Insteon Goes Offline
As those of you in the automated home arena have possibly just discovered, Insteon, a smart home company, has suddenly ceased operations. This may seem like a non-issue, however, for Insteon users this impact has been palpable. Unfortunately, the Insteon services included a cloud based system that shut down along with the company. The irony of Insteon’s “We’re Keeping the Lights On” motto is simply not happening with their customers and the company cannot be contacted. This issue has literally left people in the dark. What can be done? What are the alternatives?
Whatever You Do…
Whatever you do, DO NOT RESET YOUR SYSTEM!!! Resetting your system will render your product unusable. If you haven’t reset your system, all is not lost. There, in fact, are other open-sourced options to get your smart system back up and running again. Thankfully, these alternatives had already been developed over time and is available for those that are scrambling for a solution for their failed Insteon systems. For more information, check out this post at Arstechnia (https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/04/shameful-insteon-looks-dead-just-like-its-users-smart-homes/) and get your system back online.
Are There Smart Home Alternatives?
Not to worry, there are other options out there besides Insteon. Since the trend is that more and more households will transition to smart home systems, the collapse of Insteon is not the end of the road. There are reputable companies out there that offer smart home systems that can be integrated into your home. This can be accomplished both through new builds or even retrofited into a home that has already been constructed. One such company is the line of Caseta (casetawireless.com) products manufactured by the well-established company, Lutron (lutron.com). There are, of course, other options like Insteon and Caseta available in the market for smart home switches and controls. Just be sure to do your homework and pick a well established company for your smart home system.
Smart Homes and Electricians
Since many customers are looking for post building smart home systems, the fully automated home may not be a viable option. Not to worry though, some simple options can be implemented by your local electrician at a reasonable cost. Oftentimes, they can install switches in select areas to provide the essential smart home features without overcomplicating the process. This would allow a homeowner to control their home from their phone wherever they may be. In fact, this is often the better option. And as this recent Insteon incident emphasizes, the option to have both smart systems and traditional electrical systems in a home might not be a bad idea after all. If you are looking to have a smart home system installed at your home, our team at Small Jobs Electric would be happy to help.