Previously in my smart home series, I covered:
- the basic principles of wireless networking including using a consumer grade wireless router
- upgrading to a prosumer/SMB grade managed network with a firewall appliance and multiple discrete WiFi access points
- recommendations for configuring a Unifi Network, including WiFi spectrum allocation, access point settings, VLANs for IOT devices, and integration of Sonos devices
- maintaining a separate SonosNet wireless network for Sonos devices (initially using Boosts, though I since migrated to Beams, then Arcs for SonosNet access points)
- lighting control systems using Lutron Caseta
- setting up a Synology network storage (NAS) for DVR, Time Machine, and home video storage
- deploying a robust home security camera solution including 24/7 event capture using Unifi Protect
- consolidating your Unifi networking appliances with the Unifi Dream Machine, deploying layer 3 switches, networking enclosures, including updates on WPA3 and intrusion detection,
- deploying a central TV tuner in your home (including support for NextGen a/k/a ATSC 3.0), for Live TV and DVR and
- creating a multi-room TV and media playback experience using LG OLED TVs, Sonos Arcs+Ones+SUB and Apple TV 4K (gen 2)
Coming soon, I will share my latest configuration advice for advanced smart homes including:
- Our journey to WiFi 6, when we upgraded our Unifi WiFi 5 NanoHD access points to WiFi 6 Long Range APs
- Replacing our Nest Hello doorbell with a Unifi Doorbell G4, to integrate that into our Protect system
- Updated recommendations on isolating network traffic in VLANs including defining a separate VLAN for Sonos equipment
- Integrating devices that lack native HomeKit support into your home using HomeBridge
- Highlights about the latest intrusion detection features in Unifi Network
- We upgrade our Unifi Protect G3 Flex to the latest G4 cameras
Updated on April 6th, 2023