All of us know how beneficial IoT is in cars in selecting the best cafes near you or helping you find where the nearest petrol bunk is. Slowly, IoT is influencing smart home devices, which can make your lives easy and comfortable. Let’s see how a perfect Wi-Fi plan can help you turn your home into a smart one!
Connecting the dots: Understanding smart homes and IoT
IoT devices are embedded with sensors; microprocessors are the base of smart homes. These devices, ranging from smart thermostats and lighting systems and many more, gather data about the environment, user preferences and various factors for a more personalised lifestyle. This data is then processed and analysed by cloud-based platforms, enabling intelligent decision-making. A few advantages of having IoT devices include:
Energy efficiency: Smart thermostats, lighting systems, and appliances can run optimally, reducing energy consumption and bills.
Enhanced security: Smart security systems equipped with motion sensors and cameras protect any property against theft.
Personalised comfort: Smart homes can adapt to individual preferences, like adjusting the ideal temperature, lighting preferences and more for a more comfortable environment.
Guardians of the network: Ensuring IoT security in smart homes
Strengthening passwords
The foundation of IoT security lies in strong, unique passwords for each device. Avoid using passwords that can be decoded easily or reusing passwords across multiple devices. Always use password managers to store and manage all your passwords.
Enabling multi-factor authentication
Mutli-factor authentication adds another layer of security by requiring additional verification apart from the password you set. This could involve an OTP sent to your phone or email or a fingerprint or facial recognition scan.
Keeping firmware up to date
Firmware updates often contain security patches that will protect your router from any potential threats. Regularly check for and install firmware updates for all the IoT devices that you have at home.
Connecting devices to a secure network
Avoid connecting IoT devices to public Wi-Fi networks, as these can expose them to malicious attacks. Instead, use only a secure home network with a strong password and updated firmware.
Separating IoT devices from critical networks
Create a separate network for IoT devices to separate these from other personal gadgets you use at home. This limits the potential damage even if one of your IoT devices is compromised.
Monitoring device activity
Keep an eye on device activity and network traffic to identify suspicious behaviour. Many IoT devices offer monitoring tool, which you can use for checking
Mesh networks and dual-band Wi-Fi: Optimising IoT connectivity
The Internet of Things continues to evolve, and so will the technologies to support it. Mesh networks and dual-band Wi-Fi emerge as two key technologies that can optimise IoT connectivity and ensure a seamless user experience in smart homes and businesses.
Mesh networks
Mesh networks revolutionise Wi-Fi coverage by extending the signal beyond the range of traditional routers. Instead of relying on a single router to broadcast the signal, mesh networks have multiple data pockets, which ensures a strong Wi-Fi signal. Thus, there can be no dead zones with no Wi-Fi at home, and even the remotest corners can pick up the signal.
Dual-band Wi-Fi
Dual-band Wi-Fi routers operate on the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands, providing two distinct networks for IoT devices. The 2.4 GHz band offers more comprehensive coverage but is often congested due to its popularity, while the 5 GHz band offers faster speeds but has a shorter range. By utilising both bands, dual-band routers can ensure good connectivity for different IoT devices. Different devices require diverse ranges; for example, video doorbells require 5 Ghz since they need higher bandwidth and security cameras need consistent coverage, so only 2.4 Ghz will work here.
Combining mesh networks and dual-band Wi-Fi creates an unbeatable solution for IoT connectivity. Mesh networks provide extensive coverage, while dual-band Wi-Fi optimises bandwidth allocation, which ensures all devices are correctly connected.
Future-proofing your smart home: Wi-Fi Plans for emerging IoT technologies
We have seen that Wi-Fi is essential for enabling smart home devices to work effectively. This way, you need to have Excitel at home since we offer high-speed and consistent connection; Excitel’s fiber connection already uses future-proof technology with its updated firmware and strong build. Choose us to control your home settings as you please!
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)
- How does Wi-Fi support the Internet of Things in a smart home?
Wi-Fi supports the Internet of Things (IoT) in a smart home by providing a wireless network for connecting and communicating with IoT devices. It enables these devices to exchange data, send commands, and receive updates, which paves the way for seamless automation. - What Wi-Fi technology is best for a large number of IoT devices?
Wi-Fi 6E is the best Wi-Fi technology for many IoT devices due to its increased bandwidth, lower latency, and capacity for multiple connections. It allows devices to schedule a time to transmit data, thereby decreasing energy consumption. - What security measures should I take to protect my IoT devices?
To protect your IoT devices, create strong and unique passwords that are hard to crack, enable multi-factor authentication, keep firmware updated, and connect devices to a secure network.
