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Help with needed devices

Csparks67
Community Member

Good day,

New to Google automation, starting simple. Basically have quite a few of the Sengled Smart bulbs, that are supposed to be compatible with Google home and Alexa, however, they have the zigbee marking on it. I've always used them with my Alexa devices but Am dumping Alexa as I've had these devices for years and frankly she is never of any help as an assistant. 

 

I have a little confusion, for the most part on what equipment I need for these particular bulbs to work with some Google equipment that I have and I hoped someone could point me in the right direction. 

Not wanting to put a bunch of money into this in the beginning to see how it all functioned. 

Basically I currently have a Google Home Hub, 2 Home minis speakers, and 1 of the nest mini gen 2 speakers. 

Now from what I understand, with the equipment I have above these bulbs are not able to be operated with the equipment I have above, that I will either need a zigbee hub or a Sengled hub. So basically all I'm wanting to do at the moment is be able to operate the lighting via  the  Google Home app and by voice. And of course be able to use the devices as an assistant or speaking to someone in another room.

 

This is where I am lost, I have heard and/or read so many different things, I'm completely unsure where to go at this point as far as what I need to be able to tie the bulbs in to my current Google equipment. 

 

Any information anyone could give me would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much in advance.

1 Recommended Answer

Oh I see. I appreciate you shedding some light on the issue for me. A little misleading with the use of the word hub. Please forgive my ignorance of the subject. Thanks again. 

View Recommended Answer in original post

9 REPLIES 9

First of all I wouldn't dump Alexa to go all in with Google. There's advantages and disadvantages advantages to both systems.

I have a list if you want.

Surely those bulbs have Wi-Fi. Nope. I just looked at the Sengled website and the basic colour bulb requires a hub. That complicates things and will cost you more $$ I'd say.

I can't help you with hubs as I don't have any, apart from the Nest Hub which apparently has Thread?!

Okay I had already linked the Sengled app to the Google Home app. 

However, when I use these bulbs with the Alexa Echo Plus It had a built-in hub so it controlled all of these bulbs. However, I actually do not have that google hub yet it's not arrived. I bought a new in box one very cheap, However, from what I read I'm not so certain that these bulbs are still going to work. People stating that I needed either a Sengled or a Zigbee hub, again, who in the heck 

All these bulbs come off of Amazon, here is the asin number if looking at the bulb would help you any. B01N7I4X94

Csparks67
Community Member

So when you say it requires a hub, those bulbs require a separate hub as I was talking about? So the Google home hub is of no use in this situation

Well let me shoot this past you then. If I were to change to a different bulb, that would work with the Google home hub, and get away from these ones that I've had for years, What would be your suggestion??

I think you were under a misconception that because the Google Home Hub & Google Nest Hub has "Hub" in the name that it included a Hub.
But the Google Home Hub (1st Generation) never had a hub, ZigBee, Zwave, ect. It was like the kitchen is the hub of the home.

For a long time the Google Nest Hub didn't have a hub, but now the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) has had a Thread Border Router/Hub/antenna activated it is now technically a Hub for Thread compatible devices. I don't know much about Thread.

On Amazon the B01N7I4X94 bulb's description is as follows...
Hub Required(Sold Separately): Sengled smart light bulbs are compatible with Amazon Echo built-in hub, SmartThings, Wink, Hubitat or Sengled Hub. Sengled smart hub needs to be connected to your home router with an Ethernet cable.

Maybe you need to investigate those other options instead if restricting yourself to Sengled. I don't know if the Sengled zigbee hub only works with Sengled bulbs.

If you went to Wi-Fi bulbs then technically you wouldn't even need a smart speaker to connect it to the Google Home app.

Oh I see. I appreciate you shedding some light on the issue for me. A little misleading with the use of the word hub. Please forgive my ignorance of the subject. Thanks again. 

Do you still have your Echo speakers? If you do, I would use them as well. I do.

You'll miss out on a lot of features if you only use Google.

Features like Reminders, whisper Mode, wait actions on all Automations, waking up to music,  removing time from timers...

https://youtube.com/shorts/-o6xFmW7qH8?feature=share

Yes, I still have all of the Echo devices.

They just aggravate me so much because they are so ignorant when you ask Alexa such an ordinary question. And then you might as well give up on a follow-up. But Gemini is so much more intelligent and helpful. 

Can you not automate lights, for example,  with the Google home app?

virnab
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi Csparks67,

 

Thanks for reaching out to our community.

I appreciate your inquiry on how to control your Sengled Smart bulbs with the Google Assistant through your Google Nest devices. It is my pleasure to assist you with this concern.

My team would like to know more about your inquiry. To get you the right level of help, please fill out this form with the required information to receive personalized customer service. 

 

Best regards,

Virna