Samsung SmartThings Hub (2018) discussion (Model GP-U999SJVLGDA aka V3)

If this is true, will not buy any of those new devices and consider another hub. Not going to buy another ST hub (2018) just for those.

I believe you claim them with the new app and then you can use them with the classic app. I will know as soon as I get my buttons and new hub, but I think it will be trivial to do. Plus my Note 8 came with the app that then became the new ST so it is all ready to go. I have not been migrated yet though so we’ll see what happens when I start having hardware under both accounts (same email address used for both).

EDIT: Even if the hub stayed the same for every aspect other than the radios (zwave, zigbee, etc), I believe it would totally be worth upgrading. HA security may not be perceived as critical today but we should not totally ignore it either. I am in the camp that believes a crook will just kick in my door or break a window to get in rather than trying to hack my ST system, but I definitely welcome more security features - encryption, S2, etc.

EDIT: I just got the prompt to upgrade accounts… we’ll see how it goes :slight_smile:

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This may be a ridiculous question (I’m not a programmer or networking guru).

Are there better ways of adding security to protect a SmartThings Hub from being hacked outside of the hub itself?

In other words, can’t we upgrade other equipment to better protect the V2 hub instead of having to start all over with a V3 hub just to get the security upgrade?

That would be a new thread wouldn’t it?

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There is lots of information being thrown around in this thread that could probably be in new threads.

I agree. I just thought that if you wanted concise answers to your question, it would be better in a new thread. This thread keeps deviating already.

I hear ya.

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I’m no z-wave/zigbee expert, but I believe the increased security is to do with how the hub communicates with devices over these protocols, so has to be built into the hub itself. I can’t see how the comms could be protected by wrapping it - the comms are still flying over the airwaves, available for some to attempt to hack.

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Let the speculation begin:

“Hi Jimmy, [redacted to protect the innocent] with SmartThings support here. Thanks for messaging us, and my apologies for the delay getting back. I don’t have any news regarding a migration process at the moment, but we know that this is a need and I expect you’ll see some announcements about this before too long. Sorry I don’t have more information to provide now, but I’ll keep you posted!”

Now does anybody know the definition of “too long”?

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The messages transmitted can be in clear or encrypted format. So, unless the encryption used has been cracked, the “comms flying over the airwaves” are safe from hacking. Well… at least until the encryption is cracked - look at WEP for WIFI.

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I know that, which is why I said “attempt to hack”. I was saying that adding a layer outside of the hub to add more protection was not viable.

It’s a lower price point and has contact sensors on the top as well as the bottom.

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No, this isn’t true. You can onboard the new devices in either app. The new Hub does have to be onboarded in the new app as it uses a codeless claim flow but after that you can use either app with the Hub.

There are plans to bring zigbee 3.0 to the Hub v2.

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looking forward to the beta!

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Didn’t you get that back in 1904?

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Thanks for the reply

Official name is Hub (2018). Think 2.n sounds bad, and definitely not enough for a 3.

Kudos to ST engineering for probably doing the right things for the existing user base over the past year. I’m reading between the lines. I expected ST classic app and some functionality (beyond local cameras which I don’t use) to deprecate this year.

What I really care about is Z-wave and Zigbee network reliability. Any data yet on if the new hub or the new SmartThings Wifi mesh system improve z-wave or zigbee (current or zigbee 3.0) device connection reliability? Or even eventually on the v2 hub if Zigbee 3.0 update will do more than improve security?

My main issue is occasional Z-wave and even Zigbee device drops now and again. Sometimes it comes in storms either from some kind of local interference, power outages, or hub fw updates. I just went through a big bout of problems and re-pairing over a dozen devices last month.

If the new hub is smaller, is antenna size and signal robustness impacted, or improved some other way?

The day BT works I can get rid of the raspberry pi that I use currently as gateways for my air quality monitor and my air purifier. So I might have it a try once I confirm the BT is enabled and of course support BT-LE

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Brad, nice now you added wifi in the box, does it mean that we won’t hear the support asking us how far is our router from our hub?

How is the performance of the new hub now that you have this constant source of perturbations right inside the hub with current/old generation of sensors?

I am really curious to know how you have managed the coexistence. Maybe that’s why you can also enable the BT too. It is working too right?