Samsung Connect Home Smart Wi-Fi System

I just purchased and installed two Connect Home Pros in my home and using them over the past week, I’ve had nothing but problems with the SmartThings (ST) hub functions, routing capabilities and using it with my Samsung Galaxy S8+.

SmartThings Problems: The ST hub is paired with a ST arrival sensor, 3 Arlo cameras, and a Leviton Universal dimmer. I created two rules connected to the arrival sensor to turn on the light when I arrive home and disable the cameras and the opposite when I leave. Although the ST hub sees the change in status of the arrival sensor properly, it fails to run the rule actions unless I manually go into the rule again and save it.

Routing Capabilities: The wifi connection with my Galaxy S8+ is very unstable, and the phone reports that it loses internet connection (no DNS) about once every 5-10 minutes of use if I connect to my main wifi network. It will reconnect on its own after 30 seconds-1 minute. If I connect to my guest network, internet access remains stable. Also, none of my other devices that are on the main network exhibit any connectivity/routing issues, leading me to believe there’s a bug in the interaction of the Samsung connect app and the device.

Finally, the basic routing functions of the Samsung connect are missing. I cannot assign a static IP or do any type of DHCP IP reservations, and the connect does not detect or connect any of the downstream ethernet connected devices.

Overall, it seems like the software on the Samsung Connect Home device and Samsung Connect app needs more work, along with the S/T integration. I intend on returning these to the place of purchase.

Unfortuantely, the “big name” mesh implementations (ignoring SmartThings functionality) all intend to replace your router with an idiot proof version for the lamen. Google’s mesh implementation is handled much in the same way. Chances are, if you know what DNS means (:joy:) you wouldn’t like the hand holding these routers use.

If you are more of a power user in the network space, I tend to recommend Eero or Ubiquiti for your mesh implementation.

These obviously don’t include the SmartThings hub functionality, but meh.

It’d be awesome if the secondary devices could act as a secondary Z-Wave/Zigbee controller, extending the range, but since I can’t find anything supporting this, I tend to think it didn’t happen as they’d be advertising it if it did.

I have three locations, the first with SmartThings Hub v2 and the latter 2 with Samsung Connect Home (SCH) hubs. Given the limited number of compatible devices for SCH, all three locations are managed by the SmartThings (ST) app. In other words the SCH locations were installed and the WiFi functionality provisioned using the SCH app. However, all hub devices additions and smartapp installs and operations are managed by the ST app.

The big disappointment with the SCH hub is that there appears to be no local processing as enjoyed in the Hub v2 location. If the internet is down all local lighting controls are also down.

Within the IDE, equivalent z-wave lighting configurations (Same GE part number and DTH) in the V2 and SCH locations show Local and Cloud respectively.



Changing the DTH between Z-Wave Switch Generic and Z-Wave Switch had the same result.

Has anyone verified that there is no possibility of local processing in the SCH? If so, I would not recommended the SCH for anyone that experiences internet outages and is used to lighting and security automation and/or group associations via “Smart Home Monitor” and “Smart Lights”.

Thanks for the information. No local processing is a huge disadvantage and takes the SCH off my list of purchases. Will wait for the v3 hub or Google’s offerings since I have a feeling they will be coming out with some kind of hub soon. I use Google’s voice automation products and WiFi to control everything and hope they fill in the missing link with their own hub. It has been a long time since they purchased Revolv and I can’t imagine that they are not working on a whole house solution.