Even if you follow the Ultimate Smart Home Guide step-by-step, you may still need to troubleshoot the setup of connected devices. And even with the promise that a unified initiative like Matter will make the smart home more consistent, you will probably still be faced with common smart home questions and concerns.

Whether you are new to the best smart home devices or already live surrounded by dozens of apps and voice-enabled gadgets, making your smart home work the way you want can be challenging. I can't pair my recently purchased smart home to my Wi-Fi network; I'm worried I'm spending too much money on the IoT; I can't get it to work; I can't get it to work; I can't get it to work; and I can't get it to work.

We know how to answer your questions. After all, we installed our smart home as a DIY project. Here are five major smart home problems and how to solve them.

Perhaps the most common problem with setting up a smart home device is the inability to get online. Whether it is the best Wi-Fi router or the best mesh Wi-Fi system, the smart home device needs to be able to recognize the Wi-Fi network and communicate with other connected products it owns.

There are several reasons why you may receive error messages about your network. First, not all smart home devices support both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands. The band to which the setup device (smartphone) is connected can be verified by looking at the network profile or settings.

Alternatively, you may need to look into how to speed up your Wi-Fi or where your router is located to optimize your Wi-Fi signal. Your network may be stagnant or not reaching the location of your new smart home device. If so, you may need the best Wi-Fi extender available. And if all else fails, try rebooting the router.

Are you renting your living space? No matter how minor the renovations, you may face limitations. Perhaps you may not even be able to drill a hole in the wall. Fortunately, all smart home devices that are ideal for renters can be powered by batteries or existing outlets. You don't need to learn what a neutral wire is or why you need a C-wire.

You don't want to install the best video doorbell or the best smart thermostat, and replacing existing switches with smart ones is a daunting task for a temporary home location. Instead, consider raising the IQ of your home with smart speakers, lights, and plugs. Or use a propped-up camera instead of a video doorbell. And with the right hardware, introduce automation that anyone can achieve in a rental home.

Check out the best smart speakers, the best smart light bulbs, and the best smart plugs to create a smart space without damaging rental doors, walls, or wiring.

You can also use Alexa, HomeKit, and Google Home. Many, but not all, of the best Alexa-enabled devices are also the best Google Home-enabled devices and the best HomeKit devices. Still, when it comes to creating a routine and organized dashboard for controlling the smart home (who would want to download dozens of smart home apps?), committing to one platform helps.

For our DIY smart home, we chose Alexa over Google Assistant because of services like Alexa Guard and Alexa Hunches. However, we use HomeKit regularly because it integrates easily with our iPhone and Apple Watch. Also, if you use Google services on a daily basis, you may prefer to use the Nest device and Google Assistant instead of Alexa or Siri.

In any case, you will want one of the best Alexa speakers, the best Google Home speaker, or the HomePod mini to establish a smart home foundation. In the future, before purchasing a new smart home device, look at the packaging and bylaws to make sure it is compatible with your platform of choice.

Building a smart home doesn't have to be expensive. In fact, a DIY build can save thousands of dollars. Inexpensive smart home devices all cost less than $100, and many are even cheaper. Smart plugs cost about $20, there are packs of smart light bulbs, there are even brands like Wyze that offer affordable gadgets for every part of the home...have you heard of the $25 Wyze Cam v3?

Thus, even if a Philips Hue light is out of your budget, don't feel pressured to splurge. Of course, there are caveats to inexpensive devices. We recommend sticking to well-known brands and smaller setups within your budget.

Smart home devices often use our learned behaviors to better adapt to our needs and routines. Many have built-in microphones so they can wait for commands or alert us to suspicious sounds. Some cameras can be monitored anywhere from a smartphone.

So while you need to be concerned about privacy, it doesn't mean you can't control it. Most smart home "hackers" have been attributed to poor password usage. Be sure to read up on how to create strong passwords when setting up accounts for various smart home devices. Buy products with physical mute switches or shutters so that you can disable the microphone or camera whenever you want.

Also, run firmware updates for the device when they become available. Firmware updates can protect your device from vulnerabilities and possible hacking; know about Wi-Fi security as well.