Features:

  • Your smart home needs a brain, so get started with a SmartThings Hub. It connects wirelessly with a wide range of smart devices and makes them work together
  • Add smart devices and put your home to work. Choose from a wide range of compatible devices, including lights, speakers, locks, thermostats, sensors, and more
  • Use the SmartThings app or Amazon Alexa to control your smart home. Teach your house new tricks by telling it what to do when you’re asleep, awake, away, and back home
  • Power: In-wall power adapter with about 10 hours of backup power from 4 AA batteries (included) Communication. Protocol: ZigBee, Z-Wave, IP. Range: 50-130 feet Operating Temperature: 41 to 95°F. Compatible Brands: Honeywell, Philips Hue, Kwikset
  • Requires an internet-connected Wi-Fi router with an available ethernet port, plus the free SmartThings app for Android (4.1 or later) or iPhone (iOS 9.0 or later)
  • Compatible Brands: Honeywell, Philips Hue, Kwikset
  • A more powerful processor and local app engine means faster performance and enabled offline processing
  • Hub connects to your Internet router via the included Ethernet cable, the Hub has a ZigBee, Z-Wave, and Bluetooth radio and also supports selected IP-accessible devices
  • Replaceable batteries provide backup power that keeps the hub operating locally for about 2 hours if there's a power outage
  • Please reference User Guide and Specification Sheet below under 'Technical Specifications' for instructions on how to add devices and troubleshoot connectivity issues
  • Kindly refer user manual and instruction video for reference
  • Hub connects all of the different smart devices around your home so you can remotely control your home's security, energy usage, lighting, and more,Range: More than 50 to 100-ft, Power Source: In-wall AC (100-240V)
So far so good!

I've been keeping tabs on home automation since dabbling in X10 many years ago and its seems that both my interest in having some of this functionality and my belief that the market has matured enough have suddenly crossed paths and reached critical mass! I started with just the hub, one switch and an Echo from Prime Day. It all went in easy and worked as expected. One month later I now have about 6 switches including one 3-way switch and all are working fine with or without Alexa. A water sensor, a deadbolt and more lighting are next along with more rules/scenes/smart apps. I believe the reason some people are having issues is because their mesh network device distances are too far.apart so I've been growing my network out from where the hub is located and am adding simple plug in outlets as a 'booster' to ensure full and consistent coverage to the actual device I want to use. We'll see if this holds true as my network grows and becomes more complicated. btw: my devices so far are all Linear/GoControl except for the water sensor (not yet added) which is labeled for Iris zwave system from big blue box store. That device is apparently identical to one or two others available here on Amazon under other names but which cost 20% more. I'll certainly update this review if SmartThings is anything less than stellar but for now... I'm loving it!

Well worth the learning curve.

This is actually the second smart home hub that I tried. I like the SmartThings hub because it doesn't care how many diverse owners of devices in a household you might have. You have no limitations to functionality as to what account is what or who is using a device or service. In a large home with a fairly large multi generation family who all have their own tech devices, this hub really shines. It has a huge number of compatible devices and larger still if one is willing to learn how to use device handlers and work with this hub. We use seven Echo Dots (so far) for voice automation, lists, games for the grandkids, and a Hue bridge for lights. I’m looking at Harmony hubs to handle our own entertainment systems because we buy our own content. The single lesson I have learned since starting down the smart home path, is that no one device does it all well. You’re going to wind up with a neat little row of devices next to your router and in my opinion, the SmartThings hub is critical for the basics like motion, temperature, video and security. This hub is a very good starting point.

Start your SmartHome with SmartThings

If you are adding smart home technology, start with the SmartThings hub. It works with virtually every smart home sensor, switch or light and eliminates the need for other control hubs. The app is really simple to setup and provides macro control functions that you can customize. My connected devices: Chamberlain MyQ Garage Control Amazon Echo Phillips Hue bulbs GE SmartSwitches Fireplace DrySwitch control Nest Thermostat Nest Alert 4x Nest Cam Indoor 2x Nest Cam Outdoor 4x Schlage Camelot Dead Bolt

Warning....smart home is addicting!!!

This is a great smart home hub. It is true - it is not for the fait at heart. I'm pretty tech savy, so its been ok. But there are moments of frustration, for sure. However, that is because it is so versatile and has so many options!! Although I haven't tried other smart home hubs, based on what I read, the others tend to be more basic. Thus, I am happy with my choice. For what its worth, I have used only ZWave thus far - 5 smart light switches, 2 motion detectors, and a smart plug. And I have it all integrated with Alexa (however, since it is all automated, I really don't use Alexa very often). Warning though....this smart home stuff is addicting!!

the Samsung SmartThings Smart Home Hub (hereafter known as the “Hub”) has exceeded ...

For me, the Samsung SmartThings Smart Home Hub (hereafter known as the “Hub”) has exceeded my expectations and is working flawlessly with various Z-Wave Plus devices and with Alexa. My wife and I live in a large three-story townhome. I have 2 Wi-Fi (802.11 n/ac) access points – one that came with my Verizon FiOS in the basement and a TP-Link Archer C9 in a bedroom on the top floor. I have an Echo on the middle floor and an Echo Dot in the basement and on the top floor. The “Hub” is connected to a wired Ethernet local area network. I am in the process of replacing an ancient (predates the dinosaurs) homegrown Elk security system that has no chance of incorporating home automation. I decided to dive headlong into security/automation products. I wanted a complete all-in-one answer rather than one system for security and one system for automation. I also wanted Alexa and IFTTT integration. Enter the “Hub”. Perfect. To test the system before replacing all the old security sensors, I purchased several products – all Z-Wave Plus: Leviton Switch DZ15S, Leviton Dimmer DZ6HD, Leviton Plug-In Outlet DZPA1, Ecolink Motion Sensor with Pet Immunity PIR-ZWAVE2.5-ECO, Ecolink Door/Window Sensor DW-ZWAVE2.5. The Ecolink Door/Window sensors are large. I actually tried several other smaller sensors to no avail. Every one of the devices connected with absolutely no issues. The “Hub” software and the integration with Alexa are working perfectly. I have geo-fencing set up so that when either my Android phone or my wife’s iPhone leave the house or return, the system sends both a text and push notification. I can turn on all the lights when I park the car in front of the house. My front porch lights go on at sunset and off at sunrise – simple setup using the Smart Lights capability. When my wife walks upstairs to the bedroom, a simple “Alexa, turn on the bedroom light” and the light is on. I have not yet tried to set up scenes or rooms but I suspect that will be easy. Ready for this? There are two apps on the Windows 10 Store – Home Remote and SmartThings To Start – that give you access to the devices while sitting at a PC. The SmartThings app on Android, the iPhone and iPad is very easy with a simple interface. You can even put your favorites on the lock screen. The SmartThings app development is open-source. That means you can code your own apps if you are so inclined to try it. To code a smart app you use a derivative of the Java programming language name Groovy (and yes, Groovy is groovy, an easier and more concise language than Java but runs in a Java Virtual Machine). There is also IFTTT if you want to code various actions based on events. So, only a month into my testing, no problems. I am constantly opening and closing doors and windows, walking by the motion detector and giving Alexa a workout turning lights on and off or changing the dimming. The Ecolink devices use the CR123A battery and all devices after a month still show 100%. The Ecolink devices report their battery level to the “Hub”. My house is well covered by two Wi-Fi access points. The Z-Wave Plus devices act in a mesh network and so far no problem with devices not being detected. I would strongly recommend going with Z-Wave Plus devices as the coverage is better with less power draw than the original Z-Wave. For those adventurous souls, there are several tutorials online about coding a SmartThings app using Groovy. One sample has you code an app to turn on a light if motion is detected. By the way, some window/door sensors (the Fibaro and Nortek GoControl for example), are not detected as a window/door sensor but rather as a switch. They report an activity when an event happens (open or close) but do not show the current status (open or closed). And now for the security part. SmartThings has paired with Scout Alarm for professional monitoring. This solves my requirement for one system to handle security and home automation. There is no additional hardware nor contract required to utilize Scout. You can pay my month or yearly at a discount. I expect to continue testing for several more months before I undertake a complete removal of the old security hardware. I will update this review as my testing proceeds. All in all, Groovy!

Replaced my Wink with SmartThing and much happier

I replaced my Wink with the SmartThing hub and I am much happier. The true difference is the SmartThing Development site that allows users to develop there own programs to support more devices. I had multiple devices which was not supported on Wink or SmartThing but due to the developer site they now run on my SmartThing. I would recommend for the average user the SmartThing over Version 1 of Wink. I would be interested to see what improvements Wink made in Version 2. UPDATE: A must with SmartThings is to sign up with RBoy Apps, they develop additional SmartApps for SmartThings that expand the uses of the product.

Simple things are simple, difficult things are possible.

Got this about a month ago and I've been "automating all the things" since then. First up was all the lights in our great room with new Leviton dimmers. They're kinda spendy, but work great and it's really nice being able to just ask Alexa to turn on or off the lights in the morning when we wake up, go to bed or leave for work. Pairing with the hub was super easy and it works great. Then I added some Visonic MCT-340 door/window sensors to a few doors and our backyard gate and shed. Nice being able to get an alert should someone open a gate/etc while we're gone. Again, pairing with the SmartThings hub couldn't be any easier. Next up was a GogoGate2 garage door opener. Turns out the GogoGate2 only support IFTTT integration and nobody has written the necessary code for direct SmartThings integration. I'm going to blame myself for not doing my homework, but kinda makes the point that you really have to do your homework before you buy things and expect them to just work. So I did more research and picked out the Linear GoControl garage door controller. While the GogoGate2 would require a lot of work (writing custom Groovy code) this worked out of the box and was super easy to pair with the SmartThings hub. This is pretty useful in the SmartThings app, but sadly the Alexa integration is basically non-existent which an Amazon imposed issue, not with SmartThings. Apparently, for "security reasons" you can't use Alexa to open or unlock doors. Oddly, you can't even ask Alexa if the garage door is open, which seems kinda stupid. Something to keep in mind! I've also integrated with our Trane XL1050 thermostat. This was a bit more work as out of the box as Trane/Nexia makes it _really_ hard to integrate with SmartThings. This is because Nexia wants to use the XL1050 as your 'smart hub' and pay Nexia a monthly service fee. Samsung on the other hand doesn't charge a monthly service fee which is why I bought it instead. Anyways, I found the necessary information to connect my XL1050 on this thread: community.smartthings.com/t/how-do-you-control-a-nexia-thermostat-with-a-smartthings-hub/34046/110 Last up was our Logitech Harmony remote/hub for our entertainment system. Easy peasy. Just type in your harmony username/password and it discovers all your settings. Anyways, right now I'm reading up on the SmartThings docs to write my own Device Handler and SmartApp for our HTD whole house audio controller. Obviously, this isn't for everyone, but I love the fact that SmartThings is an open and extensible platform for those of us who aren't afraid of using Github and writing some code. If you can code, then pretty much your imagination is the limit when it comes to SmartThings, but if the idea of writing code is either scary or a turn off, realize you can still do a lot of things with the SmartThings Hub, just you've got to do your homework in advance and make sure the other devices are compatible.

Our "Smart Home" is Getting D̶u̶m̶b̶e̶r̶ Smarter by the Day

UPDATED (June 21, 2016) REVIEW: After much frustration in late 2015 and early 2016, I have to update my review again (I've gone from 1 star to 3 stars, and now to 5 stars). Over the past few months, our entire SmartThings hub and ecosystem has been performing nearly-flawlessly. Kudos to the SmartThings team for all of the firmware updates and capacity upgrades. They are obviously improving the system dramatically. Things just work now and I don't have to even think about it. I've got my fingers crossed that these improvements will last. ORIGINAL REVIEW: After a few months of successful testing with the v1 hub, I decided to go all-in with Smartthings over the past few months. I've now invested over $1800 in devices and migrated everything to the v2 hub. Everything seemed to begin going downhill once I switched to the 2nd gen. hub. Smartthings has always had its quirks, but over the past few weeks it has gotten so bad that it has become a complete nuisance. The biggest issue by far is that routines are failing constantly. We woke up this morning to a cold house (the thermostat failed to trigger), a dark house (all the lights failed to trigger), and a blaring alarm when opening the door (the alarm failed to disarm). When we arrived home, I hit the "I'm Home" routine and again the alarms sounded upon entering for reasons unknown and the house was dark. At this point I'm ready to find our 20 year-old Honeywell programable thermostat, go back to timers with dials on the lights, and fire up the ancient ADT alarm system again. Things were much easier and worked much better the good old-fashioned way. I've actually managed to dumb-down our house with Smartthings. Smartthings would be great if things worked as they're supposed to work, but I'm finding myself spending hours in the forums each day and reprogramming routines trying to troubleshoot all the issues. It's cause for great celebration if a day without problems. It's just not worth it anymore. Time to pull the plug on Smartthings and hope some other miracle hub comes along to take advantage of all the Zigbee and Z-wave devices we've accumulated.

Excellent starting point for home integration

I recently purchased this in November 2016 with the soul purpose of integrating my new Amazon Echo with it to voice control my house. My current set includes: Amazon echo in the kitchen, an Amazon dot in the playroom, an Amazon dot in our master bedroom, approaching 30 different GE Zwave and Zwave+ light switches/dimmers and add on switches (more on that later) and 3 HUE colored light bulbs (more on that later, as well). Goods: 1. Pretty easy installation of the hub and app 2. Easy recognition of newly installed z-wave devices 3. Very active community board with multiple "How-To's" and FAQs on the smartthing website to help with products Bad: 1. The Hub is moderately priced, but buying devices to integrate into the hub is dang expensive 2. Occasionally, does not always do what it is meant to do 3. Hub has to be plugged directly into the router Download the app (I have an iPhone 5). Plug in the hub and DIRECTLY CONNECT THE HUB TO THE ROUTER. This means that the hub has to be in close proximity of the router (I have the latest generation of Apple's AirPort, which hasn't changed in 5+ years). Follow the instructions on the app and you're up and running! I had no issues. Integration goes like this: Purchase GE Zwave light switch, which runs between $35 an $40 a pop! There may be cheaper ones, but not by much. (I recommend staying with the same brand throughout your house. It makes it easier to trouble shoot later on.) Multiply that by how many switches you have in your house! But, you can do this one switch at a time. No need to do all of them all at once. Turn off breaker. Pull out old single switch. Connect the black line wire to the LINE connector on the zwave switch (this is the power coming into the switch box). Connect the black load wire to the LOAD connector on the new switch (this is the black wire coming from the light to power it). Now, these switches need to be connected to the white Neutral wire that is crumbled up in the back of the switch box. These switches come with a pliable extra white wire. Wire nut the whites together. Turn on the breaker and the blue LED light comes on that's on the switch. Test the switch manually to make sure that you can turn on and off the light. If the blue lights not on, you probably have the black wires switched. Open the app, tap on "Add a Thing", press up on the switch and the hub recognizes the new switch. Rename it and you're set. Sounds complicated, but the hardwiring the switch is more complicated than integrating the new switch with the Hub. With the app, I have it set so when both my phone and my wife's phone break connection with our home wi-if, SmartThings turns off everything. (Have to always remember to remind the babysitter!) Amazon Echo has it's own app that needs to be integrated, but SmartThings has step by step instructions on that. Had no problem. Now I say, "Alexa, turn off living room lights" and all the lights in the living room turn off. Awesome! The only problem I have had is with 3 way switches. This is where there are 2 or more switches doing the same light. When you pull out the switch on these bad boys, you'll be met with black, white and red wires. These are wired differently than normal 3 way switches. The way it is suppose to work is that there is one main zwave switch and an add on switch (which has no receiver). When you press the add on switch, it's suppose to turn off the lights AND send a signal to the main switch, to send a signal to the Hub, so that it registers as on/off on the app. I've had some of the newer zwave+ switches that do not register on the app. I.e., I turn off the light with the add on switch, but the app still says the light is on. Not a big deal, but it is annoying. This has only happened on the newer GE 14xxx Zwave switches with the older 12xxx add on switches. Besides this issue, everything has worked flawlessly. Other issues that have appeared are due to my figuring out complex 3 way switches that power multiple different lights. Overall, I would recommend this to anyone interested in an easy entry into home automation!

great for home automation

This device is great!! This allows you to automate various things in your home. You must purchase compatible items in addition to this to make it work. You also need a hardwire network outlet to plug into. This connects the hub to your home network (and therefore to your smartphone wherever you are in the world). The hub communicates with the automation devices wirelessly, so should be centrally located in your home. This hub supports several different protocols. I have z-wave. I purchased z-wave outlets and switches, installed those, and then connected the hub using the smartphone app. In addition to being able to control lighting without having to walk to the switch, which can be very convenient when the switch for the floodlights is in the bedroom but you're outside and it's getting dark, but you can also program routines where it will turn lights on and off when you're not there to make it seem someone is there. Very useful if you're on vacation. A wide range of devices are available, including garage door openers and "smart locks". Personally I wouldn't want the ability to open my home remotely, but it does exist for those who do want it. I find controlling lights and the vacation lighting routines to be well worth the cost of this hub and the z-wave outlets and switches. If you have a smart assistant, like the Google Home, you can link that to the hub also so that a simple voice command turns on lights. My favorite is to tell the assistant "activate goodnight" so that it will run the "goodnight" routine that turns everything off. No need to double-check before going to bed, just tell the assistant to run "goodnight".

Full Reviews