Recommended

We've moved to an enterprise-grade networking approach for all new installations: an Omada Fusion 2.5G Gateway paired with dedicated ceiling-mounted access points (APs). The gateway is wired only, with no built-in Wi-Fi, and the APs go exactly where your devices need signal.

• VLAN segmentation — isolates IoT devices from personal devices, for both security and stability
• Built-in IDS/IPS firewall, content filtering and ad blocking, with no subscription
• VPN for secure remote access, so Home-A-Genius can troubleshoot remotely
• Supports up to 30 Omada devices and 300 clients
• License-free cloud management
• Multi-WAN failover across up to 4 ISP connections

Why separate gateway + APs instead of an all-in-one router?

If one AP dies, only that room loses Wi-Fi — everything else stays online. With an all-in-one, when it dies your whole home goes down. Separate APs also let us put Wi-Fi exactly where your smart devices are.

Avoid

TP-Link Deco (mesh) — hardware spec limits mean it does not perform well as a smart home main router past 30 connected devices, and the mesh function can introduce connectivity issues.

Google Nest Wi-Fi / Google Wi-Fi — the secondary router has no data port, so there is no bridge mode option, and the hardware can't handle 30+ devices reliably.

Nokia Beacon — severe connection issues with Google Assistant and a 30-device limit on the main router. Strongly advise against.

Orbi Netgear / NightHawk — the subnet mask can change randomly. Since Home-A-Genius runs on your local area network, the system cannot function once the subnet mask changes.

Linksys E9450 AX5400 — weak band steering. Unless you have a secondary AP, avoid.

Any consumer mesh system

Mesh uses a daisy-chain topology: if one node in the middle fails, every node behind it goes dead. Mesh also links 2.4GHz and 5GHz together, so devices hop unpredictably, and IoT devices are “sticky” — they cling to a far-away node even when a closer one is right there. Enterprise APs with band steering and load balancing solve all of this.

Update, June 2024: Team Home-A-Genius found a way to handle ISP IP changes. You now have the freedom to choose any telco for your home.

One thing to note: do not reset your router settings without consulting our Support Helpdesk first. If your ISP changes your router's IP address, speak with us and we'll handle it.

Zigbee 3.0, always.

Your router is already handling your daily needs: video calls, gaming, streaming, the kids' devices. Every Wi-Fi smart device takes up an IP address and adds load. With 20+ smart devices on Wi-Fi, you'll notice lag on everything.

Zigbee devices communicate on a completely separate radio frequency, so there is zero load on your router. Zigbee also creates a mesh where devices relay signals to each other, extending range through your home.

Our gateway supports up to 25 Zigbee devices. Larger homes get multiple gateways for full coverage.

• Normal lights — on/off only. Use with our smart on/off switches.
• Dimmable lights — 0–100% brightness via TRIAC dimming. Use with our dimmable switches. Note that “Dim to Warm” is not smart; it simply shifts warmer at low brightness.
• Smart lights — have a smart driver built in, so they can be controlled by app, voice or automation, with brightness, colour temperature (CCT) and/or RGB colour change.

1. On/off
2. 0–100% brightness
3. Colour temperature (CCT) from 2700K warm to 6500K daylight
4. Circadian rhythm — auto-adjusts colour through the day for your body clock
5. Fade to dim, from 1 second to 24 hours
6. RGB — 16 million colours, on select models
7. 2-step control with Home-A-Genius smart switches: the switch checks the lights are powered before adjusting

Everything below runs on Zigbee 3.0.

Downlights

• Yuna — museum-quality scallop light pattern, trim and trimless versions (12W)
• Jenna — soft diffused light, trim and trimless (9W)
• Jenna Focus — accent lighting for artwork and decor at lower levels (9W)
• Disperse — maximum illumination, fully enclosed (lizard-proof) with wider coverage (10W)
• Shower Light — IP54 water-resistant, for bathrooms (15W)
• Anti-Glare — silver-plated centre prevents direct glare, great for homes with young children (15W)
• Shortie — ultra-slim 47mm height for limited false ceiling space (7W)
• Gypsum / Gypsum Double — architectural concave design, built into the ceiling (9W / 2×9W)
• Special Edition — our most affordable smart light, with anti-glare (10W / 15W)

Surface mounted

• Milo Tin — sleek round design, compact and powerful (10W)
• Dice — the square alternative to Milo Tin
• Turnstile — adjustable directional light for accent and task areas (10W / 15W)

Track lights

• Line — wide beam for kitchens and workspaces
• Standard — focal point accent lighting (4W / 7W / 10W / 15W)
• Cube — aesthetic modern design
• Cube Flexi — illuminate large areas from a single track
• Pendant / Pendant Bold — elegant dining table lighting

LED lightstrips (Zigbee)

• Smart COB CCT Strip — dimming and colour tuning, any length, no cut-interval limitation, push-button switch included
• Smart COB RGBCW Strip — full RGB plus warm/cool white, in regular and Music Sync models
• Panel Lights RGBCW (fabric) — 8W per piece, regular and Music Sync

Philips HUE remains a solid choice if you want interchangeable GU10 bulbs in decorative fixtures. HUE runs on its own Zigbee Bridge with no cloud and integrates directly with Home-A-Genius — great for RGB accent lighting in living and entertainment areas.

Avoid

• Tuya / SmartLife Zigbee lights — not verified stable. We advise against them at all cost.
• Wi-Fi smart lights (Yeelight, Nanoleaf) — each light takes an IP address. Ten lights means ten fewer devices your router can handle well.
• BLE (Bluetooth) lights — the worst connection for smart lighting, and they need a separate BLE gateway connected to the cloud.
• Smart LED strips with a power socket and fixed cut intervals — if your carpentry is 1.34m and the strip cuts every 30cm, you get 4cm of darkness. Our Zigbee strips have no length limitation.

All our dimmable options run on Zigbee, reducing router load, and work locally with no third-party cloud.

1. Dimmable / tunable LED lightstrips (Zigbee)

• Any length, no restrictions
• Dimming plus CCT colour tuning, 2700K–6500K
• Push-button switch for easy manual access
• Special wiring is needed — check with your consultant

2. Dimmable switches

• Rotary + push button knob, plastic or glass cover, works with TRIAC drivers
• Smart dimmer relay — requires neutral + live, supports multi-gang switches
• Touch panel dimmer switch — requires neutral + live, works with TRIAC drivers

Latest

• LCD dynamic labels — each button displays a custom name such as “Movie Night” or “Goodnight”. No more guessing which switch does what.
• Customisable indicator colours — white, red, green, blue or yellow, per button
• Adjustable brightness on the indicators
• Radar proximity wakeup (mmWave) — the switch lights up as you walk near it, so you can read the labels in the dark before touching
• Available in 1-gang, 2-gang, 3-gang and 4-gang
• Colours: white, gold, grey, black
• Protocol: Zigbee 3.0

Our retrofit-friendly option, for homes where rewiring isn't practical.

• No neutral wire needed
• Works even when the smart home system is completely offline
• Hidden fallback power switch, so you never lose manual control
• Available in 1G / 2G / 4G / knob, in white
• Only works with Home-A-Genius's bindable smart drivers and relays

Most switches are installed at 1.2m from the floor.

Our Sense V3 smart switches, with LCD labels and radar wakeup, are best at eye level — 1.5m to the top of the switch — so the dynamic labels are easy to read.

Most ceiling fans work well; the constraint is the remote control. Best if you can find a fan with individual buttons for every fan speed and for light control, rather than a single toggle button.

Integration method: RF via Bond Bridge or Broadlink RF Blaster, giving start, stop, fan speed and light control.

Our recommended fan: PO Fans.

Deep integration — best experience

Daikin iSmile series: full local control with no internet needed — power, temperature, fan speed, horizontal and vertical swing, fan mode, dry mode — plus bi-directional feedback, so Home-A-Genius always knows the current state. Confirm your unit works with the Daikin Mobile Controller app.

Mitsubishi with CN105 connector: full control via Wi-Fi module — power, temperature, fan speed, vertical swing and modes. Confirmed series: MSXY, MSY, MSZ (wall-mounted), PEY, PL, PLY, PCY (cassette).

Standard integration — IR blaster

Every other air-con brand can be controlled by our IR blaster: on/off, temperature, fan speed and mode changes. The limitation is that IR needs line of sight, and an IR signal cannot confirm the unit actually received the command.

Known issues

• LG Smart AC (black): the IR receiver isn't sensitive, so the blaster must sit very close. Google can act as a secondary hub, but reaction time is 10–15 seconds.
• Ducted air-con in bright rooms: strong sunlight distorts IR, so the signal may not reach the receiver reliably.
• Tengah / Plantation Crescent CCS: the central cooling system uses identical on/off IR signals, so actual state can't be confirmed. Solution is the Reiri Hub (around $400) for individual control per unit.

Virtual integration (AVR/GVR)

Temperature control and on/off only — no fan speed control. If you need fan speed, an IR blaster is required as an add-on.

Deep integration, via the Xiaomi ecosystem: Roborock S series and E series, Mi Robot Vacuum series, Ecovacs (cloud-based).

Matter integration: Tapo RV30 Omni (confirmed).

Most other robot vacuums can be integrated via AVR/GVR if they connect to Alexa or Google Home.

Dyson smart fan: must be Wi-Fi enabled and connected to the MyDyson app. Controls on/off, speed 0–100% and fan mode. Confirmed: TP07, TP09, Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde.

BOSCH / Home Connect appliances: must connect to the Home Connect app. Cloud-dependent.

Sonos: Wi-Fi enabled and connected to the Sonos app, integrated via deep integration.

Music sync: our Panel RGBCW lights and RGBCW COB strips sync to Spotify in real time for immersive entertainment.

We've expanded significantly from the old FAQ.

Full smart control

On/off, app launch, e-remote, channels, sources and doorbell split-screen:

• Android Smart TV (Android 9+)
• Google TV OS

Full smart control, except doorbell split-screen

• Samsung (Tizen 2022+) — power on requires an IR blaster, because Wi-Fi shuts off when the TV is off
• LG (WebOS) — power on requires an IR blaster, same reason
• Hisense / Toshiba (VIDAA OS 9+) — full control plus mute

Doorbell split-screen only works on Android and Google TV OS. Samsung and LG users should get a Google Nest Hub for doorbell display.

Music sync: our RGBCW panel lights and COB LED strips sync to Spotify in real time. Requires the Zigbee Entertainment Bridge and Spotify Premium.

Home-A-Genius Smart Amp + ceiling speakers

• Package A (large): 110W×2 amp with 4 ceiling speakers, Spotify required
• Package B (standard): 50W×2 amp with 2 ceiling speakers, Spotify required

Home-A-Genius Music Streamer PRO: for clients with an existing amplifier — enables smart streaming and Spotify control through the Home-A-Genius app.

Best integration — Zigbee 3.0

Open, close, stop and position 0–100%:

• A-OK motors (Zigbee 3.0)
• Dooya Pro with Zigbee module — bi-directional, with status feedback

RF integration — via Bond Bridge

Open, stop and close:

• Somfy RTS motors
• Dooya (DC2700 remote models)
• Most RF 433MHz motorised curtains

Dooya Pro options

1. Add a Zigbee module — $100+ per motor, snaps onto the motor externally, connects directly to the Home-A-Genius Zigbee network
2. Add the Dooya Pro metal hub — one hub for multiple motors using Matter, cheaper once you're past about 10 motors

Limitations

• Some condos have pre-installed ziptrack blinds locked to a vendor package. In those cases Home-A-Genius can only do indoor curtains and blinds.
• Somfy's encrypted Zigbee (Tahoma Bee) does not integrate with Home-A-Genius directly — use Bond Bridge instead.
• Hunter Douglas works via the PowerView hub, which is expensive and handled case by case.

The Home-A-Genius Hub is a local server placed in your home DB. It stores all rules and logic and runs without internet.

• Single app controlling every brand — Zigbee, Wi-Fi, RF and virtual integrations
• Multi-user access — anyone on your home network can control the smart home without logging in and out
• Built-in Omada Controller — monitor and configure your network from the same system
• Mini NVR — stores CCTV footage for up to 30 days
• Encrypted remote access — control your home securely from anywhere over VPN
• AI Voice V2 (ChatGPT / Gemini) — natural language commands, command chaining, vision AI and troubleshooting
• Up to 8 Zigbee gateways, 200 devices per hub
• UPS battery backup, 1 hour

Matter is a promising universal smart home standard, but it's still maturing. Home-A-Genius supports Matter as a bridge option for specific scenarios.

When Matter makes sense

• Small unit — HDB or condo up to 100sqm, single storey
• You already own Matter-compatible devices
• Budget doesn't stretch to the full Home-A-Genius Hub yet
• You're tech-savvy and comfortable with the limitations

When to go with the full Home-A-Genius Hub instead

• The unit is larger than 100sqm, or multi-storey
• You want AI voice features
• You want RF control for ceiling fans and roller shades
• You want smart lights and smart switches working together
• You want robust automation with complex scenes
• You want long-term stability without depending on Apple or Google firmware updates

Key limitations of Matter today

• Requires a border router — Google Nest Hub, Apple HomePod or Alexa Echo — bought separately
• A bad firmware update from Apple or Google can break your smart home until they fix it
• Higher device failure rate than Zigbee
• Limited device ecosystem, mostly lights, plugs and sensors
• No RF blaster support
• No true light grouping, so lights turn on one by one, popcorn style, instead of together

Virtual integrations let you bring any Alexa, Google Home or HomeKit-compatible device into the Home-A-Genius platform.

• AVR (Alexa): the most developed. Supports brightness and colour tone. Requires internet.
• GVR (Google): less developed. Some devices are limited to on/off. Requires internet.
• HVR (HomeKit): can work locally via HomePod Mini. Least developed.

Pricing

• Basic ($70): on/off plus 1 default setting
• Lights Pro ($140): brightness 0–100% and CCT control
• AC Pro ($140): temperature 16–31°C and fan speed, LG and Toshiba AC only

Popular devices via virtual relay: Sensibo, AmbiClimate, SmartThings, LG ThinQ, Tuya/SmartLife, Dooya, SwitchBot, Kasa smart plugs.

These brands integrate natively, for the best and most reliable experience.

• Security: HikVision, igloohome
• Music & entertainment: Sonos, Spotify, Chromecast, Home-A-Genius Smart Amp + ceiling speakers
• Television: Android TV (9+), Google TV OS, LG WebOS, Samsung Tizen (2022+), Hisense/Toshiba VIDAA (9+)
• Curtains & blinds: A-OK, Somfy (via Bond Bridge), Dooya Pro, Hunter Douglas
• Smart lights: Philips HUE, the full Home-A-Genius smart light range
• Appliances: Roborock, Ecovacs (cloud), Dyson smart fans, Home Connect/BOSCH (cloud), Broadlink, Daikin iSmile, Xiaomi fan / purifier / vacuum

Possible deep integration, case by case: Yeelight, Tapo, SwitchBot.

Our latest AI voice control, launched June 2026, powered by ChatGPT or Gemini and available on GWP, iOS, Android and SSM.

• Command chaining: “Open curtains, turn on TV and lights” — all in one breath
• Time commands: “Turn on air con tonight 8pm”
• Vision AI: “What is at the entrance camera?”
• Custom shortcuts: “When I say go to work, turn off entrance lights and bedroom TV”
• Spotify control: “Play Jay Chou” or “Play soothing songs”
• 24/7 troubleshooting: “My dining pendant light cannot work on app”
• Weather, maps and general questions
• Remembers context: “Turn on living lights” → “Turn it off”

Wakewords: 小智管家 in Chinese on GWP, or Jarvis in English on Android, SSM and the Smarter Speaker.

A fair concern. Wemo and Insteon shut down and their devices became bricks — but those ran on cloud servers.

Home-A-Genius is different. Our hub runs 100% locally. Your switches, lights, sensors and automations run on Zigbee 3.0, an open international standard. Even if Home-A-Genius disappeared tomorrow:

• All your switches and lights still function manually
• Zigbee 3.0 devices can be paired to any Zigbee-compatible hub, such as Home Assistant or Hubitat
• Your wiring, infrastructure and hardware retain full value

Think of it like buying a freehold property, rather than leasing from a landlord who might sell.

HikVision is our recommended brand for both CCTV and video intercom.

Why HikVision over Ring and consumer doorbells

• Local recording to NVR — no subscription fees, no cloud dependency
• Full smart home integration — triggers automations and scenes
• Gate and door control — unlock remotely from the app or indoor station
• PoE connection — never runs out of battery, no Wi-Fi dependency
• Privacy — footage stays on-premises, never on someone else's server

Intercom options

• Door Camera PRO (KV6114): 4MP, 150° field of view, slim and sleek, Bluetooth unlock, SD card recording
• Modular Outdoor Station (KD8): 2MP, modular so you can add a keypad, card reader or fingerprint later, flush or surface mount
• Keypad version (KV6124): great for temporary visitor PINs, and as a backup when cards are lost

Security default

Remote unlock is disabled by default. If your home Wi-Fi is compromised, an attacker on your network could open your door through the Home-A-Genius app. Our recommendation:

• Main door: do not enable remote unlock
• Side door or side gate: acceptable for remote unlock — visitors get in, but not through the main door
• Scene triggers are safe: a lock-unlock event triggering a scene (lights on, AC on) is not a direct open command

If you absolutely need remote unlock, we offer:

1. PIN secondary confirmation — every unlock requires a code
2. IP filtering — only specific devices can trigger the unlock
3. Full unlock, with a signed risk acknowledgment

Your smart home consultant should give you and your electrical team:

1. Switch diagram
2. Network diagram
3. Gate / intercom wiring diagram, if applicable
4. Security system wiring diagram, if applicable
5. Specific switch measurements, so your electricians get the dimensions right

These five things need our assistance rather than DIY:

1. HomeKit activation and re-setup
2. Appliance pairing — TV, robot vacuum, Dyson, Xiaomi
3. Virtual integration setup — Tuya, SwitchBot and similar
4. Router reset or change re-setup
5. Any on-site arrangement requested

Post-warranty, all device replacements involve hardware and service charges.

1. Wi-Fi smart lights — use our Zigbee smart lights or smart switches instead
2. Smart LED lightstrips with fixed cut intervals — use our flexible Zigbee strips
3. BLE (Bluetooth) smart lights — the worst smart lighting technology
4. Tuya / SmartLife Zigbee devices — not standard Zigbee 3.0, unverified stability
5. Consumer mesh routers for homes with 30+ smart devices
6. Ring and cloud-dependent doorbells if you want local recording and smart home integration