I have several plugs made by three different companies. I use them with Alexa. The ones by Amazon were much easier for me to set up.

I don't believe any are difficult, that being said we have a dual band router and could only get the Philips Hue plugs to connect because they can operate on 5ghz. Many use 2.4ghz.

Dual band routers operate signals on two different frequencies, 2.4GHz and 5 GHz. A 2.4-only device would most certainly be able to connect to a normal dual band router unless the 2.4 signal isn't working or is turned off.

Graywings, that sounds exactly like what i need. Looked it up on Amazon and it seems simple. Thanks.

We have a smart plug from Amazon and it is super simple and we have mainly used it to turn the Christmas tree lights off and on. I would use it for lamps buthave yet to find a spot that the smart plug won't show or interfere with furniture.

I bought the bulbs pictured. No need for smart plugs. Just screw the bulbs into your lamps and follow the directions. Alexa turns them on and off for me. The color, color temperature, and dimness are all adjustable. Best purchase of a light bulb I ever made.

The smart bulbs give you more options than a smart plug since you can dim them and change their colors.

bbstx & terriks - solves the unsightly plug issue as well. Thanks!

Oddly, i have one of those bulbs or one that is similar. i never took the time to figure it out. I’ll take another look.

Thanks, FOAS . Definitely the low tech item I need! Maybe I’ll get a veg-o-matic, too..

Bbstx and terriks,

i would like more info on that bulb. i dont understand all the colors. what is the reason for that. can i just keep it on white.

also can i have alexa turn it on and off every day at same schedule.

thanks.

So glad you did this topic. In 2019 I got an echo dot and a smart plug. I put the plug in our tech drawer aka lots of cords for charging everything, and forgot about it until now. There wasn't anything I could think of to use it with. We keep a light on in the LR all the time, and dim the area in the kitchen at night.

I have no idea what to use it with.

Lyban, I'm getting ready to watch one of the videos on YT about the smart bulb.

Smart bulbs

Here’s the bulb i forgot about. Guess I should figure it out.

I have a smart plug from A that I bought during the Black Friday sales. The plug is relatively small and the lamp in our den works fine with Alexa. i recently purchased a Cree bulb similar to the one bbstx posted. It came just when we left last weekend for a little get-away and I have not had time to decide where I’ll use it yet. Maybe our bedroom.

I think they are handy when i’m headed to a room with my hands full with laundry or whatever and want to turn on a light ahead of actually getting there.

I used the same lightbulbs that @dedtired shows. I have one each in the masterbedroom, guest room, hallway and living room. You can still use the lightswitch but I like using the app. The one in the spare room only does warm and cool lights, but the rest will do seasonal lights (red and green for Christmas), autumn colours, tv colour and more. I like that they also are dimable. And I don't have to get up to turn on or off the switch because I've become that lazy......... ;) I do love that I no longer have to use the flashlight from my phone to make my way to my bedroom at night so I don't walk into anything. I leave the light on until I get into my bedroom and use the app to turn it off. Also: I have my bedroom light set to "awake" 3 days a week. It turns on about 5 minutes before my alarm with a dim light, then every five minutes slowly gets brighter. I've thought about the plugs, but see no need for them with these lightbulbs.

I bought mine at Walmart.

i would like more info on that bulb. i dont understand all the colors. what is the reason for that. can i just keep it on white.

also can i have alexa turn it on and off every day at same schedule.

The colors are more of a party trick, than anything. The weekend I set mine up, Sister and DBIL were here. DBIL and I got silly and set each lamp for a different color and had them flashing. It looked like a low-rent fraternity house. Ever since then, they’ve been set at white and left there.

The bulbs can be set to turn on and off on a schedule. I know you can do that with the bulb alone. I don’t know about using Alexa. Also, I can turn the lamps on or off at any time from the app on my phone or my iPad.

I am not at all tech savvy, but I found set up extremely easy.

You can set the light to be warm white, cool white, or anything in between in addition to different colors.

Thank you bbstx and terriks,

ok, i am going to give them a try. . i am not at all techy but this sounds like something i should be able to do.