The author makes a huge leap that is incorrect: most smart switches do not stop functioning if they lose internet functionality. The “smart” goes away without the cloud, but interaction with the switch will still turn the lights on or off.
Before I undertook to automate my whole home (over 100 devices) I adopted two simple requirements that overlap:
1. Everything must “fail normal” - it’s ok for the smart to go away if there’s a network or device outage, but I still have to be able to use the device just like the dumb device it replaced.
2. I never want a tech support call from my family to turn on/off lights or other basic stuff, esp if I’m traveling on business 10 time zones away.
This led me to steer clear of smart bulbs and ceiling fans with built in remote controls and anything else where the switch had to remain in the on position.
Before I undertook to automate my whole home (over 100 devices) I adopted two simple requirements that overlap:
1. Everything must “fail normal” - it’s ok for the smart to go away if there’s a network or device outage, but I still have to be able to use the device just like the dumb device it replaced. 2. I never want a tech support call from my family to turn on/off lights or other basic stuff, esp if I’m traveling on business 10 time zones away.
This led me to steer clear of smart bulbs and ceiling fans with built in remote controls and anything else where the switch had to remain in the on position.