August Smart Lock and SmartThings Wi-Fi Integration Review

Beyond the predominance of the Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant connected home ecosystems, Samsung SmartThings has shaken out as a reasonable alternative. So it was with high expectations that we embarked on testing the fresh-out-of-the-lab commercial release of the SmartThings Wi-Fi direct integration for the August Smart Lock Pro, a set of code that works without the need for a SmartThings hub or Z-Wave. We were not disappointed, as this new integration works flexibly and smoothly—though you will still need the August Connect Wi-Fi Bridge.To get more news about best smart lock for door, you can visit securamsys.com official website.

In this review, part two of our August Smart Lock Pro Review series, we cover the ins and outs of using the new SmartThings Wi-Fi integration with August Smart Lock Pro and the August Connect bridge. For an in-depth look at the overall August Smart Lock Pro ecosystem, see August Smart Lock Pro Review: Part 1, where we cover the hardware installation and setup as well as native August app, Apple HomeKit and Apple Home app, Apple Watch, and Apple Siri control options.

By the way, this new August Smart Lock and SmartThings Wi-Fi integration also works with the forthcoming August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (no August Connect is required), the August Smart Lock, Yale Connected by August locks, and the Emtek EMPowered Lock. Yale and Emtek are sister companies to August under the global ASSA ABLOY brand.The third generation of the August Smart Lock Pro already has an integrated Z-Wave Plus radio, and this lock has worked with SmartThings through Z-Wave since the lock was released in 2018. The downside of that integration: You must have a SmartThings hub in your home, which adds a level of complexity and additional cost to your setup.

Furthermore, you will have to come to terms with adding a separate Z-Wave network, and the often-confusing Z-Wave Inclusion and Z-Wave Exclusion processes. But once that is accomplished, the upside is a highly secure August Smart Lock Pro installation and one that can integrate with many other Z-Wave products on the market, such as security systems and smart shades.

Additionally, August is the first smart lock maker to achieve S2 Z-Wave Plus certification from the sponsoring Z-Wave Alliance, which is a more secure protocol than the usual S0 rating. So if you are comfortable with Z-Wave and already have it running in your home, by all means use it. And you are not limited to using SmartThings, as most other commercial Z-Wave hubs (such as Wink) will offer similar integrations with August due to the universality of the protocol.

On the other hand, with the new, no-cost SmartThings Wi-Fi direct integration, there is no need to buy a SmartThings or any other hub, and the connections are made through your existing Wi-Fi network and the August Connect Wi-Fi Bridge. When you use this entirely hub-less approach, the Z-Wave Plus radio in your lock will simply remain dormant in the background.To get started with getting your August Smart Lock Pro connected to SmartThings, you will first need to go through the initial installation and setup of your lock by using the latest version of the August app. During that process, you will have to set up an August account, which will later be used to authenticate with SmartThings.

Strangely, the latest August app (we used version 9.70 on iOS) had no knowledge of the new SmartThings integration, but we expect later versions of the app will be aware of it. But don’t let that stop you, since the entire setup process is handled from the SmartThings app side of things.