iot

How To: Lutron Caséta Lighting Control System Review

Mike ConnellyConnected Home

Lutron’s Caséta sits at the entry point of a residential lighting control lineup that segments by device count, coverage area, and whether installation is DIY or professional. Based on our home deployment, we explain switch selection, installation, and integration with Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant. We also present an honest look at where the system’s device and range limits matter in practice. Continue reading How To: Lutron Caséta Lighting Control System Review

How To: Advanced Sonos Wireless Network Configuration Using Sonos Beams

Mike ConnellyConnected Home, Music

Here, I describe an advanced network topology that uses Ethernet-connected Sonos Beam soundbars for better Sonos wireless coverage in your home. This approach: (1) provides significantly greater wired line backhaul to your SonosNet network, and (2) shifts the majority of your Sonos speakers to 5Ghz, freeing spectrum in 2.4Ghz for your remaining Sonos speakers. It is also possible to use either the Sonos PLAYBAR or PLAYBASE instead of the Beam, for example in your home theater. However, the Sonos Beam is a much more cost-effective solution, particularly for secondary rooms in a whole home deployment. Continue reading How To: Advanced Sonos Wireless Network Configuration Using Sonos Beams

How To: Deploying a Ubiquiti UniFi Home Network including Multiple WiFi Access Points (Part 2)

Mike ConnellyConnected Home

Ubiquiti’s UniFi platform offers granular control over wireless settings that consumer routers never expose. This article walks through a tested configuration for a gigabit home network, covering channel planning, VLAN segmentation, IoT isolation, and per-AP radio tuning. We also cover getting Sonos and Belkin Wemo devices to coexist reliably with the rest of the network.
Continue reading How To: Deploying a Ubiquiti UniFi Home Network including Multiple WiFi Access Points (Part 2)