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Millions pay $12.95 a month for TiVo and millions more the same for satellite radio. The question is, will they pay $12.99 per month to control their homes?
The Schlage LiNK Home Control system starts with a Schlage door lock, which comes in many different finishes and arrangements, from brass entry locks to brushed nickel deadbolts. Each has the same basic features, a keypad for keyless entry and the ability to communicate with a Z-Wave wireless RF “mesh” network.
Add to the lock some Z-Wave lighting modules — the system includes one plug-in dimmer module — a wireless IP camera, and a Trane thermostat, and you have the beginnings of a complete home control system.
But what makes the system worth the $12.99 a month is the Schlage Bridge and the software that comes with it. All of the devices on the Schlage LiNK network can be accessed from the Internet, a BlackBerry or an iPhone. The software is easy to use, intuitive and simple to set up.
Setup
The first step is to install the lock and configure it on the Z-Wave network. The lock uses some sophisticated security procedures to ensure that only the right Z-Wave devices can unlock it. The directions are easy to understand, though it took three tries to get the lock on the network. Once the door is programmed, the dimming module that comes with the system needs to be plugged in within 50 feet of the lock to communicate with the Z-Wave network.
The thermostat is added the same way. The thermostat needs a “C” wire, but most homes do not have this, and Trane does not put the instructions in the box. I know all the green reasons why, but it was annoying to have to go to my computer, look up the website, print the directions and then go back to the install.
The IP camera that Schlage provided was capable of either wireless or wired communication. Installation was clean, but a little cumbersome, and the software asked me to reconnect the camera once because it “lost” it, but once communication was established, it worked very well.
Setting Scenes, Schedules
The Schlage solution is right up there in ease of use and simplicity. In less than 10 minutes I had the devices uploaded in to the system. The software allows you to set scenes, schedules and get messages based on specific events. You can also change the setting of any device, like turn on a light or changing the temperature on the thermostat.
One limitation is that you can only start a scene when you unlock a door and not lock one. And only one trigger can start a scene, which limits the types of scenes available.
Setting up my cell phone was also a breeze. In less than three minutes, I was able to manage all of my devices, scenes and schedules right from my phone. I was also able to:
- View the camera
- Unlock the door
- Control the lights
- Change the temperature on the thermostat
I travel quite a bit, and it was fun to be able to see what was happening back home while I was on the road.
So will people pay $12.99 for the features of the Schlage LiNK system? The hardware I installed retails for about $1,000 and includes: the lock, Bridge, the thermostat, camera and all of the lighting controls. Once the necessary hardware is paid for, $12.99 is a very small price for the convenience.
Schlage LiNK Overview
Video via Crackberry.com
AT A GLANCE
Specs:
>Z-Wave-enabled
>Signals up to 100 feet
>Can add over 200 components to one interface
>Can operate via cell phone
>User-friendly computer and phone interfaces
>Security measures similar to those used in online banking
>$12.99 monthly subscription
Pros:
>Easy to add Z-Wave devices to the system
>Excellent software
>No need to keep PC on; the software resides in the gateway
>Ability to view, change, and monitor devices from any cell phone or Internet device
Cons:
>No documentation included in the box (needs to be printed off the website)
>Thermostat screens could be less cluttered
>Scene control is simple, only one trigger per action
>Lock will not trigger scene when locked, only when unlocked
RE: Schlage vs. Vera security…
The only way to have a secure network is to have all the data go through an encrypted server on the Internet, which has signed security keys provided by a company like Verisign. No regular home owner has this.
Schlage mandates the homeowner *must* go through their secure server, but that means if your internet is down or you stop paying for their service, you’ve got no way to even turn on a light.
Vera gives the user 2 options which are clearly articulated at setup: a) Do you want to exclusively use a secure network with Vera’s secure gateway, which has the same security like Schlage, but, like Schlage requires the use of Vera’s server. Or b) Do you want to also also allow local access on the home network which means it can run without internet or Vera’s secure server, but it also means there’s a security risk if the home owner’s home network is not secure, such as a wi-fi access point with no password.
It’s not fair to say Vera is less secure. Vera simply lays out the pros and cons and lets the user make an informed choice. If the user desires it, Vera has the same security as Schlage.
Just a few quick comments:
First, you actually can trigger a Scene when you lock the door, you just can’t do it by hitting the “Schlage” button on the lock. You need to establish a seperate 4 digit code and set up your scene as desired. This way you have an “unlock” code that triggers one scene, then a different “lock” code to trigger another…Simple!
On the Vera product…Schlage cautions users that they network is not Encrypted as with the Schlage Bridge so hacking into your system, and thus YOUR HOME, is a fairly easy process…BEWARE!
The Schlage system also works with the next release of HomeSeer, which opens up the list of other items that can be controlled to pretty much anything!
The schlage system works great but is only for a limited number of devices that they support. The schlage lock works with Vera from MicasaVerde which is another z-wave gateway that supports every Z-wave device. Best of all remote access is free with Vera. I use Vera with the Schalge lock and love it!
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The Schlage security is two-fold - there is the security command classes that are a part of Z-Wave, and these protocols are encrypted very well and have a number of safety protocols against hacking and spoofing, and then there is the security that takes place if you use their service over the Internet.
HomeSeer supports the Z-Wave security and security options on its web server which means essentially the same - in the home network, if HomeSeer is set up to bypass security for the local users and the home network is not secure, then somebody can get to the HomeSeer web pages and unlock the door. If the home network is secured, or the HomeSeer security is set to require user authentication for the local network, then this is not an issue. Outside the home, HomeSeer supports a secure (https) server capability that will accept a security certificate to provide security when HomeSeer is accessed outside the home network.