🧠 Why Some Smart Homes Need More Than One Hub (And Why That’s Not a Problem)
- Craig Radcliff
- Feb 20
- 4 min read
If you’ve ever looked at a smart home setup and thought:
“Why are there three different hubs sitting in the cupboard?”
You’re not alone.
A lot of people assume a smart home should run on:
One box
One app
One brain
Simple, right?
In theory, yes.
In reality? Not always.
And that’s not because something’s wrong.
It’s because smart homes are layered.
🔌 First — What Is a Hub, Really?
A hub (also called a controller or coordinator) is the device that:
Forms the network
Pairs your devices
Sends commands
Runs automations
It’s the brain of that ecosystem.
Different devices speak different wireless languages:
📡 Zigbee
🔁 Z-Wave
📻 RF (433 MHz)
🧵 Thread
And not all hubs speak all languages.
That’s where things start to branch out.
If you’re not clear on the difference between RF and Zigbee yet, read this first:
🏗 The “One Hub” Dream
There are two main ways to build a smart home.
1️⃣ The Open Ecosystem Approach
This is where everything joins one central hub.
Examples include:
SmartThings
Smart Life (Tuya)
Home Assistant
In this type of setup, your:
💡 Lights
🔌 Plugs
🚪 Sensors
🪟 Blinds
All sit inside the same ecosystem.
This works brilliantly when:
Everything is compatible
You want one app
You’re comfortable mixing brands
For many homes, this is perfect.
2️⃣ The Dedicated System Approach
This is where certain categories use their own hub.
Most commonly:
🪟 Motorised blinds
💡 Premium lighting systems
🔐 Security systems
These systems often use their own controller because they prioritise:
✅ Reliability
✅ Stable firmware
✅ Controlled integrations
✅ Long-term product support
Instead of joining a universal ecosystem directly, they connect into the home at a higher level — like Google Home, Apple Home or Brilliant.
And this is where people start thinking something’s wrong.
It isn’t.
🤔 “But Doesn’t That Mean I Have Multiple Hubs?”
Yes.
And that’s not automatically a bad thing.
Think about your house right now.
Your Wi-Fi router runs your internet
Your TV has its own operating system
Your alarm system has its own control panel
You don’t expect one single box to physically run everything.
Smart homes are the same.
Sometimes, a shading system is better when it runs on its own dedicated controller.
Then it integrates into the wider home through a platform layer.
🗣 Where Google, Apple and Brilliant Actually Fit
This is where most confusion happens.
Google Home.Apple Home.Alexa.Brilliant.
These are usually not the radio brains.
They are the platform layer.
They sit above individual hubs and unify them.
For example:
Your blinds might use a dedicated shading hub
Your lights might use a Zigbee hub
Your climate system might use something else
Google or Apple then becomes:
🎛 The dashboard
🎙 The voice layer
🧩 The unified experience
You still have multiple hubs underneath.
But to the homeowner?
It feels like one system.
That’s the magic.
🧩 Why Premium Products Often Use Dedicated Hubs
Higher-end systems — especially motorised blinds and architectural lighting — often insist on their own hub.
Not because they “can’t” join open systems.
But because they want:
Predictable performance
Controlled firmware updates
Fewer support variables
Clear accountability
When everything runs through a universal open hub, support can get messy.
When it runs through its own ecosystem, performance is usually more consistent.
That’s a design choice.
🏠 So Which Is Better?
It depends on the house.
🏡 Small to Mid-Size Smart Home
One well-supported ecosystem can be very clean and simple.
🏗 Premium Renovation or New Build
A layered approach often makes more sense.
Dedicated systems for:
Blinds
Lighting
Security
With Google or Apple layered on top.
That’s extremely common in higher-end homes.
And it works very well.
🪟 What This Means for Motorised Blinds
Blinds aren’t $29 smart plugs.
They’re:
Installed
Measured
Part of your architecture
Often thousands of dollars
Reliability matters more than novelty.
That’s why many homeowners choose:
A purpose-built shading systemThen integrate it into their broader smart home
Instead of forcing everything into one universal hub.
If you're planning motorised blinds as part of a renovation or new build, start by understanding the motor types available:
🎯 The Bottom Line
Multiple hubs does not mean a messy system.
It can mean:
Better reliability
Better performance
Clearer support
Smarter architecture
The goal isn’t “one hub at all costs.”
The goal is:
A system that works every day without frustration.
💬 Craig’s Take
I’ve seen both approaches work well.
If someone is heavily invested in a Zigbee ecosystem and everything is compatible, one hub can be very clean.
But when it comes to motorised blinds, I usually prefer a purpose-built system layered into the smart home rather than forced into it.
Blinds aren’t gadgets.
They’re infrastructure.
Design them properly.Integrate them properly.
That’s the difference.
If you’re new to smart homes and want to understand the real-life benefits first, start here:
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