A serious security system doesn't start by sprinkling your home with smart gadgets, but by contracting a security company to install the right devices. But not everyone can do that and maybe not everyone needs to, but what can we do ourselves to keep our homes safe with Xiaomi smart home devices?
A few years ago, there were complete kits with the basic smart home tools. These included the central unit, motion sensor, door or window opening sensor and a smart button. MiJia used to have a similar one, but it was Chinese. But what is available today and what can we use it for?
The heart of the Xiaomi smart home is the Xiaomi Home, formerly Mi Home Android and iOS apps. In the software we can set everything up, control everything and of course be notified when the following devices send us messages. You can find a demo of the software at the bottom of this article, under the devices tutorial!
Let's see what you can get while writing this article:
The first and most important element of our smart home is the central unit. In English Gateway. A Mi Smart Home Hub at the centre of it all, responsible for all tasks and unit relations. It's a tool that allows us to access our smart home from anywhere in the world, but its tasks don't end there.
Unlike the old Gateways, this one now knows all the networks you used to have to buy a separate device for (Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Bluetooth). So if you're just getting started, you're in for a treat. With this knowledge you can connect all your devices. In terms of placement of devices, the most sensible thing to do is to have a good Wi-Fi connection and to have everything close by so that you don't lose connection with anything.
The central unit alone is almost useless. You need accessories such as motion sensors, door/window opening sensors, smart buttons, cameras, lights, bulbs, etc. All of these can be used to protect your home, office or holiday home.
Motion sensor, so you don't have to explain much, it senses movement. Fortunately, there is no visible sign when this happens, so it does its job undetected, whether in daylight or in the dark. The range of detection is 7 meters, so if you want it to watch a door, or a corner, or a room, you have to place it within 7 meters. The sensor can be placed almost anywhere with the adhesive sticker on the bottom. But note that the sensor has an angle of view of 170º, so you don't always need to be able to see the exact area you are monitoring. The device works wirelessly, using a button battery, specifically a CR2450. Depending on the intensity of the detection, it will work for 1-2 years on a single battery.
According to window and motion sensor is also very useful for protecting your home. One of the two pieces of equipment should be placed on the door or window itself, and the other on the frame, but right next to each other.
Something like this. The sensor and the magnet should be no more than 22 mm apart, because then it will be permanently open. So the way it works then is that if they are next to each other, for example with the door closed, the sensor tells the Smart Home Hub "I'm closed". If they move away from each other, it will report to the hub. But we still need to do something about these reports. We can even add in the Xiaomi Home app to set the Hub to send this message to our phone. So if a protected door or window opens, we'll know immediately! That way we can protect your home or whatever. The uses are very wide, not just windows or doors, drawers, cupboards, or anything that can be opened.
The opening sensor is also wireless and battery operated, using a CR1632 battery. Under normal conditions, it will last up to 2 years on a single battery.
The Xiaomi wireless switch does not protect us or our homes. But it is an integral part of our home security system. The switch can be used for many things, turning lights off/on, performing tasks that you set up in the Xiaomi Home app, or to turn on/off the "Alarm" function of the central unit.
Perhaps we have now reached the end of the products that can keep your home safe. The most important component, as I wrote at the beginning of this article, is the software itself. Xiaomi Home can be found in the Play Store for Android users and in the App Store for iOS users.
We've already covered how to use the Xiaomi Home app in our article and YouTube video, so I won't go into that here. But in terms of protecting your home, I will share ways to leave your home or holiday home safe and sound. So then the central unit, the opening sensors, motion sensors are placed properly and added in the Xiaomi Home app.
When you open the central unit in the app, you'll be greeted by the middle screen, where you can tap on the crossed-out shield to arm the defence. We can do the same thing with the Xiaomi Mi Wireless Switch, which we can turn on/off the alarm function by hiding it in the right place. And in the General settings menu, you can configure what should trigger the alarm. For example, if a door or window opens, motion is detected by the motion sensor.
But a complete smart home system can do much more than that. You can add a smart light bulb or a night light, or even a camera, to the opening sensor, which we have already written to you about. It is also level with the motion detector and may deter an unauthorised intruder.
Xiaomi smart home security devices and current prices
