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Intro to Smart Home

☁️ Easiest start: WiFi devices that depend on the vendor cloud​

Prerequisites​

[!NOTE] This approach needs:

  • A 2.4GHz WiFi network, not 5GHz
  • A working internet connection 🌐
  • The vendor app and cloud service to stay online
  • Buy a WiFi device
  • Install the app they tell you to use on your phone
  • Follow the manual to connect the device

[!WARNING] I neither use nor trust this setup

  • Your device talks to some remote server just to switch on a bulb a couple of meters away
  • If your internet is down, setup may fail and the device may stop responding properly
  • If the vendor app, cloud, or region has issues, your devices can become slow, unreliable, or unusable
  • The vendor can shut down the app or cloud whenever they want, turning your hardware into e-waste
  • It's acceptable as a starting point. Just don't build your entire house around it

Where to buy devices​

How to find devices​

  • Search by brand

    • Tuya (cheap)
    • Moes (mid)
    • Sonoff (mid/expensive)
    • Aqara (expensive)

  • Search by device type

    • WiFi/Smart bulb
    • WiFi/Smart switch
    • WiFi/Smart plug

Brands - lessons learned the hard way​

[!WARNING] Tuya

  • LED bulbs run quite hot, and some failed after only a few months
  • Plugs either die completely or the relay fails after a few months
  • "Tuya" is not really a brand - it's a platform. You get the same white-label hardware sold under dozens of names

[!WARNING] Moes

  • Their labeling is sometimes misleading - a human presence sensor is not always actually a presence sensor

WiFi vs Zigbee​

For a smart-home setup, both Wi-Fi and Zigbee are useful - but they are good at different things.

WiFiZigbee
Extra hardwareNoneCoordinator required
Power drawHighVery low
Battery devicesNot a good fitDesigned for them
RangeLimited to routerMesh - every mains device extends it
Device countRouters struggleHundreds
BandwidthHigh (camera/audio)Tiny (on/off, sensor values)

Recommendation​

Use both.

  • Zigbee - battery-powered devices (sensors, buttons, door contacts) and wall switches
  • WiFi - speakers and other devices that move real data
  • Network cable / PoE - cameras, whenever possible

[!NOTE]

  • Zigbee also operates on 2.4 GHz, so reduce interference by choosing channels that do not overlap with WiFi
  • If WiFi uses 1 / 6 / 11, choose Zigbee 15, 20, 25, or 26
  • Every mains-powered Zigbee device acts as a router and strengthens the mesh. Battery devices do not repeat

[!TIP] Before buying anything, search the model name on Zigbee2MQTT supported devices and Blakadder. If it is missing from both, you're probably on your own

Zigbee Coordinator​

A Zigbee coordinator is the hub device for your Zigbee network.

Types of Zigbee Coordinators​

[!NOTE]

  • Zigbee coordinators come in different versions. Buy the 3.0 version, which is the latest
  • Which coordinator should you buy?
    • No PC?
      • Tuya ZigBee 3.0 Multimode Gateway - cheapest option, but cloud-based and internet-dependent 🌐
    • Have a PC?
      • SONOFF Dongle-M (dual antenna) - this is the one I recommend
      • Other simple USB Zigbee 3.0 dongles are also worth considering before jumping to an SLZB-06
      • SLZB-06 - Ethernet/PoE, only worth it if your server is in a terrible location for radio. It did not work for me - see below

[!WARNING] Keep the coordinator away from USB 3.0 ports, SSDs, and the PC case. USB 3 noise wrecks 2.4GHz. Use a USB extension cable - that solves most "Zigbee is unstable" complaints

☁️ Tuya ZigBee 3.0 Multimode Gateway (vendor cloud required)​

tuya gateway top

  • Cheapest way to get started, no PC required
  • But it is a cloud gateway - so you're back to the vendor app
  • Needs internet and the vendor service to stay up 🌐
  • If the internet or vendor cloud has issues, pairing, control, and automations may break
  • Buy this only if you do not plan to run Home Assistant

☁️ Tuya cloud gateway - ports and pairing button​

tuya gateway side - USB-C power and pairing button

☁️ Tuya cloud gateway - product shot​

tuya

SONOFF USB dongles​

sonoff plugged into the server

  • ZBDongle-P (TI CC2652P) - the safe, boring, well-supported option
  • ZBDongle-E (Silabs EFR32MG21) - newer, but early firmware support was rough
  • Plugs into the PC or server running the software

SONOFF USB dongles - product shot​

sonoff

SONOFF Dongle-M (Recommend)​

sonoff dongle-m

SLZB-06​

slzb with external antenna

  • Ethernet / PoE / WiFi / USB - place it in the middle of the house instead of next to the server
  • On paper, it has the best placement options of the three

[!WARNING] This did not work for me - devices kept falling off the network (this issue). I switched to the SONOFF Dongle-M

SLZB-06 - product shot​

slzb

The brain​

A coordinator is only a radio. Something still has to run the logic.

  • Home Assistant - what I use. It runs on a mini PC, an old laptop, or a Pi
  • Zigbee integration options:
    • Zigbee2MQTT - broadest device support, more control
    • ZHA - built into Home Assistant, less setup

[!NOTE] Choose one. Running both on the same dongle is not a real option

Home Assistant OS vs container setup​

You have two normal ways to run Home Assistant:

  • Home Assistant OS - easiest path. Flash it to a dedicated box and you get the full appliance-style experience, including add-ons and backups from the UI
  • Docker / Podman / Quadlet - more flexible if you already have a Linux server and want Home Assistant to live next to the rest of your services

My actual configs​

I do not run Home Assistant OS. I run the container approach on my Linux server.

If you want to copy my setup, use the actual configs from GitHub:

My Home Assistant dashboard​

home assistant dashboard - cameras and quick access

  • Cameras, lights, AC, and the water tank - all in one place, with no vendor apps
  • Works the same on your phone as it does in the browser

My Home Assistant dashboard​

home assistant dashboard - AC and lights

Node-RED​

Node-RED - drag-and-drop automation. Install it as a Home Assistant add-on.

  • Home Assistant automations are fine for simple "if this then that" logic
  • Node-RED is for the ugly stuff - loops, delays, retries, and visible branching
  • You can run both at the same time. Same devices, different editor

[!NOTE] It is not required. Start with Home Assistant automations and move only the messy ones to Node-RED

Home Assistant automation​

home assistant automation editor - turn off water pump on overflow

  • When / And if / Then do - one trigger, one action, done in a minute
  • Great for things like "flood sensor is wet -> shut off the pump"

Node-RED flow​

node-red flow - bathroom lights

  • Same basic idea, but you can see the full flow - waits, branches, timers
  • This one is just for "bathroom lights": door opened, is anyone inside, wait for motion, wait for the door to close, keep the lights on for 5 minutes
  • Try writing that as one Home Assistant automation and you will understand why Node-RED exists

Devices to buy​

Door / window contact sensor​

zigbee door contact sensor - magnet and body

  • Two pieces - the body on the frame, the magnet on the door. It only reports open or closed
  • Battery powered, so Zigbee makes sense. Usually lasts a year or longer
  • The first automation most people build - door opens, light turns on

Motion sensor (SONOFF PIR)​

sonoff zigbee PIR motion sensor in hand

  • PIR means it detects movement, not presence. Sit still and it assumes the room is empty
  • Magnetic base, easy to stick in a corner
  • Pair it with a door sensor so the lights stay on while you are actually using the room

[!WARNING] If you need "someone is in the room but not moving," you need an mmWave presence sensor, not a PIR. And Moes is not always honest about which one they are selling

Smart plug (Zigbee 3.0)​

zigbee smart plug - back, model and ratings

zigbee smart plug - front socket

  • Easiest upgrade - plug it in, no wiring, nothing to turn off at the breaker
  • Most of them report power usage, so you can see what your fridge or pump actually costs
  • Mains powered = Zigbee router. Buy 2-3 early and your mesh improves automatically
  • Check the rated current before using one with a water pump or heater (this one is 20A)

In-wall relay module (SONOFF MINI)​

sonoff mini relay module - N, L Out, L In, S1, S2 terminals

  • Fits behind the existing wall switch, inside the back box
  • The physical switch still works (S1/S2), and Home Assistant can control it too
  • Best choice when you want the room to look normal but still be automated
  • Requires neutral (N) in the switch box - many older houses do not have it

[!WARNING] Mains voltage. If you are not comfortable working inside a switch box, hire an electrician

Smoke detector (Aqara)​

aqara zigbee smoke detector

  • Sounds the alarm locally and sends a notification to your phone
  • This is where local control really matters - it must still work when the internet is down
  • Test button on the front; replace it when the firmware reports end of life

My suggested starting kit​

  1. Zigbee coordinator (SONOFF Dongle-M, dual antenna)
  2. Home Assistant on anything with 4GB RAM
  3. 2-3 Zigbee smart plugs - they also act as mesh routers
  4. 1 motion sensor + 1 door sensor
  5. Build one automation you will actually use, then expand from there