Smarthome
Smart Home Security: A Seasonal Preparation Checklist
Ray KowalskiCameras, locks, and sensors fail in boring ways. Here's how to catch them before you leave town.
Smarthome
Smarthome covers hubs, sensors, cameras, locks, lighting and the protocols underneath them, including Matter, Thread, Zigbee and Wi-Fi. Testing runs on a lived-in network with mixed brands, because that is where automations break. Suited to anyone assembling a system that must keep working without constant attention.
Cameras, sensors, plugs, locks and hubs tested on a real network.
Smarthome
Why Your Smart Lock Stopped Working After an Update
Ray KowalskiFirmware updates break locks in a few predictable ways. Here is what usually went wrong, and the fix order that works.
Smarthome
Smart Home Hub vs Mesh Wi-Fi: Which One You Actually Need
William ElliottThey solve different problems. Most houses eventually need both, just not on day one.
Smarthome
What Matter Actually Does for Your Smart Home, Explained
Ray KowalskiThe industry-backed standard promises devices that just work together. Here’s what it actually fixes, what still needs a hub, and what changed in the newest version.
Smarthome
How to Fix a Smart Home Device That Keeps Going Offline
Ray KowalskiThe documented fix order is signal, power, cloud, firmware — and 80 percent of offline devices come back at step two: the power cycle nobody wants to be the answer.
Smarthome
Smart Plug Limits Explained: What You Can and Cannot Plug In
Ray KowalskiMost smart plugs document a 15-amp ceiling — fine for lamps and fans, fatal for space heaters — and motor appliances need a relay rated for inductive loads.