select Save to save all your changes.
Step 3 - Hue Outdoor Sensor Advanced Settings
In this section we will take a look at the Advanced Settings Daylight sensitivity and Motion sensitivity.
- Select the Daylight sensitivity option under ADVANCED SETTINGS. This is a very important setting and if set incorrectly I believe is the cause of some users thinking that the sensor is defective. Basically what this setting does is determine when the sensor will trigger events based on the current light levels surrounding the sensor. You adjust this by sliding the slider button up and down until you see it turn Green and the text states “trigger”. If the slider turns Orange and the text above states “not trigger” then no matter what happens at the sensor you will not get it to trigger and therefore it may look like the sensor is not working. However, this is not the case and it’s just that at the selected light level it has been told not to activate. Now the other item you need to watch for is when you set this light level. For example, if it is sunny outside and you set this level then the sensor will never trip at night because you told it it needs bright sunshine before activating. Vise versa if you set this level when it’s pitch black outside (around the sensor) then the sensor would be allowed to trip essentially all the time. So to set this level properly we would need to adjust it when the light level outside is at a level that we want our sensor to start tripping. For dusk levels the slider would typically be at approx. 50%.
- To adjust how sensitive the sensor should be select the Motion sensitivity option. If your lights are turning on too easily then lower the sensitivity here. If you lights are not turning on when there is movement in its field of view, then increase the sensitivity here. This screen is also dynamic meaning it shows you when the motion is being tripped in real time.
- Make sure you select Save to save your changes
Step 4 - Installing the Outdoor Sensor
Sensor Placement
To install your sensor we first need to select the best location to provide the coverage you need for your specific application. The sensor should be mounted between 1.5m and 2.5m (59″ and 98″) above the ground. At the 2.5m (98″) height the sensor will detect up to approx. 12m (40′) out from its location. Lowering its height to 1.5 m (59″) will shorten the range to approx. 9m (30′).
This uses PIR (Passive Infrared) technology which has a specific detection pattern as shown below. When planning your location keep in mind that the best detection direction is across the fingers as apposed towards/away motion. Try to place the sensor so that the expected direction of travel would be across the pattern as shown.
Mounting the Sensor
The sensor can be mounted flat on a wall, on an outside corner, inside corner or on items such as down spouts.
On a Flat Surface/Wall
Using the wall mount, fasten it to the surface using the supplied screws and if needed anchors. Place the Sensor over the Wall mount and then tighten the Lock screw. Make sure the sensor is sitting flat on the surface.
On Outside Corner
Fasten the Corner Bracket to the wall using one 3.5cm (1 3/8″) screw. Attach the Wall Bracket using the supplied machine screw. Place sensor over Wall Bracket and tighten the Lock screw. Make sure the sensor is flush to the Corner bracket.
On Inside Corner
Using the wall mount fasten it to the surface using the supplied screws and if needed anchors. Fasten Wall bracket to Corner Bracket using the supplied machine screw. Place the Sensor over the Wall mount and then tighten the Lock screw. Make sure the sensor is sitting flat on the surface.
On Down Spout/Pipe
Using the wall mount, fasten it to the sensor and tighten the Lock screw. Feed a cable tie through the openings on the side of the Wall Bracket and extend around the pipe or down spout. Tighten tie to securely mount the sensor.
Changing Hue Outdoor Sensor Batteries
There will come a time when you will need to replace the batteries inside the sensor. This can be done by first removing the sensor from the Wall mount. Next unscrew the 4 Philips screws on the rear of the sensor. Do not remove them entirely. Remove the Lock screw. Pull on the screws to separate the back plate from the sensor. If you can’t remove the plate then unscrew the 4 screws until it releases.
There are two AA batteries inside the sensor. Replace with the new batteries and screw the back plate back on to the sensor. Replace the Lock screw.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | Signify Canada Ltd (Philips) |
|---|---|
| Part Number | 541730 |
| Product Dimensions | 7.59 x 5.59 x 7.59 cm; 145.15 Grams |
| Batteries | 2 x AA Batteries |
| Item model number | 541730 |
| Colour | Black & White |
| Style | Outdoor Motion Sensor |
| Voltage | 3 Volts |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Batteries Included? | Yes |
| Warranty Description | 2 Year Warranty |
| Item Weight | 145 g |
Products Included in this Article
Other products you may be Interested in
- Philips Hue White LED Smart Button Starter KitPhilips Hue White Ambiance Smart Bulb Starter KitPhilips Hue 552349-2 Smart Plug, 2 Count (Pack of 1), WhiteAMAZON ONELINK IMAGEAMAZON ONELINK TEXT
Skyline SK-200 Wireless Alarm System Review
Skylink SK-200 Alarm System Review
Looking for a wireless alarm system that you can install yourself? With a huge selection of DIY systems out there it can be difficult to choose the right system for your situation. This review will help you decide on if the SK-200 is a system worth considering.
What you get
The SK-200 is a starter kit is just that. A starter kit. You don’t get all the bells and whistles with this kit but you do get the components for a basic system.
Kit includes one (1) Hub. The Hub communicates with the other devices in your home. It connects to the Internet through your existing Internet router to sends notifications to your phone. It also receives commands like arm/disarm. Requires 4 AAA batteries. (Batteries not included).
Kit includes one (1) Passive Infrared Receiver (PIR) Motion Detector. This detector can be placed anywhere in your home to detect movement. Place on a table or mount on a wall. You can purchase additional detectors if/when needed. Requires one AA battery (Batteries not included).
Kit includes one (1) 4 button Keychain Remote. Arm Away, Arm Home, Disarm and Panic. You can purchase additional Remotes as needed.
Kit includes two (2) WD-MT Wireless Door/Window sensors. Requires one (1) AAA battery (Batteries not included).
One (1) Power Adapter (output 6vdc .5 amp) for the Hub. Comes with 6′ cable
One 6′ Ethernet Network Cable for connecting the Hub to your existing router.
Two (2) Skylink decals.
Multiple screws, wall anchors, 3M double sided tape and spacers.
How does the SkylinkNet System work?
The Skylink system is a Wireless system so there is no need run cables throughout your home. You simply peel the double sided tape and mount the sensors on a door or wall. I found the sensors to be of good quality. Mounting on doors or windows was not a problem at all. The double sided tape seems to be of good quality so I would expect they should stay stuck for a long time.
The Hub needs to be plugin to your Internet router using the supplied network 6′ cable. In my opinion, this does not give you a lot of leeway and may be a bit of an issue depending on where your router is located. For me, I would want the Hub to be easily accessible when entering and exiting my home. If your router is stuck away in some obscure corner then this may not be feasible. However, with a Remote Key FOB available to arm/disarm we wouldn’t need to access the Hub frequently so we could get around this limitation. Of course, there is also the option of purchasing a longer network cable to move the Hub to a more usable location. If your Wi-Fi router is in a good location then this wouldn’t be a concern at all. The built-in siren was extremely loud at 110 decibels.
The Motion sensor was also easy to mount on a wall. They come with two spacers that for the life of me I can’t figure out how they would be useful. Not sure why you would want to space out your sensor a 1/4 “. I even contacted the manufacturer to confirm the use of these spacers and they confirmed they were indeed for the motion detector. In any case, I didn’t need them but if anyone finds a use for these please let us all know. The only other comment I have for the motion would be that they didn’t have any holes on the angled sides to be able to mount in a corner. If I wanted to use screws to mount (which I always tend to do) I would need to pre-drill some holes. Not the end of the world and it probably just old guys like me that still like to mount using screws.
Battery installation was a snap. The door sensors opened easily by pressing the side tabs and opening the motion with a coin worked great. The Hub has a cover that presented no issues even for my big fingers. I also like the fact that the system uses standard batteries instead of specialized batteries which can get expensive.
The Remote Key Fob is a great feature and makes arming/disarming your system quick and easy. Its construction looks like it would withstand a lot of abuse. It’s size is smaller than most which makes carrying around on your key chain almost unnoticeable.
I installed the app on my Android phone with no issues at all. The instructions where extremely easy and intuitive. I like the way they laid out the buttons on the bottom so you access the different areas of the app (Home, Camera, Alarm, More) . The screen layouts were also of good design. I especially like the use of large icons for each sensor that change status in real time. The App was very responsive.
Lastly, they provided decals to warn would-be intruders that there is an alarm system installed which a great added feature and are worth their weight in gold.
Features
Integrates with the SkylinkNet Security Cameras
Built-in Chime Feature
Easily enable a chime for each of your sensors. Whenever a sensor trips the Hub will emit a soft chime.
Control your System from Anywhere
Arm/Disarm or receive alarm notifications on your phone from anywhere you have a Internet connection.
FAQ
Do you need to purchase a monitoring agreement/service?
No. This system is really intended for the do-it-yourselfer so it does not have the capability to be professionally monitored. You do your own monitoring using the free iOS or Android App. No contract or monthly fees.
Do I need a Internet Connection?
Yes . To be able to use the smart App the Hub needs to be connected to your router using a hardwired connection for Internet connectivity.
Can I add sensors to this kit?
Yes. You can add up to 100 devices so you can add Motions, Doors , remotes , smoke detectors and more.
Is it compatible with Google Home and Alexa?
Yes. It is compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT which allows you to connect and control other smart home devices.
Can I use this with other manufacturers sensors?
No. This system is compatible with SkylinkNet sensors only.
Pro's & Cons
During my review I have identified the following Pros and Cons
Pros
- Great price. A very inexpensive way to get started with a security system
- No monitoring fees or long term contracts
- Expandable. You can add up to 100 devices at any time.
- Compatible with other smart home devices
- Integrates with surveillance cameras
- Has Low Battery monitoring for the sensors
- Loud internal siren
Cons
- Hub does not connect using Wi-Fi. The Hub needs to be within 6′ of your router to facilitate a hardwired connection. This may be an issue in some cases which may require the purchase of a longer network cable.
- Requires a minimum of 8 digits for the arming/disarming code when using the keypad on the Hub. I have trouble remembering 4.
Conclusion
If you are looking for an easy to install wireless system that wont break the bank then the SkylinkNet SK-200 kit is probably a good bet.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | Skylink |
|---|---|
| Product Dimensions | 38.74 x 10.16 x 12.7 cm; 589.67 Grams |
| Batteries | AA and AAA (not included) |
| Item model number | SK-200 |
| Colour | White |
| Power Source | 120VAC Adapter - 6VDC Output |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Usage | Indoor use only |
| Included Components | Internet Hub HU-100 X 1, Door/Window Sensor WD-MT X 2, Motion sensor PS-MT X 1, Keychain Remote MK-MT X 1, Power Adapter X 1, Ethernet Cable X 1, Mounting Accessories |
| Warranty Description | 1 Year |
| Item Weight | 590 g |
Products Included in this Article
- SK-200 SkylinkNet Connected Wireless Alarm System, Security & Home Automation System, iOS iPhone Android Smartphone Compatible with No Monthly Fees.PS-MT Skylink Wireless Motion Sensor for SkylinkNet Connected Home Security Alarm & Home Automation System and M-Series. 110 Degree PIR Sleek White Motion Sensor.WD-MT Skylink Wireless Window and Door Sensor for SkylinkNet Connected Home Security Alarm & Home Automation System and M-Series. Monitor your Door or Window open or closed statusMK-MT Skylink Wireless Security Keychain Remote Keyfob for SkylinkNet Connected Home Alarm Security & Home Automation System and M-Series. Remotely Arm & Disarm your Home Security System
Other products you may be interested in
How to Install the Skylink SK-200 Alarm System
Skylink SK-200 Alarm System Installation
In this article we will be covering the installation of the Skylink SK-200 Alarm Starter Kit. The SK-200 alarm and automation starter kit provides you with the basics needed for a do-it-yourself alarm security. The included Hub connects to your local network and provides easy cloud based remote control and notifications through the Internet. Why is this system perfect for a DIY project? Well there are no set-up or monthly fees. You use the iOS or Android app to monitor and control your system from almost anywhere. Push notifications can be sent to your smartphone whenever an alarm is activated.
What you get
The SK-200 is a starter kit so you only get the devices for a small home or apartment but you can easily add more sensors to expand your system as needed.
Kit includes one (1) Hub. This is basically the brains of the system which communicates with the other devices in your home. It connects to the Internet through your existing Internet router to send notifications to your phone and receives commands (arm/disarm). Requires 4 AAA batteries. (Batteries not included).
Kit includes one (1) Keychain Remote with 4 buttons. Arm Away, Arm Home, Disarm and Panic. You can purchase additional Remotes as needed.
Kit includes one (1) Passive Infrared Receiver (PIR) Motion Detector. This detector can be placed on a table or mounted on a wall and will detect movement within its field of view. Again, you can purchase additional detectors if/when needed. Requires a single AA battery (Batteries not included).
Kit includes two (2) WD-MT Wireless Door/Window sensors. Requires one (1) AAA battery (Batteries not included).
One (1) Power Adapter (6v .5 amp) for the Hub. Comes with 6′ cable
One 6′ Ethernet Network Cable for connecting the Hub to your existing router.
Two (2) Skylink decals.
Multiple screws, wall anchors, 3M double sided tape and spacers for the motion detector.
Step 1- Hub Installation & Power Up
The first thing we need to do is setup the Alarm System Hub. The Hub needs to be placed/mounted within 6 feet of your Internet router. This will allow you to connect the Hub using the supplied 6′ Ethernet network cable. If needed, you could order a longer network cable if the Hub needs to be mounted further than 6′. I have included a link to a longer network cable in the Product section at the end of this article.
Connect the Hub to an available network port on your router with the supplied network cable. Then plug in the power adapter to both the Hub and wall outlet. At this point the small network LED should show green. If Red then there is a network connection issue.
Next open the rear compartment on the Hub and insert 4 AAA batteries. These batteries are optional but will keep your Hub operational during a power power outage and is highly recommended.
Step 2 - Download & Install SkylinkNet App
With your Android or Apple smart phone, go to your App store. For Android, this would be the Google Play Store while Apple would be the Apple App Store. These store App’s should already be somewhere on your phone.
1. Once in the store search for the “SkylinkNet” App.
2. Make sure you choose the correct App. The icon has a house with a blue background.
3. Next, select Install.
4. When installed, select the Open button to start the App. Alternatively, you can close the installation screen, find the new icon for the SkylinkNet App and open from there.
Step 3- Create an Account
1. You should now have the Logon screen showing on your phone. If you don’t already have an existing account with Skylink then select the “Create Account” link at the bottom of the screen. Otherwise Login with you existing credentials.
2. Read the Terms & Conditions then select the “I accept” checkbox.
3. Select “Continue”
4. Fill in your Name, Email and Password
5. Select the “Sign Up” link to register
You should now receive an email with a link. Click the link to complete the sign up process and activate your account. Once you click the link you should be brought to a web page confirming you have successfully setup your account.
Step 4- Setup Hub
1. The Getting Started screen should be displayed in the SkylinkNet App. Select the “Setup Hub” link.
2. Select “Initialize a new Hub” button
3. A confirmation screen will be displayed confirming that you have installed the Hub and that it is powered up. This was done in Step 1 above so click the “Continue” link.
4. The Create new Hub screen will be displayed. Enter a name for your Hub. This name will show throughout the app and describes your Hub. For example, if you only have one hub and it’s in your home then I would recommend “Home” as the name.
5. Look at the bottom of your Hub for its Hub ID number and enter into the Hub ID field.
6. Enter a Password. This is not the code for the alarm. It’s used whenever the App/Server needs to communicate with the Hub.
7. Using a small screw driver or paper clip press and hold the Reset button on the bottom of your Hub. The LED should start flashing in multiple colors. This will initialize communications with your App. The Congratulations screen should now be displayed indicating successful connection to your App. Select “Done” to go to your Home screen.
Step 5 - Power Up Sensors
Before we can learn or enroll our sensors, we will need to first power them up.
For each Door Sensor open the cover by pressing on both sides of the cover (tabs) and pulling. Insert a AAA battery. The red LED should flash when you insert the battery.
Do the same for the Motion Detector. To open you can use a coin or a flat head screw driver. Again, the LED should flash indicating it is transmitting to the Hub when the battery is inserted. Motion Sensors take a AA battery.
Step 6 - Enroll Door Sensors
We now need to tell the system what Door Sensors you will be installing. The App should be on the Home screen from Step 4 above.
1. From your Home screen select “More” (three dots) to show the Setup Menu.
2. From the menu select “System Settings“
3. Select “Setup Wizard” from the System Settings menu
4. Select “Add Device” from the Setup wizard menu
5. Select “Sensors” from the Add Device menu
6. Select “Door Sensor” from the Select Type menu
7. Enter a name for this door sensor (i.e. Front door) and a Location (i.e. Home). These two text descriptions will be used to describe the sensor on the App’s Home screen. You can use any combination of text that makes sense for you. So using the text in our example above the sensor icon would look like the icon shown to the right.
8. Select “Continue”
You should now be showing the Learning Mode screen. Before we start the enrolling make sure the sensor you are adding has it’s magnet placed next to the sensor as shown below
9. Select the “Learn now” link. The App will then try to connect to your Hub and learn a sensor. Activate (remove magnet away from sensor) your sensor. The red LED should flash indicating it has transmitted a signal to the Hub. At this time the Completed message should appear confirming that the sensor has been learned.
10. To enroll additional sensors select the “Go to Setup Wizard” link and repeat the above steps. When done with all door sensors select “Go to Home Screen“.
Step 7 - Enroll Motion Sensors
Adding Motion detectors is almost the same process as adding the Door Sensors above. The only difference will be selecting “Motion Sensor” from the Select Type menu.
You should now be at the Setup Wizard screen.
1. Select “Add Device“
2. Select “Sensors” from the Add Device menu
3. Select “Motion Sensor” from the Select Type menu
4. Enter a Name and Location
5. Select “Continue“
The Learning Mode screen will be displayed
6. Select the “Learn now” link to put the system into Learning mode. Push the Learn button located inside the motion detector.
7. The Completed screen will be display to confirm that the motion detector was enrolled or learned. Select Go to Setup Wizard and then repeat the above steps if you have more sensors to enroll.
Step 8 - Enroll Remote Key fob
To enroll or learn a remote key fob follow the same process as adding a Motion Detector but instead you select “Security Remote/Keypad” from the Add Device menu.
Step 9 - Installing Door Sensors
There are two parts of a WD-MT Wireless Door Sensor. A Magnet (smaller piece) and a Sensor. The Magnet is typically installed on the door or window while the Sensor is installed on the unmoveable frame. However, depending on your particular door/window you can reverse this if needed. Choose the best orientation for your situation while ensuring the gap between the Magnet and the Sensor is no more than 10mm or 1/4″. Important: Make sure the small triangle markings on each piece is lined up and facing each other. To install, use the supplied double sided tape and firmly place each item on the door and frame. When done open the door/window to ensure the two pieces do not touch or rub. The Red LED should flash when you open the door/window. This signifies that a signal has been transmitted. Repeat these steps for all of your door/window sensors.
Tip For a better mounting you can also use a small bead of clear silicone around the base of the sensor and magnet. This will keep them mounted should the double sided tape lose its grip.
Step 10- Installing Wireless Motion Detector
Placement of your PS-MT Motion Detectors is important to ensure you get the best possible detection while avoiding false alarms. The following are some do’s and don’ts when mounting your detector.
Don’ts
- Don’t point a detector at a window. Sun light will trip a PIR sensor.
- Don’t install this sensor where pets could enter the field of view (FOV). There are special detectors intended for use with pets.
- Don’t point at a hot air source like vents, heaters, air ducts, refrigerators or stoves
- Don’t mount pointing at ceiling fans or curtains
- Don’t mount detectors in a high humidity area like bathrooms and attics
Do’s
- Do mount between 6-8 feet (182cm-243cm) high from the ground/floor.
- Do mount sensor in a corner where possible. Corners tend to provide better coverage based on the pattern a detector senses.
- Expected direction of movement should be across the sensor rather than towards/away from sensor if possible. Always try to place sensors where you can take advantage of the cross motion direction.
- Motions placed in central hallways are always a good location as an intruder would typically use the hallway to access different areas.
Direction of Movement
Floor plan with PIR Motions
Mounting the Sensor
To mount a Wireless Motion Detector you can use the supplied double side tape or screws.
Tip It's my recommendation that any sensor always be mounted with screws where possible. While double sided tape is certainly the easiest mounting method but it sometimes does not always last the longest and the sensor could eventually fall off. Of course, when it does it will be 3am in the morning and cause a false alarm. If you don't want or can't use screws then applying a small bead of clear silicone around the base of the sensor would give you the same effect.To mount on a wall with double sided tape simply apply the tape to the rear sensor and press firmly onto any wall surface.
Note: Removing double sided tape from a wall may damage your surface (remove paint or surface).
If using screws first separate the sensor by removing its back. You will see two indentations for the screws. You will notice that they don’t protrude all the through the sensor. One may be hidden behind a small piece of round foam. Using a Phillips head screwdriver (star) screw the sensor onto the wall through these indentations. You may want to pre-drill to make it easier but with adequate force and a good screwdriver you shouldn’t have any issues.
Corner mounting is a bit more difficult as there are no pre-drill holes or indentations in the sensor. You will need to drill some holes in the angled sides of the sensor back. Then use the screws (and anchors if needed) to mount the back plate of the sensor each wall.
Replace the front of the sensor and you are done.
Step 11 - Configuring the system to meet your needs
In this step we will configure your new system by setting the different options to meet your particular needs.
Setting your System Code (Hub Keypad)
The Hub has four (4) button keypad marked 1-4. These can be used to Arm and Disarm your system by entering an eight (8) digit code.
1. To set a code select the More (3 dots) at the bottom right of your Home screen.
2. Select “System Settings”
3. Select “Hub Keypad Password” from the System Settings menu.
4. In the Password field enter eight digit code. You can only use the digits 1,2,3 and 4. Any combination of those four digits will work.
5. When done select “Save“
To test your new code, enter it into the Hub keypad and press the Lock key. This should arm your system and start a count down timer (beeping). Enter your code again and press the Lock button to Disarm the system
You now have a code to Arm and Disarm your system from the Hub.
Setting your Time Zone
To operate properly the system needs to know which Time Zone you are in. To set your Time Zone:
1. To set the Time Zone select the More (3 dots) at the bottom right of your Home screen.
2. Select “System Settings”
3. Select “Time Zone Settings“
The App will set the Time Zone to what you already have configured in your phone.
4. If the default Time Zone is what you want then just select the Yes link
5. If you would like to choose a different Time Zone then you can do that here. Just select the correct time and the Time Zone will automatically be assigned.
6. Select “Save” to set the Time Zone
Alarm Timing Settings
The Alarm Settings screen allows you to set multiple system timing values.
Siren Duration:
This setting tells the system how long the siren should sound when an alarm is tripped. Select the duration on the right to change the value. Options are 0 (no siren), 1 min, 3 min, 5 min, and 10 min.
Entry delay:
The amount of time the system will delay or wait to activate an alarm when you trip a sensor that has been setup to have a delay. Options are 0 (no delay/instant), 30 sec, 45 sec, 60 sec and 75 sec. Typical setting is 30 secs. A slow pulsing beep will be heard when you trip an Entry sensor and speed up as it gets closer as it counts down to zero seconds. This allows you to enter your premise without tripping the alarm and disarm.
Exit delay:
The amount of time the system will delay arming your system. A slow pulsing beep will be heard during this delay and will speed up as it counts down to zero. This gives you time to exit your premise without tripping any sensors.
Beep Level:
The system will emit beeps to alert you of timer count downs, system armed and system disarmed. This setting allows you to control the volume. Options are Disabled, Normal, Low and high.
Step 12 - Sensor Setup
One of the last things we need to do is to set the Alarm Type for each sensor so that they react to the way you use the system. For example, you may want to have your motion sensors only be armed when you are out of the house (Away Mode). To make this happen you set the sensor Alarm Type to “Arm Away Only” which means this sensor would only be active when you are out of the house (Away). To be armed in the Home mode means that you are still in the house when the system is armed. The following are the different settings available that you can assign to your sensors.
Setting your Alarm Type
1. If not already on your Home screen, select the Home Icon at the bottom of your screen. A screen with multiple icons should be displayed that match the number and type of sensors you enrolled in the previous steps.
2. Select the settings icon of the first sensor (in our case it’s the Front door sensor).
3. Select “Alarm Settings” button
4. In our case we will select this sensor’s Alarm Type to “Arm Away Only“. This would mean that this sensor can only trip the alarm if the system is set to the Armed Away mode. Select your Alarm Type by clicking on it in the list. The type will then be set and you will be returned to the Home screen.
Repeat the steps 1-4 above to set the Alarm Type for each sensor in your system.
Setting up Push Notifcations
The system has the capability to send notifications to your smart device. This is called Push Notifications. Example of a notification would be an Door Opened message or Alarm tripped message.
You setup Push Notifications for each sensors and Remote in your system.
1. Go to your Home screen.
2. Select the settings icon of the first sensor (in our case its the Front door sensor).
3. Select “Push Notifications” button
4. Select During Alarm Only or Always depending your needs. If Alarm Only is selected then you will receive notifications from the sensor only when the system is armed Away or Away/Home. Typically you would select During Alarm to prevent continuous notifications when the door is opened/closed. Once you select you will be brought back to the Home screen. Repeat the above steps for each sensor and Remotes.
Setting up the Chime Feature
Every sensor can have a Chime assigned to it so that when the door/window is opened or a Motion is tripped you will get a Chime sound from the Hub. This is a fantastic feature and can be useful in many situations.
1. To setup a Chime for any sensor go to your Home screen and select a Sensor button.
2. Select the Chime button from the sensor screen
3. Select Yes to turn on the Chime or No to disable. You will be brought back to your Home screen. Repeat for each sensor you want to Chime.
Step 13 - Testing your System
One of the most important steps when installing alarm systems is testing the system after the install. Even professional alarm technicians some times fail to perform proper and complete checks. It’s important to thoroughly check every device/feature to ensure they work as inspected.
To test your system you can use your phone App and walk the premise while tripping each sensor while putting the system in the different armed state (Disarmed, Armed Away or Armed Away/Home).
1. Start with the system disarmed and proceed to the first sensor.
2. Open the door/window or trip the motion detector. The red LED should flash on the sensor. Verify on the smart App that the intended result has occurred. Depending on the Alarm Type you may or may not receive an alarm trip. Only sensors set as Instant alarm types should cause an an alarm when the system is disarmed.
3. Next Arm the system and verify the Exit count down begins (beeping).
4. Open the door/window or trip the motion while in the exit count down. You should not receive an alarm.
5. After the count down as expired, open the door/window and the entry beeping should start. Once the entry delay expires you should receive an alarm. Verify the proper icon displays the alarm. Also, make sure the duration of the entry delay is adequate to allow you time to disarm the system (if using the Hub keypad).
Repeat the above 5 steps for each sensor installed while also verifying the proper zone/sensor icons are appearing on the App.
Next remove the Hub power adapter from the receptacle and ensure your system remains operational. You should be able to arm and disarm the system as normal. Replace the adapter and verify no change on your smart App.
You should now have a fully installed and tested system.
Step 14 - Using your New Wireless Alarm System
In this section we will cover the day to day use of your new alarm system. The different screens below can be opened by selecting the appropriate icon on the bottom of your screen.
Home Screen
The Home screen is where you can quickly see the status of every sensor in your system. Each sensor will show a button with a icon depicting the type of sensor (Door, Motion, Remote etc.). These are real time status icons so they change as the sensor status changes. When a sensor is tripped or open it will show a red icon and a blue icon when its in normal state (closed/no motion detected).
Alarm Screen
The Alarm screen displays the current armed status of your system (Disarmed, Arm Home or Arm Away). You can also arm your system into any mode from this screen.
Panic
The Alarm screen displays also provides a Panic feature were you can activate the Panic feature of the system by using the slider and swiping to the right. This will activate the siren in the Hub (if not disabled in the Alarm Timing Settings in Step 9 above). It can be used if at any time you feel threatened. Once activated you can turn it off by by the App, Remote or keypad on Hub.
Remote Key Fob
The MK-MT Remote key fob is probably going to be the most used method to arm/disarm you system as it is so convenient. It has four buttons on it that allow you to arm/disarm and initiate a Panic alarm.
Hub Keypad
The Hub includes a 4 digit keypad (1-4) which allows to you to Arm and Disarm your system. You setup a 8 digit code in Step 11 above. To Arm your system simply input the 8 digit code then press the Lock button. The system will bein its exiting sequence count down. To Disarm just enter your code and press the Lock button.
There are two LED’s on the Hub which indicate the following:
LED Green Red Flashing Red Slowly Flashing Red Rapidly Orange NA System Armed Alarm Activated Memory Sending/Receiving Data NA Network Connected No Network Connection Connecting NA Connecting to Network 
Event Log
The Event log can be found by going to your Home screen, selecting the More (…) link then selecting “Event Log“. Here, you can see everything that has happened on your system with the date and time it occurred.
Step 15 - System Maintenance
The last area to cover is the ongoing maintenance for your system. Since this is a Wireless system you will need to replace the sensor batteries on a regular basis. How long a sensor battery lasts will depend on the activity of the sensor. More activity means shorter battery life. As an example, a motion detector placed in your main hall way where there would be a lot of traffic would most certainly need battery replacement more frequently. The sensors in this system are equipped with a Low Battery feature which will alert you when a battery is low and needs replacement.
To replace batteries in the Door/Window sensor open the sensor by pressing on the tabs on the side and pulling open. Replace with a AA battery.
To replace batteries in the Motion Detectors use a small standard flat head screw driver or coin to pry open the sensor to expose the batteries. Replace with a AA Battery.
To replace the Hub batteries open the cover on the rear and replace with 4 AAA batteries
Specifications
Manufacturer Skylink Product Dimensions 38.74 x 10.16 x 12.7 cm; 589.67 Grams Batteries AA and AAA (not included) Item model number SK-200 Colour White Power Source 120VAC Adapter - 6VDC Output Mounting Type Surface Mount Usage Indoor use only Included Components Internet Hub HU-100 X 1, Door/Window Sensor WD-MT X 2, Motion sensor PS-MT X 1, Keychain Remote MK-MT X 1, Power Adapter X 1, Ethernet Cable X 1, Mounting Accessories Warranty Description 1 Year Item Weight 590 g
Products Included in this Article
Tuya Wireless Alarm System Installation
Tuya Wi-Fi Alarm System Installation
In this article we will be covering the installation of the Tuya Wireless GSM Home Security Alarm System. You may find this system sold under different brand names but the system installation and setup would be the same for all. We purchased our test system from AliExpress.com
What you get
When purchasing this system you will need to choose from an array of kits/packages. The only difference would be quantity of sensors, fobs and remotes included. The actual devices would be exactly the same. A typical system would consist of a keypad/display, wireless door sensor(s), PIR motion detector(s), RFID Fobs, Remotes, and a siren.
Step 1- Keypad/Display Power Up
The first thing we need to do is setup the Keypad/Display. Connect the power adapter using the supplied USB cable into the Display’s USB micro connector on the side. Plug the adapter into a standard house wall receptacle.
Power Adapter As with many systems purchased directly from China you will get a power adapter that has not been listed/approved for use in Canada or the USA (CSA, cULus, UL). However, you can replace the adapter with one that has the proper listings. I have included a link here to a listed/approved adapter that will work with this system.Remove the battery tab (plastic tab) from the Display. This will connect the internal battery which will power the Display should there be a power outage. Next turn On the Display by pushing and holding the side Power Switch. At this point your Display should now be active and the LCD screen should display the default menu.
It defaults to English so if you want another language (total of 9 available) you can quickly change it by selecting the Down arrow(), select Settings() , x 3 until you get to Language then to select. Select the appropriate Language by using the key then . The Display should now be in your language of choice.
Step 2 - Installing the Smart Life App
To be able to receive notifications and control your system you will need the Smart Life App installed on your phone or device.
- Go to the App store on your phone and search for a App named Smart Life and select the Install button. In our example below we are using the Google Play Store.
- Accept the User Agreement and Privacy policy then select the Sign Up button.
- Fill in your Country and Email Address then select Get Verification Code. You will get a code sent to your email address. Enter the code into the Verification screen.
- Enter a Password then Select Done
- Enable or disable the Data Analysis option as you see fit. In my case I disable this option. Select the Go to App button. If you are prompted to allow Location permissions then go to your settings and turn on (allow) the Location Permission.
- You should now be in the Add Device screen
Step 3 - Adding the Alarm System to App
We now need to add your system to the App using your Wi-Fi network. Before beginning make sure your Phone/device is connected to same Wi-Fi network that will be used for the Alarm System.
- From the App’s Add Device screen select the Add Device button. Again, if you are prompted to allow Location permissions then select Settings -> Permissions -> Location -> Allow only while using app. Use the back key to return to App.
- From the Add Device screen select the option Sensors from the left menu.
- Next select Alarm (Wi-Fi) option from the sensor screen
- On the Wi-Fi screen enter the name (SSID) of your Wi-fi network. This needs to be a 2.4GHz network. This system will not work on 5GHz. Both your Phone and the Alarm system need to be on the same 2.4GHz network. Enter your network password and select Next
- At this point you may be presented with a “Reset the Device first” screen. This screen is intended for other types of devices that have a LED. Our system here has no such LED so simply select the Confirm option and select Next.
- An “Adding device…” screen will appear showing that it is scanning the network for the system. In about a minute it should detect your system and automatically add it to the App.
- When successful you will be presented with a screen stating the device was added successfully. It will also let you name the system. Go ahead and name it by selecting the Edit icon. Finally select Save then Done.
- A Notification Test message appears when security devices are added to the app on Android mobile phones. To ensure that notifications can be received, tap Test and follow the tips to verify that the autostart and battery usage detection permissions are granted to the app. You may not have these settings in your phone as it depends on your version and make. Newer versions do not require these settings. Select Next then Done
- The Alarm is now added to the Smart Life App and you should see your Alarm system in the Device list.
- To access your newly created alarm simply select it in the list. You should be presented with the Alarm’s main screen.
Step 4 - Enrolling Remotes
Key remotes allow you to Arm Away, Arm Stay, Disarm and generate an SOS. To add your remotes you need to be on the Main App screen.
- Select Accessories from the menu.
- Select Remote from Accessories then the Plus + to add
- At this point press and release the arm or disarm button on your remote while holding it near the display/keypad. The system should instantly read your remote and add it to the system.
- A Confirmation screen will be displayed. Select Confirm.
- To name your remote select it in the list and a editing screen will be displayed.
- Enter your name and select Save
Step 5 - Enrolling Sensors
We now need to tell the system what door/window/motion sensors you will be installing. This process is called enrolling. You can enroll sensors directly with the Display/keypad or by using the App. We will be using the App as it is a much easier process.
- From the App Main screen select Accessories.
- From the Accessories screen select Detector then the Plus + to add
- The App will then search for your new sensor. Place sensor near Display and activate it. For a Door/Window sensor you can press the button or separate the magnet from the sensor. For a Motion sensor first turn it On by sliding the small switch on the rear of the sensor. Once activated the system will detect the sensor and will add it automatically to the system.
- A Confirmation screen will be displayed. Select Confirm.
- To name your sensor select it in the list and the Device edit screen will be displayed.
- Select Sub device name and enter your new name
- Select Zone attribute and select how you want this sensor to reactive when tripped. Refer to table below Zone Attributes.
- Select Device type and select the type that best describes this sensor i.e.: Door Alarm
- Select Save
Zone Attributes
Out Arm Active Active when you arm system in Away mode 24 Hours Active Active always – 24/hrs/day with siren Close Sensor is deactivated- will not cause an alarm Door Bell The sensor will act like a door bell and ring a chime (ding/dong) when tripped/activated. 24 Hours Silent Active always – 24 hrs/day but with no siren Stay Arm Active without Delay Active when you arm system in Stay mode and has no delay. Will instantly cause an alarm when tripped Out Arm Active without Delay Active when you arm system in Away mode and has no delay Stay Arm Active Active when you arm system in Stay mode Step 6 - Installing Wireless Door/Window Sensors
There are two parts of a wireless door sensor. A Magnet (smaller piece) and a Sensor. The Magnet is typically installed on the door or window itself while the Sensor is installed on the unmoveable frame. However, depending on your particular door/window you can reverse this as shown in the above image. Choose the best orientation for your situation while ensuring the gap between the Magnet and the Sensor is no more than 10mm or 1/4″. Important: Make sure the small triangle markings on each piece are lined up and facing each other. To install, remove the double sided tape backing from the magnet and Sensor and firmly place them on the door and frame. When done open the door/window to ensure the two pieces do not touch or rub. The Red LED should flash when you open the door/window. This signifies that a signal has been transmitted. Repeat these steps for all of your door/window sensors.
Tip For a better mounting you can also use small flat head screws to fasten each piece to the door/frame. To fasten the senor with screws you will need to separate the actual sensor from its mounting plate by gently sliding it off then mounting the plate. Be sure that the screws you use are small enough so the heads do not interfere with the Sensor being mounted back on its plate. Another method to secure the sensor is to use a small bead of silicone adhesive sealant around the base of each item. It is recommended that either screws or silicone is used as double sided tape will eventually dry out which results in the sensor/magnet falling off. Of course this will always happen at 3am when you are sound asleep.Step 7 - Installing Wireless Motion Detector
To install a Wireless Motion Detector first remove the detector section from the mounting bracket by holding the bracket then sliding the sensor up. Mount the bracket on the wall with the supplied screws and anchors if needed.
On the back of the sensor slide the ON/OFF switch to the ON position.
Placement of your motion detectors is important to ensure you get proper detection while avoiding false alarms. The following are some dos and don’ts when mounting your detector.
Don’ts
- Don’t point a detector at a window. Sun light will trip a PIR sensor.
- Don’t install this sensor where pets could enter the field of view (FOV). There are special detectors intended for use with pets.
- Don’t point at a hot air source like vents, heaters, air ducts, refrigerators or stoves
- Don’t mount pointing at ceiling fans or curtains
- Don’t mount detectors in a high humidity area like bathrooms and attics
Do’s
- Do mount between 6-8 feet (182cm-243cm) high from the ground/floor.
- Do mount sensor in a corner where possible. Corners tend to provide better coverage based on the pattern a detector senses
Step 8 - Mounting Keypad/Display
The Display/Keypad can be mounted on a wall or placed on a countertop or table using a stand like the Lamicall Adjustable Stand . Placing on a stand will allow you to somewhat hide the cables. On the other hand if you were to mount on a wall there would be cables running from the Keypad to the receptacle and siren that would be more visible. In any case both mounting types would work fine and would depend on your situation.
To mount on the wall first remove the mounting bracket from the back of the Keypad by sliding up. Mount the bracket using the screws and anchors provided. I would recommend using a level to ensure it’s straight. Slide the keypad back onto its mount and connect the power cable.
Mounting on stand is much easier. The Keypad comes with a built-in tamper switch on the rear of the Keypad. This is used to create an alarm should anyone remove the Keypad from the wall. You need to make sure the mounting bracket is installed into the rear of the Display. Then simply place the Keypad on the Stand and run you power cable to the closest receptacle.
Step 9 - Installing the Siren
The system comes with a hardwired siren that plugs into the side of the Keypad. However, it only comes with a short 3′ cable so you are limited on how far you can mount the Siren from the Keypad. Choose a suitable location and mount the siren using the screws provided then simply plugin the siren plug into the siren jack.
If you need to install the siren further from the Keypad you can purchase a 25′ extension cable.
Step 10 - GSM
We will not be covering GSM for this system. This version of the PG-103 only supports 2G which is no longer supported across Canada and the USA. If you purchase this particular version of the PG-103 then you will be able to monitor your system using the App only.
If you would like to have your system monitored over GSM then you should purchase systems that supports 4G or newer.
Step 11 - Settings
You can access the Settings screen from the menu in the Main screen.
Step 12 - Testing your System
One of the most important steps when installing alarm systems is when you test the system. Even professional alarm technicians some times fail to perform proper and complete checks.
To test your system take your phone and test each sensor in all armed states of the system. This is to ensure that the sensor works and that you have set the Zone Attribute properly. Start with the system disarmed and proceed to the first sensor. Open the door/window or trip the motion detector. The red LED should flash on the sensor. Verify on the keypad that the intended result has occurred. Only 24 hour programmed sensors should cause an alarm at the keypad when disarmed. Next Arm the system and open the door/window or trip the motion. Again, verify the proper operation as intended. If the sensor is an Entry delayed sensor ensure you test the proper duration expires before an alarm occurs.
Repeat the above for each sensor installed while also verifying the proper zone/sensor descriptions are appearing on the keypad.
Next remove the Keypad/Display power adapter from the receptacle and ensure your system remains operational. You should be able to arm and disarm the system as normal. Replace the adapter and verify no change on your Keypad/Display.
You should now have a fully installed and functional system.
IMPORTANT: You must continually check your sensors for proper operation to ensure the batteries still have a enough energy to be able to send a signal to your keypad/display. This system does not have the capability to monitor your sensor batteries and notify you of troubles. This means a sensor could stop working or be removed entirely and you would be unaware. You will need continually test your system to ensure all sensors are functioning.
Step 13 - System Maintenance
The last area to cover is the ongoing maintenance for your system. Since this is a Wireless system you will need to replace the sensor batteries on a regular basis. How long a sensor battery lasts will depend on the activity of the sensor. More activity means shorter battery life. As an example, a motion detector placed in your main hall way where there would be a lot of traffic would most certainly need battery replacement more frequently.
To replace batteries in the Door Sensors just slide off the cover to expose the battery compartment. Replace the battery with a CR2032 Battery.
To replace batteries in the Motion Detectors first remove from its mounting bracket. Use a small standard flat head screw driver to pry open the sensor to expose the batteries. Replace the batteries with two AA Batteries.
The Remote can be opened with a small flat head screwdriver. Insert into the small opening along the side and pry open. Replace with a CR2032 Battery.
The RFID tags do not have batteries
The Display also contains batteries but I don’t believe the manufacture intended the end user to replace them. Opening the display runs the risk of damaging the display. However, if you are willing to take the risk then you can open the case by removing the two rubber plugs that hide the screws keeping the display together. One plug is on the side above the Siren jack and the other is on the back center. Once the screws are removed you can carefully pry open the display to expose two batteries. The 1000ma 3.7 V (in mine part# WZY 523450) rechargeable battery used to provide backup power during power failures and the CR 1220 that I would assume is for the clock and/or memory.
WARNING! Opening the display may result in damage and most certainly would void any warranty you may have. Open only if the display has become a brick.
Products Included in this Article
- Lamicall Adjustable Tablet Stand Holder - Foldable Desktop Stand Charging Dock for Desk Compatible with iPad Air Mini Pro 9.7,12.9, Phone 12 Mini 11 XS Max XR X Plus S10 S9 S8 Smartphones 4-13” - GrayUL Listed Extra Long 6.5 Ft AC Adapter 2.1A Rapid Charger for Fast Charging Hd Hdx 6" 7" 8.9" 9.7" Tablet and Phone Tab Power Supply Cord
Other Products you may be Interested in
Review of The Kono Smart Wi-Fi Thermostat KN-S-AMZ-004
Lux aren’t new to thermostats – over 16 million homes in the United States and Canada are using one of their devices and they’re well known for making high-quality products. If you’re in the market for a smart thermostat, anything made by Lux is probably a good option, and none more so than the Kono.
The Lux Kono smart thermostat is modern, sleek, and just a little bit sexy. It connects to most other smart home devices with ease and even works with your phone, regardless of how far away from home you are. It can be personalized with snap-on covers and comes with a very reasonable price tag.
If you want something smart and good-looking, this thermostat could definitely be the one for you.
Smart Features
Kono is a thermostat that has so many features it can do pretty much anything when it comes to controlling the temperature in your home.
Its main feature is how effortlessly it connects to all the major smart home devices. This includes Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Homekit. We’ll look at compatibility a bit later in the post, but if you have multiple other smart home devices of different makes, the Kono certainly won’t limit you on what it can work with – it likes to be friends with everyone.
Another really useful function is its ability to connect with your phone via the Lux mobile app. Even if you’re on the other side of the world if your phone has internet access you can control the temperature at your home. You can set heating and cooling schedules, view runtimes and control the target temperature. It’s a great feature for making sure your home is nice and warm for when you get home from work!
You can even add more than one thermostat to the device, so if you have multiple properties or want different temperatures in different rooms, you can easily control them all at the touch of a button.
Radius geofence also comes to the rescue if you forget to turn off your air conditioning when you leave for work – you can set it up so that it will automatically switch off when you’re away from home. This Home and Away Aware feature provides savings on your energy bills, as the system won’t be running all day when you’re not at home. There’s also a utility cost estimator, so you get an idea of what your bill will be before it’s even sent to you.
Appearance
Obviously, the Kono is a lot more than just a pretty face, but you can’t ignore the fact that this is a good looking device. Kono puts an emphasis on personalization with its changeable Décor-snap covers, so it can blend in seamlessly or stand out and make a statement.
And if they don’t have the color you want? No problem! They even give you the option of painting a blank one. It can’t get much more personal than that.
Available Covers
Compatibility
The Kono works seamlessly with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Homekit, and comes with clear instructions for a seamless integration into your home. Even without one of these devices, you can still control it from the app on your phone.
Powered by the C-Wire or LUX Power Bridge, the Kono can even control your forced air, oil, gas, electric furnaces and heat pump systems. There’s a whole lot of flexibility. The C-Wire bridge is a fantastic feature of this product. It allows you to use this thermostat even when you don’t have what they call a C-wire (Common Wire).
Price
If you have a budget or don’t want to be splashing out too much cash, the price point of the Kono makes it even more attractive. It’s less expensive than most of its competitors whilst still being great at what it does.
Whether your budget is high or low, the price point of the Kono, as well as what its capable of doing, makes it a very attractive option for any smart home setup.
Conclusion
The Lux Kono thermostat is the perfect addition to any home. It’s smart, modern, easy to use, and it looks amazing. For anyone looking for a smart thermostat without spending a fortune, this is a great option to consider.
It has so many great features its difficult to quickly sum them all up. From its sleek appearance and personalization options to its convenience and ease of use, purchasing a Kono is guaranteeing yourself an easier time of controlling the temperature in your home.
Lux have always proved themselves as producers of high-quality products, and they’ve proven it again with the Kono. If you want a smart thermostat that will integrate effortlessly with your modern day life, this is the one you should get.
