Latest news with #deviceSetup
CNET
14-06-2025
- CNET
8 Reasons Your Smart Home Device Isn't Working and How to Fix It
The smart home is complex. It has multiple devices, often multiple apps and a variety of wireless connections all working together with additional devices such as your phone and router. It's no surprise that problems can crop up, especially when you're trying to set up a new device. I have far too much personal experience with these issues in my years of smart home testing. From failed connections to disappearing features, I've seen it all. Some problems are obvious, like you forgot to turn the power on (I've seen so many kinds of power buttons, even I get confused). But most of them frustrate people like us because there's no clear solution. Here are the steps I've found are most helpful in understanding what's going wrong and fixing it ASAP. Everything needs a full reboot A tiny, LED indicator light lets you know the status of your smart plug and if it's rebooting or shut down. Molly Price/CNET "Turn it off and on again" is sage advice for a reason. A full reboot of everything helps devices shake off bugs, realign connections and start working like they should. When a serious smart home problem occurs, there's a lot to shut down. At minimum, try powering off the smart home device itself, either with a reset button or by unplugging it for a while, and fully closing the smart home app you are using, then bringing them both back. It's also a good idea to reboot the device you're on (like your smartphone or tablet) and your Wi-Fi router, so everything gets a fresh start. A firmware update is waiting Firmware updates can solve many problems, especially when first settting up a device. Tyler Lacoma/CNET Firmware refers to important updates that smart home devices download from the internet to improve the way they work, fix bugs and enable new features. Some download firmware updates automatically -- but most don't without permission. Head into the home app settings, where you should find a firmware update check. It could also be under device management and similar menu sections. Often, this is exactly what a device needs to start working properly. Remember, if you're setting up a new smart home device, once it connects to your Wi-Fi it will probably need to download a few firmware updates and reboot itself. That can take a while, and not all apps are good at showing that firmware updates are still happening in the background. Until all these updates complete, key features may not work. The app needs to 'forget' the smart device Sometimes removing a device from an app and adding it back in fixes your problem. Tyler Lacoma/CNET Smart home apps have options -- usually buttons with plus signs -- to add new devices, which is one of the first things you do if a device isn't automatically detected. But you can also select an added device and make the app forget it. When an app forgets a device, that means you have to set it up all over again. However, this type of soft reboot can often solve problems, like connections that aren't connecting or camera feeds that are getting dropped. Device interactions don't exist (yet) Echo Shows can link to video footage, but that's not usually true of the Alexa app itself. Eufy/Amazon Smart devices aren't trying to deceive, but a tangled web they still weave (of interconnected devices), and sometimes we think they can do something they can't. I've seen this with the broad smart home platforms that work with many kinds of devices, like Apple Home, Google Home and Alexa. These big platforms cover a lot of ground and are improving as the Matter standard expands, but they still have their limitations. A couple of common examples come to mind. Some device capabilities may work with an Amazon Echo Show, but not on the Amazon Alexa app itself, like looking out of certain security cameras. That can confuse new users. Or you may find, as I have, that even Matter-enabled smart locks offer features on their own apps like geofencing or automatic locking that won't show up if you connect them to the Apple Home app. These compatibility issues are getting better over time, but they still exist. If nothing is working, I recommend carefully seeing if the interaction you expected just doesn't work that way. Battery life needs some attention The Ring Battery Doorbell Pro's battery can last several months, but frequent activations can catch you with unexpected battery issues. CNET/Tyler LAcoma I know, I know, battery life is one of the obvious things that you should notice -- but it's surprisingly how often even I forget to check battery life before trying to use a device. Remember, sometimes batteries need time to charge up before you first start using the device. If you aren't sure what the battery life is, you can always check it by exploring the device in the app, which should have a section or icon showing battery life. Also check that you're charging the right way with a proper connector and adapter. Otherwise, the battery may not be getting any juice at all. Features are locked behind a subscription Blink's person detection works well enough, but it's a subscription-only feature. CNET/Tyler Lacoma I frequently need to double-check if the features that I'm testing aren't available unless I get a free trial or pay for a subscription to the device. This problem is more common in some smart homes than others. Home security systems and home security cameras, for example, often put features behind a paywall, like AI object detection, professional monitoring, cloud video storage, compatibility with additional devices, more advanced phone notifications and a whole lot more. The good news is that you can find plenty of AI monitoring for free and many security cameras that don't require subscriptions to use. But you should double check before you buy to see what is and isn't included if you don't want to pay monthly fees. You need another Wi-Fi band or router A mesh router or extender may help you fix connection issues. Google If your device is constantly dropping connections or refusing to communicate with your app, try moving the device and any smart hub it's using closer to your Wi-Fi router. Many smart devices require using the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi band, but if your device doesn't care then try switching to the 5GHz band, which is farther-reaching and often less crowded. If steps like these fix your connection problems, think about getting a Wi-Fi extender or a mesh router to expand your coverage. Then you can use smart devices where you really want them, like a cam in the driveway or a leak detector by a water tank, without worrying that they won't work. For more problem solving in home tech, check out my guides on cutting down the number of smart home apps you need, how to get rid of annoying home app alerts, when you need a new security system and what everyone should know about home hacking.
Android Authority
07-05-2025
- Android Authority
Setting up your smart home could be a lot easier next time around, thanks to new Matter update
Calvin Wankhede / Android Authority TL;DR Matter 1.4.1 implements a handful of new features to ease new-device setup. Multi-device QR code setup will let you add a whole box of smart home devices while only scanning a single QR code. NFC support adds flexibility to setup, especially where QR codes could be awkward. Living in a properly configured smart home can be something out of a dream. Curtains part in expectation of the morning sun, foyer lights turn on as guests ring the doorbell, and agile little robots clean up everyone's crumbs. We've got no shortage of devices ready to start making our lives easier in myriad ways, but there's one big speedbump to clear before you're able to enjoy these modern niceties: getting it all set up. Today we're learning about a couple new developments that could make configuring your next smart home go over much more smoothly. The early days of smart home connectivity represented a bit of a cobbled-together mess, but in recent years we've seen the adoption of standards like Threads and Matter to simplify how we network together and communicate with all this hardware. Today the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) announces Matter 1.4.1, the latest version of the standard with an emphasis on tools for easy setup. We're looking at three main feature additions here, each one involved with streamlining different parts of smart home setup. Maybe the one with the potential to be the most impactful is multi-device QR code setup. While QR codes already make setting up smart home gear much easier than it would be if we had to manually type a whole bunch of serial numbers in, it can still take the better part of forever when you're working with a lot of little devices, like smart outlets or bulbs. With Matter 1.4.1, you could scan a single QR code and set up an entire box of smart bulbs all at once. Another useful one involves expanding the existing QR code-based setup workflow to also support NFC. The thinking here is that QR codes might not be easy to access, especially if you've already physically installed something in a wall, while just getting close enough for an NFC scan might add some extra flexibility. Finally, we're learning about a general change to the hardware onboarding process, with a more integrated option for agreeing to a manufacturer's terms and conditions. Just by avoiding the need for users to jump between apps as they agree to terms, that could speed up setup, especially when you're doing a lot of it, all at once. Of course, we actually have to wait for smart home companies to start implementing this latest version of the standard before we can hope to actually enjoy the fruits of the CSA's efforts, but this sounds like fantastic news, all around. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Digital Trends
07-05-2025
- Digital Trends
Setting up your smart home is about to get a lot easier
Say goodbye to (some) smart home woes. New user-facing features are coming to Matter that will make it easier than ever to set up your smart home and circumvent some of the more finicky, frustrating parts of adding new devices. The features come as part of the 1.4.1 specification announced today by the Connectivity Standards Alliance. The most useful feature of this update is Multi-Device Setup QR Code. Some smart devices (like a pack of lightbulbs) currently require you to scan each bulb individually and set it up in-app before moving on to the next. Not only is this time-consuming, but you often have to scan the code while the device is powered on. Since the QR code is usually found at the base of a device, it can be a tricky proposition. Recommended Videos With this new update, users will only need to scan a single QR code to set up multiple devices at one time. Of course, that's dependent on the manufacturer enabling the function in its devices. Another useful feature is the ability to set up a device through an NFC connection. This isn't technically new; both Apple HomeKit and smart light company LIFX, among others, have used this function for years now, but it wasn't a popular choice throughout the industry. By making it part of the Matter protocol, it can spread to a wider range of devices. The final notable update is called Enhanced Setup Flow. Let's say you're using the Google Home app to set up a new device, but you have to agree to the manufacturer's terms and conditions. Normally, it would kick you out of the Home app and into the app for that specific device. With ESF, you can agree to the terms and conditions without leaving the Home app. 1.4.1 is the first 'dot' release for Matter, and these changes are relatively small — but they mark an update addressing some of the primary complaints users have with the protocol, and anything that makes managing a smart home easier is a welcome addition. Please enable Javascript to view this content
