Can You Create a Smart Home Without the Internet?

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Can You Create a Smart Home Without the Internet?

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All of this smart stuff comprises what is known as the Internet of Things, the product sector that adds online compatibility to any traditional product.
The appeal of the Internet of Things is that you can automate a lot of what you might otherwise have to do manually.
Maybe set your lights to turn on when your alarm goes off, or use a webcam to check in on your pets, or yell at your smart speaker to start playing music on your stereo.
But the Internet of Things has downsides too.
For one, it’s a privacy nightmare because of how closely it ties into “the cloud.” Most conventional smart devices process requests remotely.
You tap the switch on your phone and that request gets sent not to your lamp, but to a remote server run by the light bulb’s manufacturer, and then they tell the lamp to turn on.
Smart devices are often delicate and more prone to failure than their analog counterparts.
On top of that, many devices hooked up to the Internet of Things have poor security, making them ripe for hackers to take advantage of.
The good news is that, theoretically, you can build a smart home without using the internet.
The hub is the relay through which your smart devices will run.
That’s what all of your smart devices need to be compatible with.
Most large manufacturers make Z-Wave and Zigbee hubs, and things like the Hubitat are designed to function locally.
If you really want to take your smart home offline, you can set up your own hub by installing open-source software Home Assistant on a computer and plugging in a Z-Wave USB stick as a controller.
Once you have that hub set up, you can easily find compatible devices online that suit your needs — bulbs, locks, switches, and plugs that all function without needing to contact some remote server on the mothership somewhere.
The one thing your internet-less smart home won’t be able to do is be spoken to

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