Welcome to Naveen's & Padma's home

Main Content

Home Automation

My Home Automation ( for personal use)

Disclaimer : This is intended only to my friends and family who have requested information about basic home security setup.

Network

Wifi / Physical ethernet cabling is the most important backbone of any Home Automation system. All your home automation gateways/hubs/smart-hubs should have uninterrupted internet access for remote monitoring and alert mechanisms. Any interruption to webcam/security-hubs can have the potential to break your security systems and make your home/office vulnerable.
If security is very important, I always recommend to have a physical cable installed to the primary security hubs and have cabled ip cameras. Have UPS/Backup power to these equipment including

Wifi Network:
Always have a 802.11ac / 802.11n based wifi router installed.
Install mesh network based wifi routers which can intelligently manage the interconnections

My choice in order is 
  • Google Wifi ( for ease of use mainly and not throughput)
  • TP-Link Deco M9 Plus Mesh Wi-Fi 
  • Linksys Velop Intelligent Mesh WiFi System
  • Orbi AC2200 Tri-Band WiFi Cable Modem Router- CBR40
  • Asus Lyra Home Wi-Fi System​​


Wired Network:
Install a 10/100/1000 based managed or unmanaged switch for the Interconnection of Physical network. Use approved Cat5 or Cat6 cable and network termination end points. If possible and budget permits, employ physical network deployment professionals to get structured cabling done with proper labeling for maintainability and aesthetics. 
My choice in order is 
  • Netgear 108/105 series based gigabit ethernet switched( 5 / 8 port). Go for POE if planning to use POE based IP cameras or POE based access points
  • TP Link 5/8 Port Gigabit Ethernet Desktop Switch


Interference : Microwaves, Jammers etc can cause wifi to go down and this can break the connections to your equipment.

Smart IP Cameras

There are lot of choices available for IP camera with motion detection, Night vision, remote monitoring, cloud/local recording support. Based on the requirement of cloud/local recording, free storage/DVR requirements, select the ip camera based system. For a home, I always recommend ip based cameras and ip based hubs for easy remote monitoring.
Always select a system with remote monitoring, cloud recording and mobile app support.

My choice is
For perimeter/outside security
  • CP Plus or equivalent with local DVR, physical cabling and back up UPS.
  • Google nest outdoor cameras
  • Netgear Arlo / Arlo pro camera
For Indoor places like home theatre room, kids play area, non intrusive areas
  • ​Google Nest indoor cameras​
  • Amazon Cloud cam security camera
  • Netgear Arlo / Arlo pro 
  • Any ip camera in your budget with mobile apps and some free cloud recording
  • Blink XT home security camera
  • Blink Indoor home security camera
  • Arlo Q wired Indoor camera

 

Video Door Bell / Main Door Camera

I always feel, main door camera is one of the most important camera to provide you with motion alerts and also door bell switch to answer remotely.

My choice is
  • SkyBell HD
  • Ring Video Doorbell (Pro)
  • Nest Hello
  • August Doorbell Cam Pro

Smart Hubs

My preference will be to inest in Samsung wifi smart things hub. This supports most of the home automation protocols like

  • Z- wave
  • Zigbee

Door/Window/Water/Motion Sensors

I like Honewell water sensors and samsung range of smart sensors. If you are going for home security systems like Ring/Simplisafe/Nest or ADT, i feel its better to go for compatible sensors.

If you are not very techsaavy, take professional help for installaiton,  configuation and usage training. And in US, most of these provide security subscription service whcih will help in unattended monitoring by third party. I dont have first hand experience, so recomend to do reasearch and select a  more suitable product and service.

  • SimpliSafe Home Security System
  • Ring Alarm Home Security System
  • Nest secure

Smart Lighting

For smart lighting, Philips Smart Hue system and bulbs are my favorite. One single 2nd generation hub will connect with all philips bulbs in a mesh/relay mode and provide connectivity. Have at-least bulb or hue switch with in 10ft range of the hub and the rest in at-least 10 ft range of each other. There are lots of other options also available.

 


​

Smart Locks

My personal preference is August Smart Lock. There are lots of alternatives like

  • August Smart Lock Pro with August Connect Wi-Fi Bridge
  • Schlage Sense Smart Deadbolt with Schlage BR400 Sense Wi-Fi Adapter, White
  • Kwikset Kevo with a Kevo Plus Connected Hub

 

     

    Apartment (USD)

    Two Level Home (USD)

    Three Level home (USD)

    Remarks

    Wifi AC Mesh Router average ( one or two or three units) 

    125

    180

    300

    One per floor is recommended for better wifi coverage

    Door Bell Camera

    200

    200

    200

    Select a subscription or a local storage based camera for footage overview later

    Garage Indoor Camera (one)


    200

    200

    Select a subscription or a local storage based camera for footage overview later

    Garage outside Motion sensing camera(one)


    250

    250

    Select a subscription or a local storage based camera for footage overview later

    Approximate Security system with few sensors

    250

    250

    250

    Additional sensors may be required for each window and door

    Additional sensors for doors, windows and Motions sensors




    Based on individual preference. Water sensors or arrival sensors also can be added based on preference

    Philips Hue Hub kit

    100

    100

    100

    Basic starter kit with 4 bulbs

    Samsung Smart things hub

    70

    70

    70


    Approximate Smart Door lock

    200

    200

    200


    Garage door integration


    70

    70


     

     

     

Lights Automation

Cameras & Security Automation