ᐅ Which smart home system is best for our new build?

RotorMotor schrieb:

Sorry, but I have never heard such nonsense before.
Are you also not allowed to install ceiling lights because of the structural calculations?

That is also nonsense, unfortunately. Wifi 6 and good access points cannot compensate for poor placement.

Radio waves behave similarly to light. So where light cannot pass through, usually Wi-Fi signals cannot either.
That is why lights are installed on the ceiling and not behind the TV.

You are basically right, but more antennas (and XxX Multi MIMO) in a better access point can still be sufficient for the original poster even in a poor position. If they absolutely insist on it?
... I’m now out of this thread as well ...

Pacc666 schrieb:

What does central management mean? What exactly needs to be managed in a single-family house?

How is your network wiring set up in general? Who installs it and how? I have a strong suspicion that you have something like Homeway, where you (hopefully in every room) have a wall outlet with network and TV connections, and in the utility room (HAR) a panel where you’re supposed to connect your router. If that’s the case: just use a FritzBox or whatever your internet provider gives you; that will be enough.

One access point per floor will be sufficient for your floor plan. Just take a repeater and plug it into a power outlet that isn't hidden behind anything, or use an extension cord placed on a cabinet with the repeater on top. If you have network outlets in every room, connect the repeater via Ethernet cable (LAN), otherwise simply use it as a Wi-Fi mesh network. From everything discussed here in the thread, that will be enough. You won’t need to manage a network with VLANs and custom firewall settings.

I also want to clarify my tip regarding the smart home system: just take a look at HomematicIP; I think that will be the most suitable solution for you. Add a WLAN video doorbell that you can link to your Echo Show, and you’ll be all set.

@squier23 Thanks for your detailed response.

Yes, we plan to install a double LAN socket in every room (except we are still considering the walk-in closet and the bedroom) and one double socket in the garage.
Each LAN socket will also have a coaxial cable (two in the living room).

The coaxial and LAN cables will, of course, be distributed in a star topology from the technical room in the basement to all rooms.

The coaxial cables connect to the multiswitch from the satellite dish, and the LAN cables go to the patch panel.
This will be done by the electrician.

Homematic IP is definitely an option (it covers almost everything).

I’m more familiar with the software (and can get into that better) than with selecting the right hardware.

In our rented apartment, the standard router from the provider is in the storage room, and we manage fine with the Wi-Fi.

Most information about KNX has already been covered here. However, I would like to share two tips and one comment:

There is a good and very comprehensive “KNX User Forum.” Just try searching online. It’s a great place to exchange information about KNX. Some users take their smart home setups quite far there.

There is also a very thick book on the topic, which might be useful for further details and deeper understanding.

My personal opinion about presence detectors/motion sensors: I don’t want to be a slave to my house. My home will never know 100% exactly if and how I want my lighting. Therefore, I use motion sensors only in certain rooms where it really makes sense (e.g., utility room), and in the other rooms, there is an early wiring installed in the ceiling for future ideas.

Just to clarify, are we still talking about equipping and living in a 150-180m² (1600-1900 sq ft) single-family house with a laptop and TV? Or has the discussion shifted to operating a highly available industrial production facility with CAD, CAM, CAQ, and everything that comes with it, or outfitting a hotel?

Here in my 110m² (1200 sq ft) rented apartment with solid brick walls, I have two mesh routers set up. I just placed them without any antenna angle analysis, etc. And I still get close to 250 Mbps on Wi-Fi everywhere...

I really like motion sensors for the stairs. I don’t have to keep the lights on all night, and the kids don’t tumble down because they forgot to turn on the light half asleep.
I also find them great for outdoor lights, preferably integrated directly into the fixtures.

As for the home builder, it is what it is. That’s because they usually offer houses with finalized structural calculations, where the statics don’t need much adjustment anymore. You might find that frustrating, but that’s how it becomes more affordable...

I also use a mix of different systems (Zigbee, Wi-Fi). As a central hub, I have set up an ioBroker running in a VM on Proxmox. This has been working well for over 1.5 years. For Wi-Fi devices, I use Shelly products. I know this isn’t the best option in terms of long-term stability, but I had to replace all my previous EnOcean actuators because their range was too limited, and, for example, the blinds couldn’t be controlled to specific percentage openings. That’s just one practical example. A wired bus system was unfortunately not possible for us due to various reasons.

I also believe there is no shame in relying solely on a wireless system. I think there are certainly KNX homes where wireless systems are also integrated.

If I were to build a second house, I would definitely install bus cables with a star topology. And I wouldn’t just let a regular electrician handle the basic wiring. But as mentioned above: wireless also works. However, the long-term test is still pending.