Easy Home Automation with the WeMo Light Switch from Belkin

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Thanks to Belkin and its line of WeMo products, you don’t need to overhaul your home or build a new one to take advantage of advances in home automation. I’ve been using their WeMo Switch for a couple of years, and this past Christmas I got the WeMo Light Switch. It’s easy to setup and works great. Take a look at video review of the Belkin WeMo Light Switch.

YouTube video

As you can see in my video review, it’s really easy to install the WeMo light switch. If you don’t feel comfortable doing basic electrical work yourself, please call an expert. Installation only takes a few minutes. I want to point out something I missed in the video review, your light switch box must have a “neutral” wire. If it doesn’t, you’re going to have to contact an electrician. This “neutral” wire allows the light switch to be powered at all times even when the light is off.

When it came to the installation, the hardest part for me was getting it connected to my network and all paired up with the WeMo app. I had this issue with the WeMo Switch as well and I’m not sure why. My front door is really close to my Apple router, so the WiFi signal is very strong. It took me several attempts, but I finally did get it all paired up, and as I mentioned in the video, it’s been rock solid. No drop outs, or lost connections or anything of the sort.

Once it’s all set up, you can turn on and off your light with your mobile device. And yes, you can still turn it on and off by pushing on the light switch itself just like you would a normal switch. I installed mine to work with my front door light. It’s really nice to be able to come home at night and turn on the light as I pull into the driveway. I don’t have to leave the light on anymore, and because I can turn it off and on from anywhere as long as I have am internet connection, if I forget to turn the light off, it’s easy to do.

Another great feature is the ability to set schedules. We recently went on vacation and used the WeMo app to set a schedule when we wanted our lights to turn on and then off. We didn’t wan them turning off and on at the same time every night, so we quickly setup a schedule for each day, and it worked flawlessly. While away, we could check to make sure the lights were either on or off.

Overall I love the WeMo Light Switch from Belkin. We are thinking of getting a few more of them and a few more WeMo Switch’s for around the house and maybe even trying out a few of the other great WeMo products Belkin offers.

Are you into home automation? And if so, what are some of your favourite products? Let me know in the comments section.

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