# Install question: where should the hub be located? **URL:** \ **Category:** Connected Things\ **Created:** [August 25, 2020, 7:30pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/install-question-where-should-the-hub-be-located/203291 "2020-08-25T19:30:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ajr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/74df32/32.png) [@Ajr](https://community.smartthings.com/u/Ajr)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2020, 7:30pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/install-question-where-should-the-hub-be-located/203291/1 "2020-08-25T19:30:55Z")
OK, total noob here. Looking to get a Gen3 smarthub. Can I hard wire this thing in may basement? Or does it need to communicate with the devices within range. I’m suspecting all devices go through my wireless, but like my Blink cameras, they need to be in range of my Sync modules. Just curious if this is the same. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![nathancu](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/smartthings/user_avatar/community.smartthings.com/nathancu/32/45410_2.png) [@nathancu](https://community.smartthings.com/u/nathancu)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2020, 7:52pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/install-question-where-should-the-hub-be-located/203291/2 "2020-08-25T19:52:55Z")
Smartthibgs hubs are generally intended as a coordinator for Zigbee and ZWave devices. These are NOT wifi and are both low powered mesh networks optimized for IoT communications. Basically that means the more powered nodes you have on the network the stronger it gets. (powered, as battery powered devices generally dont repeat) So… That means with planning gou can just about fit the hub anywhere but you need to make sure the ‘next hop’ (up to 3) is in range of the last (spec says 100 feet but assume half that in practical applications, ESPECIALLY if you have to transit walls or say a floor…) ---
**Author:** ![Ajr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/74df32/32.png) [@Ajr](https://community.smartthings.com/u/Ajr)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2020, 8:05pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/install-question-where-should-the-hub-be-located/203291/3 "2020-08-25T20:05:05Z")
So if I’m understanding you correctly, a hub has a “range” to communicate with devices. The more hubs in a house, the more “bleed-over” of connectivity I would get, provided they were hardwired to my network. ---
**Author:** ![JDRoberts](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/smartthings/user_avatar/community.smartthings.com/jdroberts/32/56577_2.png) [@JDRoberts](https://community.smartthings.com/u/JDRoberts)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2020, 8:08pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/install-question-where-should-the-hub-be-located/203291/4 "2020-08-25T20:08:23Z")
> [@Ajr](#): > > So if I’m understanding you correctly, a hub has a “range” to communicate with devices. The more hubs in a house, the more “bleed-over” of connectivity I would get, provided they were hardwired to my network. In the situation you described, You will only have one hub and it should not be in the basement. 🕶 See the following FAQ. Start with post 11 in that thread, then go up to the top and read the whole thread and it will explain. (The topic title is a clickable link) > [@A Guide to Wireless Range & Repeaters](https://community.smartthings.com/t/a-guide-to-wireless-range-repeaters/11440/11): > > One more thought. While I understand the marketing reasons for the decision, the fact that SmartThings gives customers zero guidance on how to set up a network backbone does lead to a lot of frustration that shouldn’t have to exist. if people knew that .1) The hub should be located centrally in the home, both vertically and horizontally. Don’t put it in a garage or basement as those have concrete and pipes and metal objects which will reduce signal. If your Internet router is off in some inaccessible corner, you can use a Wi-Fi access point that has a ethernet port on the side and plug into that. Also, the hub should not be put in a cabinet. You just want to make it as easy as possible for signal to spread around your house. .2) you need one device that can repeat about every 40 feet…