Smart home automation devices are becoming one of the main features of luxury living. After all, who wouldn’t want garage doors that magically open as you approach your home; lights that know when you go to bed and turn themselves off; a thermostat that optimizes itself to save you money; or a refrigerator that lets you know the milk is sour before you take a sip?

However, many homeowners worry that adding all these Internet of Things (IoT) devices will make their home vulnerable to hacking and invasion of privacy. That concern is well-founded, but there are simple things a homeowner can do to make their systems more secure, while still enjoying the comfort and convenience a smart home brings to everyday life. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Disconnect devices when they aren’t being used.

When you are done with your computer for the day, you turn it off, right? The same habit should apply to IoT devices, such as smart televisions and streaming players. With smart home system hubs, this is remarkably simple. In most cases, you can just press a button and the device is disconnected from the network, meaning it can’t be reached from outside your own network. Fewer chances for a potential bad guy to reach your devices translates into more security.

Configure a different network for your smart devices.

Modern routers are designed to support more than one network. Consider creating a network specifically for your smart home devices that is not the same one you use for your computers, phones, and tablets. Simply connect your smart home hub to a secondary network. That way if one automation device is hacked or compromised, it doesn’t spread to your devices that have all your personal information on them.

Keep your devices updated.

Manufacturers regularly provide firmware updates to add features, fix bugs, or address newly discovered vulnerabilities in their devices. Make sure you set up your smart home hub to allow updates. Updates are generally automatically installed in a matter of seconds.

Customize the names of your connected smart devices.

Giving a unique name to each device on your smart home hub makes it easy to see at a glance what is connected or activated at any given time. For example, instead of leaving the default manufacturer’s name of “multipurpose sensor,” you can edit the name to be “basement door sensor.”  Get in the habit of checking your connected devices list to make sure you recognize each one. If there is something you don’t recognize, disconnect it until you can determine what it is.

Create a robust network password.

Long gone are the days when just changing a letter to a number in a common word would secure your network. The key now is to create a long passphrase that combines upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters. Complexity+length=security. It’s a good practice to change your passwords regularly, too.

Does this all seem hopelessly complex? Let us help. Zeus Integrated Systems is a leader in luxury smart home automations in the New York City and Miami regions. We use today’s top systems to provide you unparalleled smart home automation solutions with the level of comfort, convenience, and security you deserve.

Ready to get started? Give us a call today. (800) 878-9705