Went to Best Buy today as I saw they had sales on smartthings devices. When I got there, the only devices they had were ADT branded. One rep at the store explained to me they were compatible, ADT hub or regular. On the box, it says “ADT Security Hub” required, but I figured that was interchangeable. Plus, it uses the exact same app.
I bought the “ADT Door and Window Detector”. It wants me to add by QR code, but no where in my ST app is that an option. There’s a button on the front of it, but I have no clue what it’s for. I thought it was a pairing mode, but that did nothing.
So, can I use the ADT branded ST sensors with a regular ST hub?
Unfortunately, not. The ADT branded security sensors use a completely separate communications protocol, not zwave or zigbee, and will work only with the new ATT/smartthings security panel. The clerk was just incorrect.
The ADT/smartthing security panel also includes the equivalent of the original smartthings hub, so sensors that will work with the. original hub will also work with the panel, but cannot be used to trigger the ADT monitoring center.
So when they say “requires an ADT security hub,” they mean it.
Frustrating. I feel like ST is lacking documentation on this. I hadn’t come across anything in my searches regarding the ADT variations. Even more confusing, you can use the ADT hub without professional services.
It’s a brand new product just released about a week ago, so I don’t think anybody knows very much about it yet, including ADT support and, obviously, Best Buy. They just updated the ST website for it last week.
Never ever listen to an associate at Best Buy. EVER! For any piece of technology, home theater, home automation, computers, appliances, candy on the rack. Do your due diligence out in SmartThings first. If you have a question you cannot find the answer to, post it out here before going and making a purchase. It will save you a lot of time, anguish, disappointment and gas money in the end.
JD is a plethora of information or can direct in you the right direction. There are a ton of people in the community that will do the same, but if you look at posts from JD you will most likely find some sort of useful guidance to assist in what you are looking for. I even believe there are quite a few posts about the device compatibility in the last week between ADT and ST and ST to ADT. Searching can sometimes be difficult, but I bet JD can direct you as to the best type of search and where to perform your search from
These use a proprietary radio frequency which is not available in the standard hub. ( it literally doesn’t have the matching radio.) The dual logo sensors can only be used with the ADT/smartthings security panel, because that is the only hub model which has the matching radio.
Since this is a hardware issue, it is not going to change for existing hubs.
