D-Link at CES: “Home is where the smart is.”

As I've mentioned before, I think one of the central problems of the "smart home" is the fact that you need as many different applications as there are devices to manage them. And all of them represent potential security holes in your home network, if they're not properly managed.

I have used a lot of D-link gear over the years and, while they're not always on the leading edge, they make good gear. This year at CES I got to see what D-Link has been up to. Their networking products look great. Unfortunately, their new home automation solutions are proprietary / closed. If they would open up their eco-system, I think they would be much more successful in this space.

We'll see.

Here's what they brought to CES:

Smart Home technology:

• They offer two security kits including a motion sensor, a switch, an HD camera (with 802.11ac – i.e. high bandwidth - connectivity) with local or cloud storage. These are not cheap ($120-$230)
• Connected Home Hub – a WiFi and Z-Wave bridge (with Z-Wave sensors for door open/close, motion, water sensor and a siren)
• These use the mydlink app for control.

New high-performance wireless routers (pictured below):

• AC3200 (two 5GHz radios plus 2.4GHz. 1.3Gbps on each of the 5GHz radios and 600 Mbps on the 2.4GHz) $310
• AC3100 (4X4 MU-MIMO technology. 2Gbps on the 5GHz band and 1 GHz on the 2.4GHz) – no pricing or availability yet
• AC5300 (MU-MIMO + XStream. 2 X 2.1 Gbps plus 1 Gbps on the 2.4 GHz side) – no pricing or availability yet
• (MU-MIMO is a technology that uses different transmitters and antennae to connect to multiple users, for higher bandwidth.)

Powerline networking:

• AV2 2000 Gigabit powerline networking (uses your home electrical distribution system for networking.) $130 available 1Q

Again, the only problem I have with them is closed architecture of their home automation systems. This continues to be a stumbling block for many home automation suppliers...