# Newbee - Homey and Wifi devices **URL:** \ **Category:** Questions & Help\ **Created:** [November 14, 2024, 9:46pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/newbee-homey-and-wifi-devices/120560 "2024-11-14T21:46:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rainer\_Tschinderle](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/rainer_tschinderle/32/113601_2.png) [@Rainer\_Tschinderle](https://community.homey.app/u/Rainer_Tschinderle)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2024, 9:46pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/newbee-homey-and-wifi-devices/120560/1 "2024-11-14T21:46:58Z")
Good evening, Got some basic questions, until now i use my alexa connected via Wifi to smart devices lile light switch, dimmer, thermostats, led and so on. I now build my house ( lucky guy now) and want to handle all my smart stuff locally by homey, cause wirhout internet alexa is not working, and i think it is more safty to be offline connected. I just start trying using homey and got to borders, here my questions: 1. Is it possible to connect simple and cheap wifi devices like dimmer, smart plug, contact sensors without a well known brand to the homey, or do i always need the brand’s app installed to get it work, because most of wifi devices are compatible to tuya/smartlife… but i cant connect them to homey, were not found? 2. Whats better to use, z-wave or Zigbee as an alternate to wifi. 3. Is it possible to design a simple dashboard that i can run on a touchscreen panel for control my devices, mounted on a wall as home control panel ? I read a lot things about homey the last days but sitll i think its better to get direct answers. Thx for your ideas and answers. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Kawa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/peter_kawa/32/173848_2.png) [@Peter\_Kawa](https://community.homey.app/u/Peter_Kawa)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2024, 10:35pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/newbee-homey-and-wifi-devices/120560/2 "2024-11-14T22:35:47Z")
Hello Rainer, and welcome here. > [@Rainer\_Tschinderle](#): > > Is it possible to connect simple and cheap wifi devices like dimmer, smart plug, contact sensors without a well known brand to the homey, or do i always need the brand’s app installed to get it work, because most of wifi devices are compatible to tuya/smartlife… but i cant connect them to homey, were not found? No. I’d like to advice to stay away from Tuya (-based) (wifi) devices. And they’re cloud based as well. You’d go for [Shelly](https://community.homey.app/t/765) for instance, which has the option to disable cloud connectivity. It’s also very budget friendly. App-less devices: in theory all Matter devices; Zigbee and Z-wave: (basic) lights & switch units > [@Rainer\_Tschinderle](#): > > are compatible to tuya/smartlife… but i cant connect them to homey, were not found? If you really, really want / need to use them, you’ll first need them to be paired with the mobile phone’s Tuya Smart or Smart Life app; connect them with Homey by adding them using the [Tuya Cloud community app](https://community.homey.app/t/21313) \_ > [@Rainer\_Tschinderle](#): > > Whats better to use, z-wave or Zigbee as an alternate to wifi. That’s a hard question. I don’t use z-wave solely because of the costs, because every device comes with a paid z-wave licence. I like zigbee very much, but it’s not plug&play: you’ll have to do some [homework and _tuning_](https://community.homey.app/t/advanced-zigbee-troubleshooting-on-homey/115930). \_ > [@Rainer\_Tschinderle](#): > > Is it possible to design a simple dashboard that i can run on a touchscreen panel for control my devices, mounted on a wall as home control panel ? It’s work in process: > [@Homey Dashboards — Public Beta Megathread](https://community.homey.app/t/homey-dashboards-public-beta-megathread/116963): > > Homey Dashboards is finally here! tada Our team has truly outdone itself and shipped this grand new addition to the Homey app for iOS & Android. With many built-in widgets, an innovative column-based design that works great on both tablets and phones, a Widgets SDK for the Homey Developer Community and the same goodness for your homescreen — I’m super proud of Homey Dashboards. Homey Dashboards can now be tested, once you’ve installed the latest experimental mobile… > [@Showcase your Dashboard](https://community.homey.app/t/showcase-your-dashboard/116965): > > We’d love to see how everyone’s using Homey Dashboard. In this thread, everyone can showcase their Homey Dashboards! \_ > [@Rainer\_Tschinderle](#): > > I read a lot things about homey the last days but sitll i think its better to get direct answers. Although this is an Athom (the Homey company) runned forum, you can read very honest user experiences and opinions, whether they’re negative or positive. But, in common, often only negative experiences are posted. ---
**Author:** ![Rainer\_Tschinderle](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/rainer_tschinderle/32/113601_2.png) [@Rainer\_Tschinderle](https://community.homey.app/u/Rainer_Tschinderle)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2024, 10:51pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/newbee-homey-and-wifi-devices/120560/3 "2024-11-14T22:51:53Z")
Hy, and thx for your fast answer. When i use tuya cloud to connect, the devices are not qith homey connected, right? They re by internet with tuya cloud and if i have no internet they wont response ? Yeah, i saw dashboard and start trying a little bit wann get a homescreen on my wall to easily control groups of lights, ac’s, thermostat, rollos. … I already baught a smart control panel with an extra knob to control but i couldnt connect to homey, only conect via tuya… so without internet it wont work, right ? Thats why i asked if there are custom solutions that easily work. To connectivity, if i understand it correctly: Wifi/Wlan and BLE only with fitting homey app to the devices brand ? Z-Wave / Zigbee without app, just connevt because standard ? I don’t have devices with matter compatibility, maybe later ill get them ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Kawa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/peter_kawa/32/173848_2.png) [@Peter\_Kawa](https://community.homey.app/u/Peter_Kawa)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2024, 11:08pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/newbee-homey-and-wifi-devices/120560/4 "2024-11-14T23:08:16Z")
YW! > [@Rainer\_Tschinderle](#): > > When i use tuya cloud to connect, the devices are not qith homey connected, right? Only when you’ve added them as Homey Tuya Cloud app device to Homey. > [@Rainer\_Tschinderle](#): > > They re by internet with tuya cloud and if i have no internet they wont response ? Correct. Homey connects through the cloud to Tuya wifi devices. But with the Tuya smartphone app, it can work for several hours without internet. > [@Rainer\_Tschinderle](#): > > I already baught a smart control panel with Just use an old(er) smartphone or tablet. There’s few smart control panels (that I know of) which work with Homey. Can’t specify them though. > [@Rainer\_Tschinderle](#): > > Wifi/Wlan and BLE only with fitting homey app to the devices brand ? Correct. But not always brand specific, f.i. the (Ble) Beacon app supports different brands of beacons. > [@Rainer\_Tschinderle](#): > > Z-Wave / Zigbee without app, just connevt because standard ? Not sure what you mean here, but in general only zigbee/z-wave lights and switch devices don’t need an app for basic functionality.