We are purchasing a new home and I am switching from a combination of Wink and Hue to SmartThings. I am also looking to setup a mesh WiFi system. The ST WiFi seems to solve both of these. However…
Can the ST WiFi be connected to an existing router to simply act as Access Points?
Can the ST WiFi all be hardwired to a switch that is connected to a router?
I have a 48 port Cisco Gigabit PoE switch that I currently use. This switch is connected to my WiFi router. I have the ability to run Cat6 cables to each of the 3 ST WiFi units.
Look into the Amplifi HD mesh, I do not have any experience with the ST wifi, however I do know that the Amplifi HD is considered the best by many professional home automation installers here in the UK
You should do that no matter which mesh system you end up choosing to get a strong backhaul if you have the chance. Better performance, reduced Wi-Fi traffic, etc. I had an ethernet socket put in every room in our house when it was built 20 years ago, which turned out to be super useful on so many occasions.
You will replace your wifi more than you will replace SmartThings and for very different reasons.
It is a MASSIVE pain in the but to transfer devices from one ST hub to another
The Plume tech in the ST units is good but it assumes you’re coming from a place where you know absolutely nothing about networking.
Therefore you my be in a situation at some time where you need to change your wifi APs but now you also have to change out your hub or you’ve got to disa le all the wifi.
Id rather have two purpose built best of class devices than one where failure of one part requires a massive re-engineering of the other.
You already are in the 1% because you have a wired switch. IMHO get a really good wifi mesh like Orbi or Velo or something that you can configure how you want and get a v2 or v3 ST hub.
@nathancu makes a very good point especially as there is still no way to backup and restore an ST hub to aid migration, so I too would keep them separate. I too use a master Ethernet switch, everything possible, including three Google WiFi mesh devices and the ST hub, is hard wired back to that switch which is wired into the primary Google WiFi point which is wired into my broadband router.
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tgauchat
(ActionTiles.com co-founder Terry @ActionTiles; GitHub: @cosmicpuppy)
6
Yes - but really then, what’s the point?
Samsung SmartThings WiFi Mesh is a “very good” solution for certain households who want a plug-and-play solution, can benefit from the Plume config/auto-optimization platform, and want to save a few bucks or power outlets by not needing a separate SmartThings Hub (and can benefit from additional ZigBee/Z-Wave repeaters… they act just like powered outlets, not ZigBee/Z-Wave over IP).
I needed a new wifi router and SmartThings is a tax write-off, so I got the 3 kit for my home and it’s worked great. If I ever feel limited for home networking issues, I buy an alternative Wi-Fi mesh solution and just keep the primary SmartThings unit as my ST Hub.