is SmartThings Edge hardware or software? Is it the same as a hub? How do I identify which hub to buy? The Samsung hub web page does not mention z-link, but other hub documents do. Their marketing is incredibly confusing.
Samsung Edge is software not hardware as far as smartthings is concerned right now.
Samsung don’t make hubs anymore, I believe Aeotec took that over.
By Z-link, do you mean z wave?
Smartthings is in the middle of a big change where the Groovy IDE which was the method and language for device Handlers is being phased out. Its being replaced by Samsung Edge.
There are post on the forum explaining and giving links to all developers info.
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SmartThings Edge is the branding for the software that will be used to integrate hub connected devices going forwards. So that means Z-Wave, Zigbee and LAN devices that communicate with SmartThings hubs, and will include virtual devices and future technologies such as Matter. Unless you are using devices where the integration isn’t being managed by SmartThings, you may not need to know anything about it. It is a big deal at the moment as it is being beta tested which means interested users are more aware of it than they will be long term. For example, if you want to install an IKEA motion sensor you will eventually just follow prompts in the app.
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The hub is the hardware bridge to SmartThings on your local LAN. SmartThings have largely stopped making branded hardware (currently the future of their dual purpose hubs and Wi-Fi mesh routers is unclear) and the current hub is the Aeotec Smart Home Hub which is a rebranding of the SmartThings ‘v3’. SmartThings do publish the hardware and software requirements for the hub to allow other third parties to develop hubs if they are interested, but if anyone is interested they are keeping quiet about it at the moment.
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I don’t know how you are supposed to know what hub to buy either. I quickly browsed the SmartThings UK site earlier and I couldn’t find any mention of a hub except in the support section. The site search only found a reference to a fridge and a single word in a product name on the Aeotec page.
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If you want to use Zwave or Zigbee devices with a smartthings account in the UK, you should get the Aeotec “works as a smartthings hub“ device, which appears to just be a rebranded version of the V3 hub. That’s the most current model.
If you are only going to use Wi-Fi devices like Meross and Samsung smart appliances, you won’t need a hub at all.