What is SimpliSafe? What sort of doorbell do they make? Does it work with Amazon Alexa or not? Keep on reading to find out! It all works because SimpliSafe has been developed to integrate with various systems, which might include Alexa.
SimpliSafe is a collection of monitors, alarms, sensors, and cameras that give you data and info on any dangerous elements that could cause harm to your home. It protects you from fires, carbon monoxide poisoning, floods, and burglaries through its DIY type of security system.
It works in many ways and produces things like the SimpliSafe Doorbell. With that said, can you use the SimpliSafe Doorbell with Alexa or not?
Does SimpliSafe Doorbell Work with Amazon Alexa?
For certain commands such as arming the SimpliSafe system or fiddling with your SimpliSafe Doorbell, you can use Alexa. However, the system doesn’t allow you to disarm it by Alexa. You have to manually do it to avoid accidental disarmament.
With SimpliSafe Home Control, you can use Alexa to arm the SimpliSafe system or doorbell whether it’s for home or away mode. Just tell Alexa you’re leaving for today and Alexa will take care of the rest.
How to Connect the SimpliSafe Doorbell to Alexa
You need to have both Alexa and SimpliSafe fully set up. You also need to avail of the SimpliSafe plan that allows you to do remote control of your armed SimpliSafe home, even if it’s “just” your SimpliSafe Video Doorbell.
To connect Alexa to SimpliSafe, go to Alexa Skills found on the lower left of the Alexa app’s home screen. Afterwards, click on More to expand your selection menu. Click on the “Skills & Games” option in the middle of the menu. Look for “SimpliSafe Skills”.
When you scroll down, it even includes sample commands for SimpliSafe and Alexa. You can use voice commands to arm your system but not disarm it to avoid accidental disarmament.
Setting Up Amazon Alexa with SimpliSafe
You can also use these informal and formal voice commands or queries on Alexa to do various tasks with your SimpliSafe system or doorbell.
- “Alexa, Tell SimpliSafe to arm in away”
- “Alexa, Tell SimpliSafe to Lockup”
- “Alexa, ask SimpliSafe if my home is secure.”
- “Alexa, Tell SimpliSafe I’m leaving”
- “Alexa, ask SimpliSafe for my current status.”
- “Alexa, ask SimpliSafe what’s shakin’.”
- “Alexa, Tell SimpliSafe to Arm in away mode.”
- “Alexa, ask SimpliSafe if I am protected.”
- “Alexa, Tell SimpliSafe to batten down the hatches.”
What is SimpliSafe?
The SimpliSafe brand offers a DIY-installed, no-contract alarm system composed of sensors, video doorbells, Wi-Fi cameras, and the like. These affordable products come with similarly cost-effective pro monitoring plans.
It also includes scanners and alarms to protect from incidents like fires, carbon monoxide leaks, floods, and burglaries. This allows you to keep an eye out of your home while away from home.
Read more: Does SimpliSafe Work with Nest?
Like an OBD for Your Home
Modern cars include onboard diagnostics to tell if you if there’s something wrong with your battery, electronics, alternator, engine, and even the sensors that keep them safe. The SimpliSafe DIY security system works similarly, giving you head’s up on the state or condition of your home electronics.
Is your gas pipe leaking of carbon monoxide or not? Is something overheating? Is your fuse box about to trip? Is there an alert for a flood, typhoon, or hurricane? You’ll be protected by this system with a cellular connection.
You’re Simply Safe with SimpliSafe
SimpliSafe lives up to its name and reputation by offering multiple sensor types and monitoring tech like cameras and video doorbells to help you have a security cam and alarm system in one package instead of just cameras alone.
Furthermore, it has subscription plans to allow for Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant integration as well as the ability to call emergency services for fire, flood, ambulances, or the police depending on your specific situation, which many other security cam systems lack.
It specifically detects various things like an overheating radiator, breaking glass, freezing temperatures, a leaky washing machine, a pipe that’s about to burst, or potential carbon monoxide poisoning.
Does SimpliSafe Integrate with Other Smart Home Devices?
As established above, SimpliSafe is capable of integrating with Amazon Alexa. It can also integrate with Google Home and Google Assistant. It’s made to integrate with various smart home devices, but only if you avail of a specific subscription plan.
Visit its website and avail of the Interactive Monitoring Subscription Plan. This will give you more integration options and will even tell you which products it’s capable of integrating with. You can bridge integration with other devices using either Alexa or Google Assistant too.
However, it has exceptions. It can’t integrate with the Apple Home Kit, for example. In the future, it might perhaps find a way to have Apple integration but so far it’s limited to anything compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant.
What Does the SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Bring to the Table?
SimpliSafe offers a full product line of different security devices, among which includes the video doorbell. It works similarly to other video doorbells in that it serves as both a doorbell and a Wi-Fi security camera at the same time.
However, the SimpliSafe Video Doorbell has the additional advantage of being linked to the SimpliSafe system of professional monitoring, which accesses other security devices in the home that monitors what’s going on inside and outside your humble abode.
The Other Devices That SimpliSafe Doorbell Integrates with
As a smart device, the SimpliSafe Video Doorbell can do much more than the average doorbell, which includes in-the-cloud archives of its video recordings, live streaming of video, and even two-way talk. On top of that, it’s part of the SimpliSafe family of devices.
It’s able to react and coordinate with SimpliSafe brand sensors, cameras, smart key locks, and so forth. This integration allows you to figure out when something is amiss, from an ongoing burglary or an incoming flood while you’re away from your armed SimpliSafe-protected home.
All the Same
Products like the SimpliSafe Video Doorbell, cameras, and alarms all work as part of a DIY security system that works like the onboard diagnostics (OBD) of a modern car. It tells you what’s wrong and how to fix it as well as call the authorities on it (fire department, police, or an ambulance).
It keeps you safe with Wi-Fi video streaming and in the cloud archives as well as sensors galore. It even comes complete with cellular-connected hub and a monitoring service that works together to keep you protected, informed, and ready for emergency pickup.
References:
- “Does my SimpliSafe system integrate with other smart home devices?“, SimpliSafe.com, Retrieved December 18, 2021
