Looking for a replacement. Separate Router and Hub Recommendations?

[rldreams]

We are now 2 months past the promised release of this " major update" that will fix all our problems. 

ST V2 is undeniably far from perfect, but since ST was also " the little guy" and 90% of the usability and compatibility was there before Samsung purchased them you can't say that it is Samsung's deep pockets that allowed it to excel in certain areas.  If you want to put the credit where it belongs, it is ST's open platform and community support that has made it ( IMHO ) so far ahead in the HA platform. Prime example somebody found some Cetralite xfinity alarm keypads on sale on Fleabay. Members of the ST community forum bought the guy's entire stock ( I got 2 myself) . Once they got delivered it was a matter of hours when the community members came up with a device type and app to program the keypad and had it working in ST to change modes and set routines.

Members of this forum have been asking ( begging ) Securifi to open up the platform for community support since day 2.  Having 1000 community members collaborating on a project they have a vested interest in ( getting their own "things" to work) will always solve an issue before 10 guys in a lab getting paid by the hour.  Securifi has made the decision to go their own way and hold all their own marbles in their own basket.

 The biggest improvement in ST from A+ is integration with other systems. Yes I really do miss the touchscreen and LAN web interfaces. However being able to link all 5 of my hubs into one central control app that can control across multiple platforms seamlessly more than makes up for losing  the touchscreen. 

 Yes A+ can turn on the lights when somebody opens the front door. However it can't tell me who opened the door ( push notification and/or SMS ) , welcome them home, turn on that person's favorite radio or TV show, and set the thermostat to their preferred temperature when they open the door.

[Petermann]

I hear you and those in the previous comments. Sounds like a lot of frustration, especially from those that backed the product through Kickstarter. To me the biggest letdown to the product will be if the wireless issues-that happen to some, are never resolved. Also, I think a big threat to the product will be if and when a competitor comes out with a router that has an LCD (on the router) and a basic mobile app to manage the router-which are two features I really like.

[Talkstr8t]

For a home automation hub, you might consider the Staples Connect D-Link hub.  Rock solid, everything operates locally, has Lutron in addition to Z-Wave and Zigbee which means you can use the awesome Lutron Caseta PicoRemotes as switches for anything in your system (plus if you don't have a neutral wire the Lutron controller only requires black).  Main downside is it's unclear if it's still being supported, but if the hub is still free with purchase of two >$30 accessories it's well worthwhile, and it works with most Z-Wave / Zigbee devices, including my Schlage Z-wave door lock and Nortek (Linear) garage door opener.

[obmd1]

We are now 2 months past the promised release of this " major update" that will fix all our problems. 

ST V2 is undeniably far from perfect, but since ST was also " the little guy" and 90% of the usability and compatibility was there before Samsung purchased them you can't say that it is Samsung's deep pockets that allowed it to excel in certain areas.  If you want to put the credit where it belongs, it is ST's open platform and community support that has made it ( IMHO ) so far ahead in the HA platform. Prime example somebody found some Cetralite xfinity alarm keypads on sale on Fleabay. Members of the ST community forum bought the guy's entire stock ( I got 2 myself) . Once they got delivered it was a matter of hours when the community members came up with a device type and app to program the keypad and had it working in ST to change modes and set routines.

Members of this forum have been asking ( begging ) Securifi to open up the platform for community support since day 2.  Having 1000 community members collaborating on a project they have a vested interest in ( getting their own "things" to work) will always solve an issue before 10 guys in a lab getting paid by the hour.  Securifi has made the decision to go their own way and hold all their own marbles in their own basket.

 The biggest improvement in ST from A+ is integration with other systems. Yes I really do miss the touchscreen and LAN web interfaces. However being able to link all 5 of my hubs into one central control app that can control across multiple platforms seamlessly more than makes up for losing  the touchscreen. 

 Yes A+ can turn on the lights when somebody opens the front door. However it can't tell me who opened the door ( push notification and/or SMS ) , welcome them home, turn on that person's favorite radio or TV show, and set the thermostat to their preferred temperature when they open the door.

Agree and agree. I'm sure there's another beta coming though.....

The biggest plus for me for ST is the ability to do it yourself. MyQ, Harmony, other cloud to cloud integration solutions are all out there on code sharing sites. Cut and paste. I'm no computer scientist. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't, but I'm not wating around for another beta. Then add ECHO integration, the ability to actually make a MESH network, the phone app beauty and function, and actual customer support? Hu-ZAH. I was using the A+ as a range extendeer after it got shoved out of the closet when I went to ST.... but the connection dropped too often. sigh.

[rldreams]

Agree and agree. I'm sure there's another beta coming though.....

The biggest plus for me for ST is the ability to do it yourself. MyQ, Harmony, other cloud to cloud integration solutions are all out there on code sharing sites. Cut and paste. I'm no computer scientist. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't, but I'm not waiting around for another beta. Then add ECHO integration, the ability to actually make a MESH network, the phone app beauty and function, and actual customer support? Hu-ZAH. I was using the A+ as a range extendeer after it got shoved out of the closet when I went to ST.... but the connection dropped too often. sigh.

I'm still using A+ as main router and WiFi ,with an original Almond as range extender/AP.
A+ network ( both WiFi and LAN)  stability has greatly improved since I removed all of the HA from it. Connection speeds are still not what I expect, but at least ( for the most part) the constant completely losing connection has stopped. I can't sit here with WiFi analyzer watching the signal cycle on/off. This totally unscientific test tells me that the A+ hardware just can't handle complex HA setups with multiple sensors.  The only HA duty the A+ has now is to do a general exclusion to reset new devices before I add them to ST.

[grouter]

This totally unscientific test tells me that the A+ hardware just can't handle complex HA setups with multiple sensors.

In my setup, this just isn't true. I don't know what qualifies as a "complex HA setup with multiple sensors," but I have over a dozen sensors added with various rules and scenes. On the networking side I use 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz for dozens of devices, plus have a few wired connections and a VOIP setup. I connect to VPN endpoints on the outside on a daily basis without issue. I stream Netflix/Amazon/local LAN Plex content/Play Music on a daily basis and the quality is great. I did have some wifi issues early on, but that was back in Jan/Feb timeframe. Wireless and VPN has been stable since.

HA, however, hasn't been as "easy" and it's been quite painful at times. I must say that since the last several beta releases the HA side of my setup is definitely more usable and solid. Maybe part of this has to do with me learning how to remove/add existing sensors, but overall I think Securifi is on the right track and that the A+ can do wifi and HA as designed.

[rldreams]

In my setup, this just isn't true. I don't know what qualifies as a "complex HA setup with multiple sensors," but I have over a dozen sensors added with various rules and scenes. On the networking side I use 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz for dozens of devices, plus have a few wired connections and a VOIP setup.

In my world, that is a simple setup. 

I have over 50 HA sensors and devices ( mixture of zwave and zigbee ) , along with 30-40 internet clients on LAN and WiFi at any given time.

[SecureComp]

In my world, that is a simple setup. 

I have over 50 HA sensors and devices ( mixture of zwave and zigbee ) , along with 30-40 internet clients on LAN and WiFi at any given time.

30-40 internet clients on a LAN in a residential setup? PLUS 50 HA sensors?
100 devices does not sound like a typical residential setup but it does sound like an interesting setup.
Would be interested to see a list of the 100 devices and what is being done with them.

Theoretical limits of 250 devices runs into issues when you have say, 100 video streaming devices.

I now have 5 residences using 'basic' home automation and about 15-30 HA devices with 25 or less internet clients at each location running without issues. I do have scripting handling tasks that are not available via the rule sets.

[rldreams]

100 devices does not sound like a typical residential setup but it does sound like an interesting setup.
Would be interested to see a list of the 100 devices and what is being done with them.

I never claimed to be "typical" :-) Nothing spectacular either.

 O/C sensors on exterior doors and windows, Zwave locks, half dozen PIRs. Almost every light is either TCP Connected, Hue, generic Zigbee bulb or on Z-wave switch. Moisture and temp sensors under sinks , dishwasher, washing machine.  Harmony home hub for entertainment center, 2 Echoes , 2 Hue hubs, Aeon HEM, 3 mini-motes.
  Waiting to see if Amazon opens up multi-room playing and custom responses before getting Sonos . That's why I got new Chromecast audio, but it is far from reliable

8 channel hardwired CCTV for outside of the house with DVR in basement, 5 IP cameras for interior , 3 desktop computers, 4 laptops. 5 tablets and 6 phones half of which are used as physical access terminals for HA and to monitor the CCTV cameras over LAN.  4 Tvs , 2 Tivo DVRs, 3 Tivo Mini all with internet, 3 blu-ray players, Chromecast, Roku, Amazon FireTV. I'm sure I missed a few things.

Everything that can be, is hardwired to LAN . 8 port switch in basement for CCTV, NAS, Moca array, Moca adapters through house feeding 4-6 port switches in bedrooms and daughter's office.

 I'm sitting here at the desk,  Tablet to my right with the exterior cameras up, working on desktop, game playing on another tablet with old Galaxy S4 monitoring HA, while the wife is in the next room streaming Netflix through Tivo to TV while playing a game on her tablet and reading on Kindle, daughter is upstairs on her laptop, streaming music through her tablet while watching TV via Tivo Mini, on Facebook ( assuming ) on her phone.

[SecureComp]

Very nice. Thanks for sharing.

Switches should really help keep the noise down on the LAN. Can't see that your IP stuff would hit the Almond+ too hard other than the video feeds which should be QoS'd.

The number of devices doesn't sound like a problem either but I think some meshing could have been a problem with all the lights. Once you are talking about 50 bulbs on multiple floors and remote sections of the house, I have seen problems with that using any system. I have 25 or fewer bulbs in each home and the A+ handles it fine.

[rldreams]

Actually I only have 6 (?) Zigbee bulbs, mix of GE and Cree, about the same Hue and TCP connect, but those are on their own respective hubs so only generate LAN traffic through A+
 I reserved bulbs for installations where switches are not possible ( lamps, ceiling fans ) . Or rather upgraded from bulbs to ZW switches wherever possible.
 Add 3 more Aeon ZW metering appliance switches I just got in yesterday.  Not that I need to ever turn off my HE center, fridge or basement freezer , never mind do it remotely. However now I can tell you exactly how much electricity each is using. Mainly to enhance ZW mesh.  I'll move them next week to automate more of my Christmas display.

[coderunner]

Any hub suggestions that are true local control?  As far as I can tell, the SmartThingsV2 cannot be controlled if your internet connection is down.  Most of these devices continue to do automated tasks, but require "the cloud" in order for a device on the same network to be able to simply turn on a light. 

[rldreams]

Any hub suggestions that are true local control?  As far as I can tell, the SmartThingsV2 cannot be controlled if your internet connection is down.  Most of these devices continue to do automated tasks, but require "the cloud" in order for a device on the same network to be able to simply turn on a light. 

 The local control ( via touchsreen and LAN ) is the one thing you really give up when you give up on A+/ A2015 .
 The new Harmony system I believe offers local control via the remote, but again they have only a very limited number of certified devices, only work with zigbee

[SecureComp]

Actually I only have 6 (?) Zigbee bulbs, mix of GE and Cree, about the same Hue and TCP connect, but those are on their own respective hubs so only generate LAN traffic through A+
 I reserved bulbs for installations where switches are not possible ( lamps, ceiling fans ) . Or rather upgraded from bulbs to ZW switches wherever possible.
 Add 3 more Aeon ZW metering appliance switches I just got in yesterday.  Not that I need to ever turn off my HE center, fridge or basement freezer , never mind do it remotely. However now I can tell you exactly how much electricity each is using. Mainly to enhance ZW mesh.  I'll move them next week to automate more of my Christmas display.

Controlling the lights is one of my favorite features of the A+. The Crees work great with my system, the GE stuff works but is more easily disconnects when used locally (manual switch) or power surges/outages.  The Hue bulbs are great, pricey, but a hit with everyone.

I too have developed a power profile based on the couple metering devices, good info and has allowed me to make a few adjustments.