iPad mini Tips for setup of iPad Mini for house sitter / home kit

[Macshroomer]

Hi, I just ordered a refurb iPad Mini 6 64GB wifi only for use as a smart home controller for guests and house sitters. I just got done doing a remodel on our home and wanted to simplify and centralize all the smart home aspects of our house to a specific shared device. I thought about waiting to see what this Fall brings but we will need to have it up and running by September so I did not want to wait and it's not a lot of money really. Right now we currently run things off of our phones and iPad Pro.

Aside from the obvious of having me as an admin user in setup, what other things should I be considering for guests and house sitters who are usually close friends or family?

Any tips for this specific kind of use would be appreciated.

 

[ChrisA]

If you need to use a phone or iPad to control lights, you have it designed wrong. Buy some devices that look like switches and put them on the wall. These can be network devices using Wi-Fi, Zigbee or if you can Thread. Then anyone will know how to turn on the lights.

If you do want to give someone an iPad so they can do more detailed things then you make up a user called "guest1234" (where 1234 is your address) then create an Apple ID for that user and send the user an invite to access your home system. But is that what you want? No. Just show the baby sitter how to use a light switch and be done with it.

 

[shakopeemn]

Just curious why a house sitter needs the device / homekit? Lights?

 

[Macshroomer]

Our house sitters are close friends and family members only. Of course all things like light switches, Nest thermostats, Meross colored accent light bulbs, the water heater, the Wolf induction range, water usage monitor, electricity usage monitor, security system, solar and wall battery system, EV charger and the weather station have stand alone capabilities.

But this is so we can centralize all the functions, control and monitor things remotely. So with a dedicated device that lives near things like the TV remote, my mother for example can really enjoy the house more and find things like PDF instruction manuals for the fireplace, EV charger, etc all in one place this Fall while we are away for a month in Europe.

This is not just about light switches and a babysitter folks…