Alexa – Page 2 – Trusted Smart Homes

Most of your home devices -- including air conditioners, lights, garage doors, and of course, thermostats -- are already probably work with Alexa. So it would only be appropriate and wise for any smart vent you and up getting to work with Alexa. Smart vents are one of the latest on the long list of smart devices to hit the market. However, can they be controlled by Alexa? The quick answer to this question is "Yes!" Some smart vents have the ability to work with Alexa. However, setting up the vent can get quite technical. Also, not all smart vents have this ability. There are certain criteria a device must meet to support Alexa, and not all smart vents meet up. Here, we offer you a guide to help you select and set up that smart vent that fits like a glove into your Amazon-based smart home. Here are quick steps to connecting your smart vents to Alexa: Get the device activated via the smart vent manufacturer's appIn the Alexa app, tap "Devices" Tap "Add device" Select the category that best fits your device Click "Continue" and then "Enable"Link Alexa to the user account associated with the smart vent. When done with these, you should be able to find your small vent on the Alexa app and control it via your voice. We will be giving you a well-detailed, step-by-step tutorial on how to connect your smart vent to Alexa and also troubleshooting steps on the common problems you would likely encounter in the process. Also Read; Are Smart Vents Compatible With Google Home? Why Connect Your Home With Alexa? Now, to start with, why go through all the hassle involved in looking out for and buying an Alexa-compatible vent? Well, to be brief and precise, you will only really begin to appreciate Alexa once you begin to use her to control the smart devices in your home. Alexa's ability to link your home tech in a fluid synergy is, quite simply put, top-notch. With Alexa, setting up single command groups that have the ability to manage several lights, plugs, and several other devices together, is made really easy – implying that a single command can set the mood for the whole house, this command could be tuned to walking in through the front door, setting up for some TV time, or simply turning everything off before bedtime. What Smart Vents Work With Alexa? The smart vent industry is a relatively untapped one at the moment with very few manufacturers. Notwithstanding, the few producers are very competent, with each one presenting customers with products containing premium features. However, only the following products that have been outlined here are compatible with Alexa: 1. Keen Home Regardless of the fact that it is one of the most popular smart vents on the market, the Keen Home does not support a direct link to Alexa. However, it can be connected to Alexa through a few other alternative methods. These include: Samsung SmartThings This hub from Samsung is quite popular, as it offers a means of connecting Alexa to devices that it, by default, does not support. If you want to get a Keen Home, you might just have to make the added purchase of a Samsung SmartThings Hub. Amazon Echo Plus With the Zigbee connectivity supported by Keen Home smart vents, you will be able to connect your smart vent to Amazon, but only with its upgraded Echo Plus version. 2. Flair A product well-known for its unique design, the Flair smart vent is the only vent that supports direct connection to Alexa. It is thus, the smart vent that is best able to work with Alexa. How Do I Connect My Device to Alexa? If you don't have one already, getting an Echo product should be your first priority. This is going to serve as your controller. Note: For your smart vents (and any other smart device) to work with Alexa, it must be compatible with the controller. You must, therefore, be sure that the smart vent is compatible with your controller before you make a purchase. Connecting Your Smart Vent With Alexa The first aspect is that of following the instructions that come with the smart vent. This is the same for every other device that isn't Amazon-made– you'll have to first install it correctly within your own app and ecosystem before you begin to work on Alexa. In a case where your smart vent is Wi-Fi-friendly, go to the app store for your mobile device and install the app from the manufacturer. Follow these steps to set up your smart-home Wi-Fi system in the App: Step-by-step Guide to Connect Smart Vent with Alexa Plug in and, if you find this compulsory, switch on the smart vent.Open the smart vent manufacturer’s app.Start the procedure for setting up a new device. Look out for a command named "Add" or "Add [manufacturer] Device" (where "manufacturer" is the name of the smart vent company). You can also lookout for a simple large plus sign (+). The setup procedure will relay instructions to the smart vent to broadcast its Wi-Fi network. Open your mobile device’s Wi-Fi settings and search for the vent’s Wi-Fi network.Click on the vent's network to connect to it.Once the connection process is complete, return to the vent's app. The app automatically detects the new network and uses the connection to set up the vent. This usually entails setting a name to the vent. You’ll most likely have to set up an account with the manufacturer, as well. The app then requests for your Wi-Fi credentials, which helps the vent to connect to and operate over your network. Getting the smart vent on your network is also how Alexa finds and operates it, so this step is very important. If you get a pop-up asking whether you want to upgrade the smart vent's firmware, by all means, tap Yes or Allow or Update or Confirm or whatever button responds in the affirmative. With your smart vent now installed, you can check it out and rename it as you would wish right from the Alexa app. Just click on the Devices icon to reveal the Devices screen, and you can, from here, change the settings of your vent to suit your needs. Controlling the Vents Smart vents, like Flair, connect to the internet via Wi-Fi and this ensures that they can be regulated with a smartphone or virtual assistant. The major advantage of a smart vent is that it can, using its proximity sensors determine when to shut off the heat or air-conditioning to a room to preserve energy. Setting up a smart vent with a virtual assistant like Alexa gives you the extra perk of being able to control the vents by simply making a voice command. By way of example, we will set up a vent (Flair) to work with Alexa. You will need: An Amazon Echo product,A Flair smart vent,An Apple or Android smartphone for setting up Alexa to talk to the vent. After installing your vent, open the Amazon Alexa app on your smartphone. Tap the menu icon and select Skills. Search for the Flair vent skill and enable it. Still in the Amazon Alexa app, tap the menu icon and tap Smart Home. Tap "Devices", then select "Discover". The app will run a scan for devices and discover the vent. Now test the vent. If you gave it an intuitive name like "My office vent", try saying “Alexa, set my office vent to 50%” Or say “Alexa, set my office vent to 100%”. Related Questions What happens if Alexa can’t find your vent? If you’ve gone through all these steps and Alexa isn’t identifying your device, there are some measures you can take. To be concise, here’s your basic Alexa troubleshooting checklist Confirm that it is a 'Works with Alexa' product. Is it powered on and ready to be discovered? Delete and reinstall the Alexa skill, and then sign in again. Check your phone to be sure that Alexa and this device are all linked to the same Wi-Fi network. Turn off the device and Alexa and find out how to do a hardware reset. Update your router settings and Android devices. How can I Discover Smart Home Devices using an Alexa Skill? In the case where you’re not using an Alexa device that includes a smart-home hub like the Echo Plus or the second-generation Echo Show), then you would need to upgrade Alexa to work with your smart vents. You can do this by activating the device maker’s Alexa skill. Apart from helping Alexa discover the vent, it also upgrades Alexa with all the voice commands that you'll need to control the vent. Step-by-step Guide Install the manufacturer’s app and use it to get your smart-home device on to your Wi-Fi network.In the Alexa app, click on "Devices". Tap the "Add" button (+) located in the top-right corner of the screen.Tap "Add Device"; The Alexa app displays icons for some popular brands and some device categories.Select the category that best fits your device, and then tap on the manufacturer. The Alexa app alerts you to perform the requirements outlined in Step 1. Once you’ve done all that, you're free to proceed.Select "Continue"; The Alexa app then opens the information page for the manufacturer’s Alexa skill.Tap Enable; Here, what follows depends on the skill, but you’ll usually be requested to do one or both of the following: Use the smart-home device app to give Alexa the permission to access the device. And Link Alexa to the user account associated with the smart-home device.When you’re done, tap Close (X) to return to the skill page.Tap Discover Devices; The Alexa app uses the manufacturer’s Alexa skill to search for available devices.Tap Done. With a manufacturer’s Alexa skill enabled, you can find new devices by young through with steps 1 through 5 and then tapping Discover Devices, or you can ask Alexa to run the following voice command: “Alexa, discover my devices.” Setting up your Alexa product demands that you first download the Alexa app onto your phone. This app allows you to add “skills” to work accessories or broaden your assistant’s range of capabilities. To find home accessories that are compatible with Alexa, look for a “Works With Alexa” logo on the packaging or in the product's description.