What Is the Samsung SmartThings Hub?

The Samsung SmartThings Hub (formerly known as the Connect Home), is a device that helps you control your smart accessories (lights, door locks, even appliances). While Samsung's device is called the SmartThings Hub, many manufacturers make their own under different names. They all work similarly: to make it easier for you to configure and operate smart devices (even when those devices are from different manufacturers).

What Is Samsung SmartThings Hub?

Samsung sells a range of different accessories allowing you to control your home with the push of a button. Quickly control any outlet from your smartphone, or receive notifications if a sensor discovers a pipe leaking in the basement. The beauty of Samsung’s system is that not only is it able to communicate with dedicated SmartThings devices, but also a range of creations from various third parties. Controlling all of these smart devices is where the SmartThings Hub comes into play.

Acting as the brain of your smart home, the Samsung SmartThings Hub connects wirelessly with all of your home devices, allowing them to communicate without effort. Additionally, the hub can monitor specific devices, allowing you to receive alerts or set up triggers when set conditions are met, such as the front light turning on at sunset or the temperature adjusting itself before you arrive home.

What Can the SmartThings Hub Control?

In addition to the full range of sensors, outlets, and buttons that Samsung sells, any devices using a variety of popular smart home protocols can be used; these protocols include Zigbee, Z-Wave, Cloud-to-Cloud, LAN, and ZigBee3. If you purchase a smart home device from Amazon or your local electronics retailer, and the box denotes that it uses one of the standards mentioned above, the SmartThings Hub can communicate with it.

How Do I Control the SmartThings Hub?

Devices connected to your SmartThings Hub can be controlled directly within the SmartThings app available for both iOS and Android devices.

Additionally, if you have an Amazon Alexa or Google Home, you can connect your SmartThings Hub with your virtual assistant to quickly issue voice commands when needed.

Should I Upgrade From the Connect Home?

The most important feature to distinguish is that the Connect Home acts as both a hub for your smart home gadgets and a Wi-Fi router to distribute internet wirelessly around your home, while the newer SmartThings Hub is only a smart home hub. Swapping your existing Connect Home device out for a SmartThings Hub requires you to pick up a separate router for your home.

In general, if you have already set up a smart home with at Samsung Connect Home at the center of it, there probably isn't a reason to upgrade to the newer SmartThings Hub. However, if you don't already have the system installed, it's worth noting the Connect Home doesn't offer a great Wi-Fi network experience; you might be better off purchasing two dedicated devices, the SmartThings Hub and a wireless router.