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Can Your Smart Home Still Function Without the Internet?


September 27, 2024

Can Your Smart Home Still Function Without the Internet?

Smart Home Singapore – In today’s world, where almost everything in our homes—from security cameras to smart fridges—is connected to the internet, it’s easy to assume that a smart home would come to a standstill without a Wi-Fi connection. But what happens if the internet suddenly goes down? Does your smart home lose all its functionality, or can it still offer some of the convenience and automation you’ve grown used to?

Let’s explore how some smart home products like smart switches, motorised curtains, and other smart home solutions can keep things running smoothly, even when your internet takes a break.

The Role of the Internet in a Smart Home

The internet is often the backbone of a smart home system. It enables remote control of devices through apps, voice assistants, and cloud-based automation. In cities like Singapore, where home automation is becoming increasingly popular, most people expect their smart home devices to be always connected.

But what happens when the internet goes out? Can your smart home continue to function, or does it revert to the “dumb” version of a traditional house?

What Happens When the Internet Goes Down?

If you’re worried that your smart home will stop working entirely during an internet outage, here’s some good news: Koble’s smart devices are designed to handle this scenario. Depending on the product and how it’s configured, some essential functions continue to operate. Let’s break it down by device type.

Smart Switches and Lights: No Internet, No Problem

smart home switch
Smart Switch | Smart Switch Singapore | Smart Light Switch

For most smart switches, the basic on/off function is unaffected by an internet outage. The smart light switch still works directly through the electrical wiring, so you won’t be left in the dark (literally). What you may lose is the ability to control the switch remotely or voice commands. 

However, if you’re at home and the Wi-Fi is still active, many features will continue to work even without internet access. You can control your lights’ colours, adjust your air conditioner’s speed, and interact with other connected devices as long as they are part of the local network

Local vs. Cloud-Based Smart Home Systems

Smart Home System Singapore | Smart Home Sg | Smart Home Hub 

If you have a locally controlled smart home system from Koble, you’re in luck. Devices like smart switches, smart lights, and smart home products that are connected to a local hub (like Zigbee or Z-Wave) will still work without the internet. These systems don’t rely on the cloud for basic tasks, which means your smart home can keep running seamlessly even if your Wi-Fi decides to take a nap.

Voice Assistant
Smart Home Automation | Voice Control | Voice Assistants

However, if your setup is heavily cloud-dependent—such as systems that primarily work with voice control-enabled devices like Alexa, Google Home, or other cloud-based platforms—losing the internet will mean you won’t be able to use voice commands to control your devices. While your smart house won’t shut down completely, you’ll miss out on key features like remote control and voice-activated automation.

Smart Home Devices

Smart Home Appliances Installation
Smarthome | Home Automation Singapore | Koble Smart Home App

Devices like smart curtain and smart sliding gates typically remain functional even without the internet, as long as you’re controlling them locally. If you have a remote or are using physical buttons, they’ll continue to work. However, if your setup relies on voice control through cloud services, you may need to operate these devices manually via smart switches or a smart home app until the internet is restored.

What Doesn’t Work Without the Internet?

While local control is great, there are some features you will lose without an internet connection. If you’re away from home, remote access to your smart home products will be unavailable. This means not turning on the lights, adjusting the thermostat, receiving alert notification or looking at your security cameras feed through your smartphone if you’re out of range of your local network.

Automation scenes tied to cloud services might also be affected. For example, if you’ve programmed your lights to turn on when you arrive home using geofencing, this feature won’t work without an internet connection. Similarly, if you’ve scheduled your ziptrek to close when the app detects rain, this automation won’t trigger either. Any scenes or schedules that rely on real-time data or cloud processing, such as weather updates or voice commands, will be disabled until your internet connection is restored.

How Koble’s Smart Home Solutions Work Without Internet

Smart Home Device, Smart Device
Smart Home Products | Smart Home Devices | Smart Devices

At Koble, we understand the importance of seamless home automation, even when the internet goes down. That’s why we integrate Zigbee technology into many of our smart home products. Our system is designed to be robust and allows your devices to communicate with each other without needing the internet. This means that while you may lose access to cloud-based features like remote control and voice control, your devices will still function locally within the home.

If you’re at home and connected to Wi-Fi (but without internet access), you can still use our smart switches or the Koble App to turn devices on and off, and even activate pre-programmed automation scenes. For example, you can still tap on scenes like ‘Movie Time’ to trigger the scenario.

However, if you’re not at home, remote control through the app won’t work without an internet connection. This is where the power of local control really shines—you can still rely on your home’s core functions, keeping your daily routines smooth and uninterrupted.

Smart Home Singapore - Looking for Smart Home Products or Solutions? Read our Smart Home Singapore Review. All our Smart Home clients love our user-friendly Koble App, which enables them to centrally control their home appliances anytime, anywhere. We offer Smart Home Bundles to meet your every need.

Introducing our comprehensive suite of Smart Home Solutions powered by Zigbee, a global, standards-based wireless solution that conveniently and affordably controls the widest range of devices. We provide you with the improved comfort, security, and convenience you deserve: Smart Switches & Air Conditioners | Smart Lights | Smart Windows, Door & Gate | Security & Sensors | Small Home Appliances | Wi-Fi Router

Get Started On Your Own Smart Home Journey!

With Koble’s Zigbee-powered smart home solutions, you can rest assured that your smart home system won’t come to a halt just because the internet does. From smart switches to smart lights, our products are designed to keep working, ensuring that your smart home remains functional and convenient, no matter the connectivity situation. So even when your Wi-Fi takes a break, your smart house doesn’t have to.

Come down to our Smart Experience Centre at 73 Ubi Road 1, Lobby 5, #07-54 Oxley Bizhub, Singapore 408733. Can’t make it in person? No problem! We also offer video call consultations to ensure that you can begin your transformation journey from the comfort of your own home. You can also contact us today at 8129 4164 to get started on your transformation journey!

For HDB or new BTO homeowners, you can also look into our HDB Smart Home Bundles or read up on the 7 Benefits Of A Smart Home.

Get The Smarter Life You Deserve Today!

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  • Koble Showroom

    73 Ubi Road 1, Lobby 5 #07-54 Oxley Bizhub Singapore 408733

    (With Smart Home Specialist)

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