If you’ve been umming and ahhing about buying some smart-home gear for your property but finally feel that the time is right, you’ll find that there are all sorts of products on the market to choose from, at different price points, and with many different features.
Plus, of course, there’s much to consider when it comes to the installation of items after you’ve made your decision on what to buy, and learning how to use them safely. To help you wrap your head around all the basics of Setting Up a Smart Home? Here are Some Top Mistakes You Must Avoid in 2023, here are some of the most common mistakes that other consumers make that you should avoid.
Failing to Buy Goods that Talk to Each Other Properly
Firstly, don’t get caught by buying smart-home products that won’t “talk” to each other correctly. While it can be tempting to buy whatever is the latest and greatest item that people are raving about, stop and think whether each new purchase will add to your life or cause headaches.
If you buy lots of gear from various brands and years that don’t integrate well, you can waste your money or have to outlay a lot more on buying connectors and other items to try and make devices compatible. As such, before you buy an item, find out if it’s designed to be compatible with many other brands and models. You might think anything new is set up this way, but it’s not a given, so you should check product user guides, online forums, reviews, and the like to be sure.
Not Securing Your Devices Against Hackers
Next, don’t make the common mistake of failing to protect your devices from being hacked. Internet-connected gear is regularly targeted by cybercriminals these days because they know so many people don’t go to enough effort to secure their homes, and, once hacked, smart-home products can give easy access to a wide array of other networks and systems in a property.
You must be vigilant to keep those with nefarious aims at bay. Use comprehensive security software on your devices that protects against multiple threats, such as spam, spyware, viruses, ransomware, and more. Plus, use hard-to-crack passwords on devices and account logins, as well as your internet connection, and change product usernames and logins from the default settings already set up on gear when you purchase it. Keep software updated at all times, too, since developers plug known security gaps in their new editions.
Outlaying Funds on Cheaper Products and Deals Versus Quality
Another typical mistake consumers make when buying smart-home goods is focusing on price rather than quality. While it’s tempting to quickly purchase an item if you see it’s dramatically reduced or comes with other gear in a great package deal, this may not be your best use of funds. Internet-connected devices are often discounted because they’ve become outdated, haven’t been getting good reviews, or their manufacturers decided to stop producing them due to other issues.
As a result, try not to get caught up in outlaying funds on too many cheaper products that won’t also deliver on quality. Stick to your budget as much as you can, but remember that it’s often worth spending a little more or waiting a little longer to get something that’s worth your money and will last for years.
Cheap and nasty goods are more likely to cost you a lot over time in repairs, having to send them back for exchange if they don’t last during their warranty period, or needing to replace them if they don’t last much past this covered timeframe. Lower-quality items also tend to be more vulnerable to hacker attacks because their manufacturers often don’t invest so thoroughly in security measures.
When examining options on the market, whether you’re looking to buy a smart ceiling fan, a connected TV or fridge, or smart lighting products, read the reviews and testimonials from other purchasers and tech bloggers to see the general consensus.
Other top errors to avoid when setting up a smart home are not taking Wi-Fi capabilities and property constraints into account when purchasing goods. If you live in a home with patchy internet or you’re renting and can’t make changes to cabling or other installation work, this can mean you end up spending money on products you can’t really use. Also, you want to avoid the mistake of outlaying funds on more products than you need.
Consider all these potential issues as you shop for smart-home devices in the coming months, and you will save yourself time, money, and energy.
