Nexia Home (formerly Schalge LiNK) has been my go-to system for home automation for quite some time. I first checked it out quite a while ago, and more recently, Georgia got to test the setup for herself. While the Nexia system gave us an indoor camera (both wired and wireless), thermostat, lamp module and door locks -- it was still lacking in the sensor department. All that has changed now however as Nexia has recently released both a door/window sensor and an indoor motion sensor. Both of these really add some great versatility to the whole setup, and with the addition of an outdoor wireless camera, Nexia is staying on top of their game.
No matter if you already have a Nexia system or you're just starting out, adding the new devices to your setup couldn't be simpler. I won't dive into setting up the entire system since we've been down that road already, but we'll check out how adding the new sensors makes the Nexia system even more awesome.
You will obviously need to choose where you want to use your new sensors before you get going. Depending on your system you may have more than one door, window or room that you want to monitor. If you're already using a camera or lamp module inside, you can create scenes that will record video or turn on your lights when the corresponding sensor is triggered. Any time something is triggered, you can also choose to receive an email or SMS. There are a load of combinations and triggers with which to setup your Nexia system. I've wasted hours tweaking my scenes to get them just right, but I still find myself rearranging them constantly.
From UPS drop-off to "up and running" was only about 15 minutes for the new sensors (setting up a new system is a much longer task). For the motion sensor you just need to pop off the outer cover and install the battery. From there, enroll the sensor with your bridge using the provided instructions. Once it's enrolled it will show in your dashboard and it's ready for mounting using the included double sided tape or screws.
The door/window sensor works in the same manner -- tap the button to enroll the sensor, wait for it to be accepted then find a door or window you want to monitor and install both parts of the sensor. Done and done.
For my setup I chose to use the door/window sensor on my patio door and the motion sensor in my foyer. I setup a scene through my Nexia dashboard so that when the motion sensor is triggered my lamp module turns on and my camera records for two minutes. I also get a text message sent to my phone letting me know that my scene was triggered. This is all setup for late-night hours so I don't get constant triggers all day long.
The patio door sensor is just a great way to let me know if my patio door is opened without my knowledge when I'm away. I'm sure it will come in handy when my daughter starts romping around a bit more as well.
Of course all of this can be viewed and controlled from your iPhone with the free Nexia app. The app lets you see the status of your sensors, activate your door lock, view your camera, turn on your lamp modules, setup scenes and much more. The patio door sensor is just a great way to let me know if my patio door is opened without my knowledge when I'm away. I'm sure it will come in handy when my daughter starts romping around a bit more as well.
The new outdoor wireless camera is also a welcome addition to the Nexia line. It's simple to hook up providing you have a good mounting spot outside (or inside depending on your needs). You'll just need to make sure you have somewhere to plug it in and also that it's within range of your home wifi. Too far away and you obviously won't have a working camera. Again, setup for this is as simple as enrolling it with your bridge and getting it mounted.
The camera works great in the daytime and also has a low-light feature for night viewing. There is a built-in motion sensor, however it currently is disabled but is said to be working with a firmware update in the coming weeks.
The door and window sensor is available for $49.99 while the motion sensor will run you $69.99. (opens in new tab)
Contest: If you're not ready to spring for a Nexia system just yet, you're in luck - we have one to give away. Just leave a comment here and you'll be entered to win a Nexia Home Starter Bundle that includes your choice of lock (deadbolt or lever), lamp module and bridge. You'll also get a new door/window sensor and motion sensor. The contest ends Monday at midnight. Good luck!
