Wi-Fi Smart Lock or Hub-Based Lock: What Changes for the Buyer?
Compare the whole communication path, not the number of boxes. A direct Wi-Fi lock and a hub-based setup can both suit a home, depending on coverage and the automations you want.
Check the door position
Walk to the closed exterior door with a phone and examine the network there. A router that works well in the living room may not give the entry hardware equivalent coverage.
Include future sensors
If door contacts, leak sensors or physical scene buttons are planned, a shared hub may earn its place. Compare its supported devices instead of buying a hub solely for a logo.
Quote like for like
Ask for entry, remote status, guest access and the intended lighting trigger on both quotations. This reveals whether the supposedly simpler option needs additional equipment to meet the same brief.
Before you buy
- Network coverage at the closed door
- Sensors planned for the same system
- Like-for-like remote feature list