A smart home hub,[1] sometimes also referred to as a "smart hub", "gateway'",[2] "bridge", "controller" or "coordinator", is a control center/centre for a smart home, and enables the components of a smart home to communicate and respond to each other via communication through a central point.[3] The smart home hub can consist of dedicated computer appliance, software appliance, or software running on computer hardware, and makes it possible to gather configuration, automation and monitoring of a smart house by communicating and controlling different smart devices that consist of for example home appliances, sensors and relays or robots, many of which are commonly categorized under Internet of things.
A smart home can contain one, several, or even no smart home hubs. When using several smart home hubs it is sometimes possible to connect them to each other. Some smart home hubs support a wider selection of components, while others are more specialized for controlling products within certain product groups or using certain wireless technologies (e.g. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Z-Wave, and/or Zigbee).
A smart speaker with a virtual assistant can often be used for speech input to a smart home hub.
- ^ The best smart home hubs of 2021 | Tom's Guide
- ^ "Home Automation Made Easy: Combine Home Assistant, ESPHome and MySensors". 16 September 2020.
- ^ "What Is a Smart Home Hub and Do You Need One?". Retrieved 2021-08-04.