FAQ

How does this device work?
The smarter home device works by creating a bridge between your devices and Apple's HomeKit and Alexa protocol. The device connects to your local network over Wifi via the setup process on the iOS or Android app. The device can also be connected via an ethernet cable using a micro usb to ethernet adapter (not included). Once you add an accessory you can use the Apple home app or Alexa app to communicate with your appliances using Siri and Alexa
 
Is there a subscription fee?
Using the device with Siri does not require a subscription. Starting June 2022, Alexa will require a subscription fee to continue having the device work with Alexa. See more here 

Do I need to make any changes for this to work with Vantage?
You do not need to make any changes or updates to your system. This device will communicate with your vantage control using the local IP address and will automatically pull the loads from the controller. We currently support lights, thermostats, and blinds. All devices can be updated remotely to support future loads

What version of Design Center do I need?
The Smarter Home device works with all versions of Design Center

How do I update the device if I change my DC file?
If you make any changes to your DC file after the device is setup, you can run the following commands to get the latest information off your controller. Open the smarter home app, navigate to the advanced section in the settings, click on "reset vantage data," "turn off service," and finally "turn on service." This will read in the latest information and automatically add them to the Apple home app and Alexa app

How do I add a second Smarter Home Device?
If you have over 149 loads and want to add a second smarter home device to support those loads, simply plug in your new device, navigate to the settings section, and select "Add Smarter Home Device." This will then walk you through adding your second device to your local network. Once added to your network, select vantage from the platforms, and enter in the range of new VIDs that you want to add. You will also have to increment the port number in the "device details" section in the settings page to be different from the first smarter home device. All smarter home devices are originally set to port 51826

My device is not being added to my local network
If your device is powered on and is no longer broadcasting the "SmarterHome-XXX" network, then it is connected to the network. Please try refreshing to search for your device. We have also seen that some routers block devices from searching for other devices on the network. If this is the case, please login to your router and look for the smarter home device. After finding your smarter home device on the network, please manually enter the IP address in the device details tab in settings. Also  please ensure your network name and password does not contain any special characters. We are currently working on a fix for this, but as of now special characters are not supported

My phone displays incorrect password when connecting to SmarterHome-XXX network
Sometimes iPhone will show incorrect password when connecting to a network that does not provide an internet connection. After typing the password: "smarterhome" in your wifi settings, you can hit "join" in the upper right and the connection should then be established

My Android device keeps dropping from the SmarterHome-XXX network
Android phones have a smart connect feature which may automatically disconnect from a network that does not have internet connectivity. You may need to disable this feature temporarily to stay on the SmarterHome network during the setup process. See more information here

My device is installed, but nothing is showing in the Home app
First ensure that the service is running using "Check system status" in the advanced settings tab. If the service is not running, then there is most likely an issue with one or more of your added accessories. If this is the case, please delete your last installed accessory and try re-adding it.
If the service is running and you are still not seeing the accessory in the Home app, then make sure the textfields for that accessory are entered correctly and try again. Note in some cases we have found issues with routers and you may need to disable IGMP snooping in your router's settings

My Home accessories are no longer responding
You need to be on the same network for your devices to respond. Alternatively, if you have an Apple TV you can link it to your account and then communicate with your devices from anywhere using Siri

Alexa not finding any devices
Make sure you have enabled the "homebridge" skill in Alexa and have created an account on cloudwatch and the username and password matches. If you are setting Alexa up in multiple homes, you need to make sure the Alexa is set up using a different account and different user name and password in the "homebridge" skill

QR code no longer works or Accessory not showing up in Home app
If you already have the Smarter Home accessory added to the home app, then any new accessory will automatically show up. If for some reason you removed the home app and want to re-add the device, you will have to run the following commands from the advanced settings in the Smarter Home App: "Delete persist folder","Delete accessories folder","Turn off service","Turn on service", and then try re-adding the device in the Home app using the passcode

Can I connect the Smarter Home Device over an ethernet cable?
The Smarter Home device is originally designed to connect to your wireless network, however you can connect directly over a physical ethernet cable by using a micro usb to ethernet adapter like the one found here and connecting the cable to the second Micro USB port on the device

Do I need to make any changes to my Vantage system for this to work?
No. The device reads the DC file directly from your Vantage Controller

What devices are supported
The devices supported can be found in the add accessories table of the app. If you would like us to add a new accessory type please send an email to smarterhomeapp@gmail.com with the type of device you would like to add, and we will do our best to add it to the list

Still don't see the answer to your question?
Please send an email to smarterhomeapp@gmail.com describing the problem you are having and we will get back to you as soon as possible