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What is a smart hub, and do you need one?
A smart hub is a small box or speaker that links smart lights, plugs, sensors and heating controls so you can run them from one app. In Cheshire, set it up with a strong password and updates switched on, and use an electrician for any hard-wired devices.
Last reviewed:What does a smart hub actually do?
If you have a smart speaker or a few app-controlled bulbs at home in Cheshire, whether in Crewe, Nantwich, Sandbach or a village nearby, a smart hub is what can tie those devices together. This page explains what a hub does, how to set one up safely, and where an electrician comes in. Anyone in the UK can post or register on QuoteZila.
A hub is a small box, or a speaker or display with a hub built in, that talks to your smart devices and to your home network. It lets one app control lights, plugs, door sensors, cameras, blinds and heating controls, even when they come from different makers. It can also run routines: lights on at sunset, heating down when the last phone leaves the house.
Some devices speak Wi-Fi and do not need a hub. Others use low-power radio standards and need a hub or bridge to reach your router. The device box usually says which.
Do you need a hub?
You probably do not need one if you have a handful of devices from one brand that all connect to Wi-Fi. You may want one if:
- you have, or plan to have, devices from several brands
- you want routines that link different devices together
- some of your devices are battery sensors or switches that use a low-power radio
- your Wi-Fi is crowded and you would rather keep small devices off it
Before you buy, list what you already own and check what each device works with. A hub that does not support your existing kit is just another box.
How do you set up a smart hub securely?
The National Cyber Security Centre has plain advice for smart devices at home. It says that if a device comes with a default password, you should change it, and suggests a secure password made from three random words [S1]. If the device or app offers 2-step verification, it says to turn it on [S1]. It also says that if you do not need to reach your smart device away from your home Wi-Fi, you should switch off remote access [S1].
Updates matter as much as passwords. The NCSC says to switch on automatic updates if available and install manual updates when prompted [S1]. It explains that without these fixes a device becomes easier to hack [S1].
Before you buy, check how long the hub will be supported. The NCSC says devices out of support are easier to hack or may stop working, and that from 29 April 2024 UK law means smart devices must meet basic security requirements, including stating the product support end date [S1]. When you sell or give away a hub, it says to do a factory reset first [S1].
When do you need an electrician?
Plug-in hubs, smart plugs and battery sensors need no wiring. Smart light switches, hard-wired thermostats, wired doorbells, ceiling fans and some blind motors are different. They connect to the fixed wiring in your home, and this page gives no steps for that work.
GOV.UK lists new circuits and alterations to electrical installations around a bath or shower as work you must tell a building control body about, unless you use an installer registered with a competent person scheme [S2]. It says extra power or lighting points and other changes to existing circuits away from baths and showers do not need notifying, but you can still use a registered installer [S2]. A registered electrician will know which applies and can give you the certificate.
Find a registered electrician through Electrical Safety First, and see our electricians page. For cameras and alarms linked to the hub, our CCTV and alarm installers page may suit. For networks and Wi-Fi, try IT support.
Electrical Safety First: find a registered electrician; NICEIC; NAPIT. QuoteZila is not affiliated with this organisation.
What should you ask an installer?
- Which hub and devices do you recommend, and do they work with what I already own?
- Which parts need wiring, and are you registered for that electrical work?
- Will you set up the app, change default passwords and switch on updates?
- What happens if the hub stops working: can the lights and heating still be used by hand?
- Who do I call if a routine or device stops working after you leave?
Citizens Advice suggests getting written quotes from at least 3 different traders, and says a quote should give a fixed total price rather than a daily rate [S3]. House alarm installation costs and light fitting costs cover related jobs.
Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.
Jobs you might post
These are examples, not taken from real job posts.
- Fit smart light switches in the hall, landing and lounge and link them to an existing hub. Customer has bought the switches.
- Replace a wired room thermostat with a smart thermostat. Electrician or heating engineer to confirm it suits the boiler.
- Set up a hub to link two camera brands, door sensors and smart plugs. No wiring needed, help with the app wanted.
Get help with a smart home job
List the devices and the rooms, and say which parts are hard-wired. Your job goes to up to five matched local businesses [QZ2]. QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1].
Posting a job is not open yet
Questions about smart hubs
Do all smart devices need a hub?
No. Many plugs, bulbs and cameras connect straight to your Wi-Fi and run from their own app. A hub helps when you have devices from different makers, or devices that use a low-power radio rather than Wi-Fi. Check the box of each device for what it needs.
How do I keep a smart hub secure?
The National Cyber Security Centre says to change any default password, use a secure one such as three random words, turn on 2-step verification if offered, and switch off remote access if you do not need it. It also says to switch on automatic updates where available.
What happens when the maker stops supporting it?
The NCSC says devices out of support are easier to hack or may stop working, and advises avoiding devices whose support period will end soon. It says that since 29 April 2024 UK law means smart devices must state their product support end date. Check that date before you buy.
Can I fit smart light switches myself?
Swapping a switch means working on fixed wiring. This page gives no steps for that. Use a registered electrician, especially in a bathroom or kitchen, and ask for the certificate for any notifiable work.
Does QuoteZila check electricians?
No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.
Related reading
This page is general information, not professional or legal advice. QuoteZila does not check Gas Safe, WaterSafe, NFRC, NICEIC or other registrations against the register on your behalf: look them up yourself.
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Sources
- QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila pricing line.
- QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila FAQ How does getting quotes work.
- S1: Smart devices: using them safely in your home, National Cyber Security Centre. Accessed 2026-10-31. https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/smart-devices-in-the-home
- S2: Building work, replacements and repairs to your home, GOV.UK (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government). Accessed 2026-10-31. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-work-replacements-and-repairs-to-your-home/building-work-replacements-and-repairs-to-your-home
- S3: Before you get building work done, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-10-31. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/