Smart Homes in Lebanon: A Guide to Modern Living
A smart home is one where you can control lights, ACs, curtains, and more—right from your phone or by using your voice. With Smartio, it’s easy to start, even if you’re not a tech expert.
- Smart Lighting
- Smart Air Conditioning
- Smart Roller Shutters
- Home Security and Monitoring
- Automations and Remote Controls
- Smart Water Heater
Getting started with a smart home simply means starting with one of these. This Getting Started guide goes through each category, and the products you’ll need to achieve them. You can also contact us if you would like to arrange a site visit, to help you choose the right devices to make your home a smarter place.
1. Smart Lighting
Smart lighting is one of the simplest and most impactful ways to begin your smart home journey. Lights are something we use every day, so making them smart is a natural first step.
At Smartio, we use a variety of smart switches and smart lighting products to bring homes to life.
Smart Switches
Smart Switches replace your existing wall switches—or work alongside them. In the past, you’d flip a switch to turn the lights on and off. With smart switches, that same switch can be flipped electronically—by your phone, voice assistant, or automation. Your phone sends a command to the switch, and it turns the light on or off for you.
Here’s a quick comparison to help you choose between the two types of smart switches:
| What to Know | Wall-Mounted Switch | In-Wall Switch Module |
|---|---|---|
| Visible Panel | Yes | No (hidden inside wall box) |
| Replaces Existing Switch? | Yes | No (keeps original switch) |
| Looks Modern & Sleek | ✅ | Depends on original switch |
| Installation | Moderate (replaces switch) | Advanced (wiring behind wall) |
🛒 Recommended Products: (tap to view)
Smart Lights
Smart lights on the other hand, are new light sources you can install—like smart LED strips, smart bulbs, outdoor lighting, TV backlights, and even ambient lights for gaming setups. These lights connect directly to your phone or smart system, offering features like color changing, scheduling, and automation.
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2. Smart Air Conditioning
In Lebanon, air-conditioners and fans are part of our daily routine. Making them smart adds a whole new level of convenience, helps reduce energy usage, and can save you money.
With smart control, you can automate actions—like turning off the AC when it reaches 26°C—or control appliances remotely using your phone.
The Broadlink Mini 4C has an infrared (IR) emitter that lets it mimic your AC and fan remote controls. It can also control other IR-based devices like TVs and air purifiers.
For simpler on/off control, you can also use a smart plug with appliances like an air purifier, coffee machine, or even a fan.
Here's a quick comparison to help you choose the best option based on your needs.
| Feature | Smart Plug / Smart Switch | Smart IR Controller (Broadlink Mini 4C) |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Turns power on/off for the whole AC (like unplugging it) | Mimics your AC remote to change temperature, fan speed, etc. |
| Control with phone | ✅ Yes (On/Off only) | ✅ Yes (Full control: On/Off, temp, modes, fan speed) |
| Remote control when you're not home | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Can automate by temperature | ✅ Yes (needs sensor & bridge – e.g., turn off at 26°C) | With certain models |
| Works with any AC? | ⚠️ Only if AC turns on if power is cut and restored | ✅ Yes, if your AC uses an infrared remote |
| Other uses | Fans, coffee machine, water heater, etc. | TV, receiver, sound system, and more IR devices |
| Setup | Just plug it in and connect to Wi-Fi | Plug it, point it at the AC, and copy the remote |
| Price | 💰 Cheaper | 💰 Slightly more expensive |
| Recommended for | Simple ON/OFF control | Full control of AC (temperature, fan, etc.) |
| Can know current state of AC? | ✅ Yes (if plug is on, AC is on) | ❌ No – It sends commands but can’t confirm AC response |
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Mini 4C By Broadlink – a small device that works like your AC remote.
3. Roller Shutters
Automating your roller shutters might sound like a big step, but it’s actually very simple—and the benefits are totally worth it.
For example, you can set your shutters to open automatically at 7 AM to let in sunlight and help you start the day. In the evening, they can close on their own, giving you privacy, comfort, and peace of mind—without lifting a finger.
You’ll also save time and enjoy the convenience of smart control. With just a tap on your phone, or a voice command through Siri or Alexa, you can open or close your shutters whenever you want. You can even include them in a custom scene, like “Movie Time,” where the shutters close and the lights dim—all at once.
Simple, smart, and satisfying.
🛒 Recommended Product: MINI-RBS In-Wall Shutter Module by Sonoff (tap to view)
4. Home Monitoring and Security
With a well-connected smart home, you’ll be able to know many things about your home—even when you’re not there.
Stream live video from our smart home monitoring cameras to see what’s happening. Sensors can send you instant alerts if a window is opened or if motion is detected in your garden. You can even set up our Zigbee Bridge Ultra as a mini security system, using it to trigger an alarm—perfect for situations like someone opening your door while you’re away.
And for peace of mind, sensors like the Sonoff Water Leak Sensor can alert you instantly if there’s a leak—helping you act fast and avoid costly water damage. Smart living means smart protection, too.
🛒 Recommended Products: (tap to view)
- Motion Sensor by Sonoff
- Water Leak Sensor by Sonoff
ZigBee Bridge Ultra by Sonoff (needed for the sensors)
5. Automations and Remote Controls
At Smartio, remote control starts with your phone. Once everything is set up, you can control your lights and appliances from anywhere—whether you’re at home or not.
Want an even easier way? Use smart speakers like Alexa or Apple HomePod to control things with your voice, like turning off your bedroom light without lifting a finger.
For full flexibility, our products work seamlessly with voice assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa.
Many of them support the Matter protocol, which makes adding them to your smart home faster, easier, and future-proof—no matter which ecosystem you prefer.
But it doesn’t stop there. With automations, your smart home can work on its own. Add sensors from the Smartio collection to trigger smart actions. For example, motion sensors can turn on lights when you enter a room. Pair temperature and motion sensors to switch on the AC only when it’s hot and someone’s in the room—smart and energy-saving!
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6. Smart Water Heater
If you want to monitor the water temperature of your heater, the Sonoff TH Elite 20A is the best option. Just pair it with the Sonoff Waterproof Temperature Sensor to get real-time temperature readings on your phone.
If you don’t need to track the temperature, the Tongou Smart Circuit Breaker (compatible with eWeLink or SmartLife/Tuya) is your best bet. Plus, it gives you insights into how much electricity your water heater is consuming.
💡 Note: For safety and long-term durability, we always recommend using a contactor with Sonoff devices.
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Wi-Fi vs ZigBee vs Bluetooth – What’s the Difference?
Smartio devices can connect using Wi-Fi, ZigBbee, or Bluetooth—and each has its own benefits.
Wi-Fi devices connect directly to your home router/internet. They’re easy to set up and don’t need extra hardware, but too many can slow down your Wi-Fi network.
ZigBee devices connect through a small hub (like a ZigBee Bridge). This system is ideal for homes with many smart devices, as ZigBee creates a mesh network that’s fast, reliable, and doesn’t overload your Wi-Fi.
Bluetooth smart devices usually work without Wi-Fi or a hub. They’re great for quick local control—like using your phone nearby—but have limited range and usually don’t support automations.
Here’s a simple comparison to help you understand the difference and choose the best type for your setup:
| 🔍 Feature | 📶 Wi-Fi Devices | 📡 Zigbee Devices | 🔵 Bluetooth Devices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🔗 How it connects | Connects directly to your home internet router | Connects through a small Zigbee hub (bridge) | Connects directly to your phone via Bluetooth |
| 🌐 Needs internet to work? | Yes – needs Wi-Fi all the time | No – works even if internet is down (if set up properly) | No – works as long as your phone is nearby |
| 📱 Control from outside the house | Yes – if you have internet | Yes – through the hub connected to internet | No – works only when you're close |
| 🏠 Ideal for... | Small setups with a few devices | Large homes with many sensors/devices | Quick local control of lights, diffusers, etc. |
| 📶 How reliable is it? | Can slow down if Wi-Fi is overloaded | Very stable – devices boost each other | Stable but short range |
| 📏 Range | Covers your house (depends on router) | Great – devices help each other extend range | Short – about 10–15 meters max |
| 🔋 Power usage | High – not great for battery devices | Very low – perfect for battery-operated sensors | Low – works fine on batteries |
Smartio is Here to Help
🔧 All products come with installation guidance—and we’re just a WhatsApp message away if you need help.
Smart homes can be a complicated topic, but it doesn’t have to be. We’re here to help. With our years of experience helping Lebanon homes get smarter, Smartio can help you on your smart home journey. You can get in touch with us on this page if you would like us to arrange a site visit to your home.
This page is consistently updated with the newest products and ideas. Be sure to bookmark it and visit often!