I recently implemented my first smart-home integration with Amazon Echo. It was more challenging than I thought — downloading this, enabling that, pressing this, relaunching that …
Sure, it's simple enough if you know your way around a smart phone and (in many cases) a computer, and (often) a home network, as well as the ecosystem of things. But how many peoople do?
Linksys, a giant in home networking, recently announced Alexa integration for voice-controlling its Velop, WRT, and Max-Stream routers and mesh networking systems. You, as a pro, would probably read the instructions carefully and think it's a piece of cake; however, most would-be DIYs would probably cower.
Me? I went running after the first sentence.
Maybe integrators should create similar “instructions” for their clients who think DIY smart-home projects are so simple.
To enable this skill (Also make sure you have a Linksys Smart Wi-Fi {LSWF} Account:
1. Launch the Alexa app on the mobile device
2. Tap to open the menu, and choose Skills.
3. At the top of the Skills screen is a Search box. Search for Linksys. Choose it from the search result.
4. Tap on the “Enable” button. The screen also includes a description of the skill and examples of utterances used to trigger the intents, e.g. “Alexa, ask Linksys to turn on the guest Wi-Fi”
NOTE: Steps 1-4 can also be completed by verbally asking Alexa to “enable the Linksys skill” but still requires opening the app to perform step 5 below.
5. The consumer will then be presented with the OAuth login screen in which they will provide the email and password for their LSWF account to authenticate the two web services to speak with each other. Once authenticated, the skill should be available from their Echo, Dot, Tap within a minute or so.
The three new Alexa voice control skills for Linksys products include: (more experiences are planned to come later)
- turning guest access on and off
- obtaining the guest Wi-Fi name and password
- getting the main network credentials, which are commonly forgotten. (this skill can also be turned off)
And then, from the Alexa Skills page for Linksys:
[Get this Skill; Enable; Account linking required]
The Linksys skill for Alexa lets you ask for Wi-Fi information from any Linksys Smart Wi-Fi product and control guest Wi-Fi. You must have a Linksys Smart Wi-Fi router with remote access enabled, and an active Linksys Smart Wi-Fi account. If you have more than one Linksys Smart Wi-Fi router, Alexa will only control the one most recently associated with your account.
Setup instructions:To get started, enable this skill and link your Linksys Smart Wi-Fi account.
Once linked, you can start using the skill.For help with Linksys Smart Wi-Fi account creation, please visit http://www.linksys.com/us/support-article?articleNum=143662
To learn more about Linksys Smart Wi-Fi routers, please visit http://www.linksys.com/support/
