Smart lighting: the basics

By Robbert / November 23, 2023

Smart lighting, an innovative and convenient way to take control of your lighting to the next level. In this informative overview, we dive deeper into exactly what smart lighting entails and how it works. From managing brightness to adjusting colors, smart lighting offers a versatile solution to personalize the atmosphere in any room.

Discover how to upgrade your existing lighting to a smart system with simple steps, without the hassle of complicated installations. In short, get to know the modern and accessible world of smart lighting, all from the comfort of your armchair!

• What is smart lighting?
• What types of smart lighting are there?
• Advantages of smart lighting
• Disadvantages of smart lighting

What is smart lighting

Smart lighting is a modern and convenient way to control your lights. It is different types of light sources and LED lights that you control with a smart device, such as your cell phone. But what makes it smart?

With smart lighting, you not only turn the lights on and off, but also control the brightness, set timers and even adjust the color of the light. So you change the atmosphere in each room to how you want it. Cozy evening? Dim the lights. Party? Change the colors for a happy atmosphere. Busy day at work? Then transform your lights to bright daylight.

You can easily upgrade your existing lighting to smart lighting. All you need is a smart device and the corresponding app. No hassle with complicated installations: the smart features are already built into the light fixtures or LED bulbs. In short, smart lighting offers a modern and accessible way to manage your lighting and customize it to your preferences. And you can do it all right from the comfort of your own home! Check out our selection of smart light bulbs here.

What types are available and how does smart lighting work?

How smart lighting works depends on which kind you choose.

• Wi-Fi bulbs: You connect these smart devices directly to your Wi-Fi network. They use a built-in Tuya chip, which draws power from your Wi-Fi signal. It doesn’t matter which brand you choose; all Wi-Fi lights work the same way. This means you’ll stay connected as long as you remain within range of your home Wi-Fi network. What makes these lights even more fun? The ability to have them “talk” to each other. By pairing them, you can control multiple lights at the same time through the app on your smart device. For the best experience, we recommend the LUUMR app. With the LUUMR app, you can easily install and control all of our smart lighting. The app is available for download in various app stores. Read all about LUUMR here.

• Bluetooth lights: Known from wireless headphones, for example, these smart lights communicate directly with your smart device via Bluetooth. It's an excellent solution for smaller spaces, without the need for an additional WiFi network. The range is a bit more limited, but for specific applications it is the perfect wireless solution!

• Zigbee lighting: Zigbee is a wireless communication standard used in some smart lighting systems. Lights with Zigbee can communicate with each other and connect to a central hub, allowing you to set up a comprehensive and stable lighting system. However, this requires you to purchase an additional central hub separate from the light sources.

• Z-wave lighting: Z-wave lighting is another wireless technology that excels in reliability. It uses a mesh network, allowing devices to communicate with each other. Adding more devices expands the range and creates a robust system in your home.

• Infrared lighting: Don't like reaching for an app every time you want to adjust your lighting? With infrared lighting, you control your lights via a companion remote control. Super easy and just as versatile as other smart lighting!

As you can see, each of the different technologies has its own pros and cons. The important thing is that, regardless of the technology, you can customize the lights to suit your needs. At Lampandlight, we offer an extensive selection of smart lighting. This includes combi products where the appropriate light source is often included at an attractive price when you purchase a new lamp. We also offer individual smart light sources, so you can easily upgrade your existing lighting to smart lighting.

Check out our range of smart lighting here!

What benefits does smart lighting offer?

Smart lighting offers several advantages over traditional lighting. For example, you can easily control these lights remotely using your smartphone. In addition, these lights can be programmed to follow schedules and automatically turn off when there is no activity, leading to more efficient energy consumption and cost savings.

Deploy smart lighting as burglary prevention, too! By setting automated schedules, you make it seem like someone is always home. Even when no one is physically present. This way, your home appears occupied, keeping potential out. By adjusting the lighting to regular daily routines, such as turning on lights during evening hours, you reinforce the illusion of presence.

Another advantage? You're extra flexible because you can control your lighting with your smartphone. Even on vacation, you can turn the lights on or off at home with the push of a button, giving a livelier impression. This can discourage burglars: a potentially risky target will thus hopefully prefer to leave them alone.

Switching your existing lighting to smart lighting also allows you to control your outdoor lights through the app and set them on timers. In doing so, you don't have to worry about high energy consumption. Smart lighting today is always LED and therefore consumes almost no energy. Especially not if you were to compare it to a possible burglary!

Tip: Also explore our collection of non-smart light sources and lamps with built-in motion detectors. This makes the lamps turn on automatically when motion is detected and are great for burglary prevention. Also don't forget our lamps with light-dark sensors, which automatically turn on when it gets dark outside. The lamps stay on all night and turn off automatically when it gets light in the morning. Make your home even safer with these handy features and don't give burglars a chance!

Another big advantage (and perhaps the most important) is, of course, that you can always set the perfect atmosphere. The lamps are easy to dim and many models allow you to change the color. So you create the desired atmosphere entirely to your taste! And all this via the app: so you no longer need to buy an external dimmer since the mechanism is already built into the lamp.

Are there any drawbacks to using smart lighting?

In addition to all the benefits, there are also a few drawbacks to smart lighting. For example, problems can arise when you have multiple smart lights connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Manufacturer Calex advises against connecting too many Wi-Fi lights to the same network. Keep in mind: the number of devices you can add to the app depends on your router. Generally, the average router can support about 16 to 20 devices. ben also limited by the technology. Smart lights require a stable internet connection and rely on specific technology. If the internet goes down or if there are glitches in the smart home system, this can prevent you from controlling your lights or cause you to lose automated functions.

Smart lighting is also generally a little more expensive than standard lighting. But since smart lighting is always LED lighting these days, these bulbs do last a lot longer than halogen or energy-saving bulbs, for example.

Installing and configuring a smart lighting system can be more challenging than simply replacing a traditional light bulb. But don’t worry—we’re here to lend a helping hand. Read here to learn how to install a smart light bulb.