More and more households are jumping on the bandwagon that is smart bulbs. These advanced, nifty electric lights typically screw perfectly into the existing light sockets for traditional incandescent bulbs, so transitioning isn’t at all complicated. As with most devices and gadgets that need a Wi-Fi connection, the usual problem is that smart bulbs sometimes disconnect, but why?
Smart bulbs disconnect for various reasons, including poor internet connection, an overloaded Wi-Fi connection, update glitches, and software problems. It’s also possible that your smart bulbs are damaged and may need replacement.
This article will discuss possible reasons why your smart bulbs keep disconnecting and what you can do when you’re in these situations. We will also tackle the benefits of investing in smart bulbs and the things you can make your smart bulbs do. Let’s get right to it!
Why Your Smart Bulbs Keep Disconnecting
There are different reasons why your smart bulbs keep disconnecting. Here are a few of them:
Poor Internet Connection
This issue may be something entirely out of your control. It may just be a random fluctuation in your connection, or if it’s something that happens too often, your internet provider could be the culprit. It’s also possible that the areas where your smart bulbs are located do not receive ample signals.
Quick Fix
Wait it out if it’s just a random signal fluctuation. If it happens more often than seems typical, try different locations for your smart bulbs (if you can). If this happens way too often, you might want to consider switching internet providers. A quick Google search will usually give you numerous options in your area.
Overloaded Wi-Fi
A typical household has multiple gadgets and devices relying on an internet connection to function. You have your TVs, smartphones, smart speakers, and game consoles competing for a stable internet connection. When this is the scenario in your home, it could be why your smart bulbs keep going offline.
Quick Fix
You can invest in a new router or a signal booster. This will help not only your smart bulbs but other gadgets and devices as well in establishing a better Wi-Fi connection.
Remember, you can have more than one Wi-Fi extender in your home, so add as many as you need to ensure your connection reaches all areas of your home.
Update Glitches
Your smart bulbs get app updates regularly. They may malfunction when an update isn’t completed or if there was a glitch in the update itself.
Quick Fix
Check the app on your mobile phone to see if there are any pending updates. Make sure that the updates are completed before you check your smart lights again. Most of the time, updates happen automatically, but sometimes, you may have to manually update instead.
Software Problems
Most smart bulbs work with smart speakers like Alexa or Google Home. Glitches or errors might disconnect your smart lights from these networks.
Quick Fix
Check the corresponding apps to make sure that your smart bulbs are still connected to the network. Relink them when necessary. If they refuse to work despite reconnection, it might be necessary to reset the bulbs or manually reconnect them to your smart speaker.
Defective Light Bulb
You might have stumbled upon some bad luck and purchased a faulty bulb. It’s also possible that your smart bulb has cracks or damaged parts from regular wear and tear.
Quick Fix
If they’ve been with you for quite a while, your smart bulbs might be due for replacement. If you have multiple smart bulbs in your home, first test the “faulty” one in another location to ensure there really is something wrong with the bulb itself. If you determine that there is, replace them.
What Your Smart Bulbs Can Do
Smart light bulbs let you control the lighting in and around your home. You won’t have to get up and walk over to all the light switches to turn them on or off, choose which colors they emit, or decide how bright they shine. You can do all these with just a tap on your mobile phone or simply voicing the command.
Here are some of the things your smart bulbs can do:
- Turn on at a specific time each day: Do you have the habit of getting up at dusk to turn on the lights outside? You don’t have to do that anymore with smart bulbs. You can set a schedule for them to turn on as soon as it gets dark or at any other time of the day.
- Dim or brighten at specified times: You can program your bedroom smart bulbs to go dimmer as bedtime approaches. You could also make your outdoor smart bulbs go brighter as dusk falls.
- Turn on when someone walks into a room: This works best for pantries, basements, or storage rooms. You don’t have to fumble in the dark for light switches anymore. You can program your smart bulbs to turn on as soon as someone walks into the room.
- Give you control even when you’re not at home: Have you ever gone on a trip and just left your porch lights turned on the whole time? There is no need to do that anymore because you can control your home’s smart bulbs even when you’re away on a trip.
Benefits of Switching to Smart Bulbs
Home automation is quickly becoming more popular and feasible these days. Considering all the perks homeowners can enjoy by having smart homes, it is easy to see why. Smart lighting, in particular, is fast becoming a trend.
Here are some of the reasons why you should start thinking about transitioning your home to smart bulbs:
- Long-lasting. Smart bulbs use CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light) or LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights. The typical lifespan of LED bulbs is 50,000 hours, while that of CFL bulbs is 8,000 hours. Traditional incandescent bulbs last for only about 1,000 hours.
- Energy-saving. LED bulbs consume 6-8 watts of electricity, while CFL bulbs use 13-15 watts. Traditional incandescent bulbs consume about 60 watts of electricity.
- Customizable settings. You can program your smart bulbs to turn off or on, brighten, or dim at specified times of the day. Your smart lights can help you set the mood, relax, have fun, and even sleep better.
- Boosted security for your home. If you have smart bulbs with motion sensors and cameras, you can program them to turn on and send alerts to your mobile phone whenever unexpected movements are detected.
- They’re fun! You can choose what color lights to use depending on your mood. Colors will definitely set the mood for a romantic dinner, a fun children’s party, or even just for relaxing after a day’s work.
Final Thoughts
Your smart bulbs disconnecting is usually a sign that something is off with the setup. Minor tweaks and adjustments will usually solve the problem. In extreme cases, you might need to consider switching internet providers or replacing your smart bulbs altogether.