100 tips covering all aspects of setting up and using smart home devices securely

View Table of Contents and sample pages

Homes that contain devices that can be controlled by smart speakers, voice commands and apps are becoming a reality for an increasing number of people. What was once the stuff of science fiction is now firmly established as part of the real world and is easily accessible for anyone who wants to add an exciting new dimension to their home.

100 Top Tips – Create Your Smart Home to Stay Safe and Save Money contains tips covering all aspects of setting up and using smart home devices securely. These include:

• Setting up your home so that it is ready to be transformed into a smart home
• Ensuring that your home is flexible enough so that you have alternatives if smart devices do not work properly
• Using smart speakers (digital voice assistants) to create a digital companion in your home
• Linking smart speakers to your smart home devices so that they can communicate with each other
• Deploying smart lighting to take the ultimate control over the lighting systems in your home
• Installing smart heating to control your central heating and save money
• Making your home more secure with a range of smart security devices
• Cutting down the time spent on domestic chores by using devices such as robotic lawnmowers and robotic vacuum cleaners
• Enhancing entertainment options with robots and artificial intelligence (AI) devices
• Addressing security issues with smart home devices, to prevent other people gaining access to your smart home

About the Author

1. Elements of a Smart Home
2. Planning Your Smart Home
3. Wi-Fi and the Smart Home
4. Selecting Devices
5. Installing Devices
6. Using Apps
7. Linking Devices to Apps
8. Using a Smart Home Hub
9. Smart Remote Control
10. Simplicity of a Smart Home
11. Cost of a Smart Home
12. Ensuring a Manual Option
13. Making a Physical Schedule
14. Getting Everyone On Board
15. Creating an Account
16. Sharing Access
17. Home and Away Schedule
18. About Smart Speakers
19. Using Wake Words
20. About Amazon Echo
21. Models of Echo
22. Alexa Settings
23. Adding Alexa Skills
24. Downloading Alexa Skills
25. Messaging With Alexa
26. Assessing Google Home
27. Using the Google Home App
28. Viewing Google Routines
29. Adding Google Routines
30. Viewing Google Actions
31. Using Google Actions
32. About the HomePod and Siri
33. Using the Home App
34. Asking Questions
35. Getting the News
36. Playing Music
37. Listening to the Radio
38. Setting Reminders
39. Using a Timer
40. Starting With Smart Lighting
41. Installing Smart Light Bulbs
42. Installing a Lighting Bridge
43. Viewing Lighting Elements
44. Setting Up Rooms
45. Assigning Lights to a Room
46. Accessing Lights
47. Changing Light Color
48. Adjusting Multiple Lights
49. Dimming Lights
50. Using Scenes
51. Editing Scenes
52. Creating Your Own Scenes
53. Accessing Lighting Routines
54. Creating Routines
55. Selecting Rooms
56. Going Home and Away
57. Never Leave Lights On Again
58. Smart Light Settings
59. Remote Lighting Access
60. About Smart Heating
61. Installing Smart Heating
62. Smart Heating Apps
63. Setting the Temperature
64. Saving Money With Eco
65. Setting the Eco Range
66. Viewing a Schedule
67. Editing a Schedule
68. Creating an Auto-Schedule
69. Heating Home and Away
70. Deciding Home and Away
71. Accessing Heating Remotely
72. General Heating Settings
73. Specific Heating Settings
74. About Security Cameras
75. Installing Security Cameras
76. Linking Cameras and Apps
77. Viewing Security Cameras
78. Indoor Security Cameras
79. About Smart Alarms
80. Installing Smart Alarms
81. Viewing Video Doorbells
82. About Smart Plugs
83. Setting Up Smart Plugs
84. Robotic Lawnmowers
85. Setting a Mower Boundary
86. Connecting a Mower
87. Vacuuming Robotically
88. More Devices for the Home
89. Smart TVs
90. Home Cinema
91. Surround Sound Speakers
92. General Security
93. Using Strong Passwords
94. Updating Software
95. Looking at Privacy
96. Two-Factor Authentication
97. Wi-Fi Security
98. Device Location
99. Smart Speakers Listening
100. Viewing Recorded Data