I don’t like Wi-Fi bulbs. I work in tech and I know how much noise is associated with Wi-Fi networks. To me, it is foolish to intentionally add to that when other options exist. I’m okay with ZigBee but I’ll probably go with zwave when I replace the hue bulbs.
I just want everything off of the WiFi channels as much as possible… Except actual Wi-Fi things like TVs, laptops, phones, tablets… That sort of thing (and even then, I want the TVs to be wired of I can figure a way to do it).
It’s bad enough ZigBee overlaps with 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, creating interference, Wi-Fi IoT stuff just takes it to a new level.
Anyways, I’ll get off my soap box.
Two big things, IMO, contribute to reliability issues with IoT stuff: relatively inexpensive (and pretty trash) Wi-Fi in the IoT devices, and relatively inexpensive (and also pretty trash) Wi-Fi in a lot of consumer wireless routers.
To put it bluntly: if you know enough about tech to have a network capable of hosting Wi-Fi IoT devices reliably, you probably don’t want Wi-Fi IoT devices.
Since I’ve worked with the tech for so long, my philosophy is: wire when you can, wireless when you have to.
To expand: if you can run a wire, in any way, shape, or form, then do that, when that’s impossible or impractical, use wireless.
One device that walks the line between whether it should be wireless or wired is laptops… Do you use it on a dock or is it always in the same location when in use? Wired. If you’re moving it about and using it on your desk, bed, couch, wherever, wireless.
Stuff like tablets and smartphones are mostly obligated to be wireless, there are some cursed methods to get wired Ethernet to work on some mobile platforms; I’ve gotten a few to work on Android, but they’re not pretty and very hit-and-miss as to what’s going to work and what is a waste of money… Also the device usually doesn’t have a lot of control over the wired interface since the OS isn’t expecting it, so it frequently doesn’t show up on any control panel, you just have WiFi/LTE off and you’re still online. Do not recommend.
Anything that doesn’t move like TVs, desktops, etc, find a way to run a wire, whether that’s Ethernet, or MoCA or even shudder powerline.
Powerline Ethernet to me, is in a very interesting place. It can be good, depending on your power situation. For European electrical systems, there’s only one phase AFAIK, so that will likely be a lot easier and more successful, with anything split phase, like what’s in use in North America, as long as you’re on the same circuit, or at least the same “side” (or leg) of the split phase, you’ll probably be fine. If the two outlets you want to use are across the sides of the split phase, you’re in for a rough time. It’ll be slow, if it works at all…
So powerline sits at this weird intersection of knowing enough to be dangerous with electricity and knowing enough to be dangerous with networks. I know enough about both that I could probably make it work and it would probably be ok, but, nahhh. I’d rather run an Ethernet wire.
For anything IoT, get off my wifi. Ethernet is fine, but I can probably count the IoT devices that use Ethernet on one hand. So you’re stuck with either ZigBee or zwave. And yes, there’s matter and whatever… But those new protocols run on top of either Wi-Fi, ZigBee, or zwave… Not independent from them.
I don’t like Wi-Fi bulbs. I work in tech and I know how much noise is associated with Wi-Fi networks. To me, it is foolish to intentionally add to that when other options exist. I’m okay with ZigBee but I’ll probably go with zwave when I replace the hue bulbs.
I just want everything off of the WiFi channels as much as possible… Except actual Wi-Fi things like TVs, laptops, phones, tablets… That sort of thing (and even then, I want the TVs to be wired of I can figure a way to do it).
It’s bad enough ZigBee overlaps with 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, creating interference, Wi-Fi IoT stuff just takes it to a new level.
Anyways, I’ll get off my soap box.
Two big things, IMO, contribute to reliability issues with IoT stuff: relatively inexpensive (and pretty trash) Wi-Fi in the IoT devices, and relatively inexpensive (and also pretty trash) Wi-Fi in a lot of consumer wireless routers.
To put it bluntly: if you know enough about tech to have a network capable of hosting Wi-Fi IoT devices reliably, you probably don’t want Wi-Fi IoT devices.
Ah for me my server, desktop and movie room in the basement all have Ethernet wired so I only have mobile devices and IoT stuff on wifi.
But totally agree about trying to keep things off the wifi
Since I’ve worked with the tech for so long, my philosophy is: wire when you can, wireless when you have to.
To expand: if you can run a wire, in any way, shape, or form, then do that, when that’s impossible or impractical, use wireless.
One device that walks the line between whether it should be wireless or wired is laptops… Do you use it on a dock or is it always in the same location when in use? Wired. If you’re moving it about and using it on your desk, bed, couch, wherever, wireless.
Stuff like tablets and smartphones are mostly obligated to be wireless, there are some cursed methods to get wired Ethernet to work on some mobile platforms; I’ve gotten a few to work on Android, but they’re not pretty and very hit-and-miss as to what’s going to work and what is a waste of money… Also the device usually doesn’t have a lot of control over the wired interface since the OS isn’t expecting it, so it frequently doesn’t show up on any control panel, you just have WiFi/LTE off and you’re still online. Do not recommend.
Anything that doesn’t move like TVs, desktops, etc, find a way to run a wire, whether that’s Ethernet, or MoCA or even shudder powerline.
Powerline Ethernet to me, is in a very interesting place. It can be good, depending on your power situation. For European electrical systems, there’s only one phase AFAIK, so that will likely be a lot easier and more successful, with anything split phase, like what’s in use in North America, as long as you’re on the same circuit, or at least the same “side” (or leg) of the split phase, you’ll probably be fine. If the two outlets you want to use are across the sides of the split phase, you’re in for a rough time. It’ll be slow, if it works at all…
So powerline sits at this weird intersection of knowing enough to be dangerous with electricity and knowing enough to be dangerous with networks. I know enough about both that I could probably make it work and it would probably be ok, but, nahhh. I’d rather run an Ethernet wire.
For anything IoT, get off my wifi. Ethernet is fine, but I can probably count the IoT devices that use Ethernet on one hand. So you’re stuck with either ZigBee or zwave. And yes, there’s matter and whatever… But those new protocols run on top of either Wi-Fi, ZigBee, or zwave… Not independent from them.