Image: Joshua Goldman/CNET
On Wednesday, at its Unpacked event in New York City, Samsung unveiled a new home Wi-Fi hub that has built in SmartThings integration. The Samsung Connect Home system is composed of three units, which can be used to easily deploy a mesh Wi-Fi network in a home or small business.
One of the Connect Home units is meant to be plugged into your broadband modem, while the other two are meant to be used as extenders. If the concept sounds familiar, that’s because it has been done by the likes of Google Wifi, Eero, Orbi, and a host of other providers.
The system is set up and controlled through a mobile app that is currently only available for Samsung’s brand new Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus smartphones. However, as noted by CNET’s Dong Ngo, it will make it to other Android devices later in the year, and maybe into iOS products as well.
SEE: Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus: The smart person’s guide
In addition to getting everything setup and configured, the app will also allow users to set up and manage Samsung smart home devices as well. For example, a user would be able to connect their Samsung smart washer to the network and start using it. This could be helpful for a small business looking to set up connected cameras for added security.
Samsung’s SmartThings, acquired in 2014, also makes an appearance, integrating home automation features into the Samsung Connect Home as well. Using the app (notice a theme here?), users can program and execute automated processes with their compatible IoT devices.
The Connect Home will support Zigbee and Z-Wave standards, and will work with third-party products like the Philips Hue Lights and the Ring Video Doorbell. The Connect Home supports the 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wave 2 Wi-Fi standard, and the pack of three can cover up to 4,500 square feet.
Samsung is also planning a Pro model that will be available as a single unit, only with faster speeds.
At the time of this writing, pricing and availability hadn’t yet been announced.
The 3 big takeaways for TechRepublic readers
- The Samsung Connect Home offers a home or small business a mesh Wi-Fi network that is easy to set up and has built-in smart home integrations.
- The Connect Home is controlled by an app, which is also used to set up IoT devices on the network and program automation.
- Samsung is also planning a Pro model with faster speeds, but no pricing or availability information is available for either model.
