Amazon Echo Plus

[paulpa]

Hi I have been looking at what smart hubs to get then realized Amazon Echo Plus has a built in smart hub.
Several questions if someone can help.
If on 3rd party devices such as LIGHTWAVE 13A 2-GANG SOCKET say Works with Amazon Alexa, then am I right thinking this will work with the Amazon Echo Plus without the need of a lightwave hub, also say for hive products that say they work with Alexia, again no hive hub required?
The other question is there any app or user portal that you can control from a laptop? Could the socket be controlled if away from the house?

[renegade600]

it should work with alexa plus without a third party hub.  as far as working from your laptop, nope, you cannot control alexa devices from your browser but you can from your phone no matter where you are at using alexa app

[Thomastoo]

I'm not familiar with either of the products you mentioned - but I have an Echo Plus as the only hub in my automated home.  The Plus has a ZigBee hub built in and as such will connect with and control any device using the ZigBee protocol (and of course, anything connected via wi-fi hubless).  I use Sengled and Philips Hue smart bulbs for lights, Honeywell thermostat, Orbit B-Hyve sprinkler controller, Leviton 3 way light switches and a few other single pole light switches (WeMo and TP-Link). They all work like a champ.


Check anything you're looking at for the protocol it uses, anything ZigBee or wi-fi should work fine.

[paulpa]

Many thanks,
 hopefully this is a better option then rather than an echo and a seperate smart hub.
Can you get control of hub and connected devices via web using the alexa page here? https://alexa.amazon.co.uk/spa/index.htm

[kenf]

ironically enough, it's because it's Zigbee only that I don't have the Plus.

I'd gotten started with ADT Pulse, which is Z-wave only, then the Plus came out, which wouldn't work with my hardware.

Personally, I recommend people get a Samsung SmartThings or Wink or Wemo hub.  They are top rated, and cover multiple protocols (including z-wave and zigbee).

This also sets you up so if the product you bought isn't supported anymore, you can switch and your stuff will still work.  Or switch to Google Home, and again, your stuff will still work.

Additionally, these smart hubs are typically far more scriptable than the Plus, which only has Echo's limited Routines.

[paulpa]

Thanks, Maybe as you say get a seperate smart hub, I was looking at the Samsung SmartThings, although pretty limited for smart sockets that are compatible in the Uk ( can't actually find any)

[renegade600]

Thanks, Maybe as you say get a seperate smart hub, I was looking at the Samsung SmartThings, although pretty limited for smart sockets that are compatible in the Uk ( can't actually find any)

lightwave is not compatible with samsung smart thing. 

[paulpa]

Thanks, Maybe as you say get a seperate smart hub, I was looking at the Samsung SmartThings, although pretty limited for smart sockets that are compatible in the Uk ( can't actually find any)

lightwave is not compatible with samsung smart thing.

I know. I can't find any make that has smart sockets compatible

[kenf]

Thanks, Maybe as you say get a seperate smart hub, I was looking at the Samsung SmartThings, although pretty limited for smart sockets that are compatible in the Uk ( can't actually find any)

lightwave is not compatible with samsung smart thing.

I know. I can't find any make that has smart sockets compatible

By sockets, do you mean wall outlets or outlet adapters (where the cord from the appliance plugs in and the hub can turn it off)?  Just making sure as US vs. UK terminology does differ.

If you go ST (or Wemo or Wink), the value is buying tech in ZigBee or Z-Wave, 2 industry standards.  GE (and others make outlets and switches for both.  I'm not a big fan of other protocols, simply because these two exist as dominant leaders and ensure my outlets and switches work with my hub which is replaceable for another brand that still works with Alexa.

Things are different with switches and such over in the UK I've found, so my line of thinking may not apply to over there. Forex, what we consider a 1 gang or 2 gang switch

[paulpa]

Re sockets i mean like this
https://www.screwfix.com/p/lightwave-13a-2-gang-socket-stainless-steel/7397R?tc=AT5&ds_kid=92700024377676829&ds_rl=1248181&ds_rl=1245250&ds_rl=1249484&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhYboyMeV3QIVLbftCh0PMwmZEAQYASABEgLdmPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=COGg8N_Hld0CFUgh0wodoNIIXA

[kenf]

that's what I suspected.  UK plugs are very different from US.

  From what I can tell, when US says outlet, UK says socket.  In US (where I am) socket usually refers to the thing you screw a lightbulb into, and not the wall port where you plug a cord into. A minor language variation.  it's the hardware difference that really matters.

I did some googling and it is very hard to find z-wave or Zigbee UK wall sockets:
http://www.karimunjawaadventure.com/item-detail/double-uk-socket-with-switch-z-wave-socket.html

http://www.zigbee.com.my/products/en/AV-Controls/ON-OFF-Controls/3-Pin-Wall-Socket-Outlet-British-Standard-p82c63c81.html

That's not a recommendation for the product, it's simply the only thing I could find.  There's even threads on the SmartThings forum about a lack of z-wave or zigbee products in the UK.


That makes it harder for my recommendations to make sense to you, these are the 2 most common protocols (in the US), and I can order from a variety of vendors and it'll probably work.

If you buy an Echo Plus in the UK, I can't swear that you'll have an easy time finding sockets and switches that will be Zigbee to work with it.  I don't get the impression that LightWave is Zigbee compatible (unlike Phillips Hues' protocol which I hear is).