Having a home packed with smart devices is great but managing them all in a smooth and unified fashion can be a nightmare: enter the home automation hub. Read on as we field test the Wink Hub and show you how to get your devices working together.

装满智能设备的房屋实在很棒，但以流畅统一的方式管理所有设备可能是一场噩梦：进入家庭自动化中心。 在我们对Wink Hub进行现场测试时，请继续阅读，并向您展示如何使设备协同工作。

什么是眨眼中心？ (What Is The Wink Hub?)

Wink is a smart home/home automation platform created through a partnership between Quirky and GE to manage and control smart home products made by the partnered companies. The platform was later expanded to include more companies and now the Wink system is capable of controlling a wide range of devices from multiple brands including everything from lightbulbs to appliances.

Wink是一个智能家居/家庭自动化平台，通过Quirky和GE之间的合作伙伴关系创建，以管理和控制合作公司生产的智能家居产品。 该平台后来被扩展到包括更多公司，现在Wink系统能够控制多种品牌的设备，包括从灯泡到电器的所有产品。

The Wink Hub is the centerpiece of the Wink system and serves as a link both between your smarthome devices (such that your smart bulbs can turn on when triggered by another smart home device like a smoke detector) as well as the smarthome devices and the greater Internet (so you can make adjustments to your home while sitting at your office or on vacation). Further, the Hub uses the Wink mobile software that provides an all-in-one dashboard for controlling all your smarthome devices.

Wink Hub是Wink系统的核心，可作为智能家居设备之间的链接(这样，当由其他智能家居设备(如烟雾探测器)触发时，智能灯泡就可以打开)互联网(因此，您可以在办公室或度假期间对自己的房屋进行调整)。 此外，集线器还使用Wink移动软件，该软件提供了一个多合一的仪表板来控制您的所有智能家居设备。

One of the biggest selling points of the Wink Hub is that it features multiple radio sets and supports smarthome devices that use ZigBee, Z-Wave, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and a 433 Mhz radio chip used by Lutron and Kidde devices, and it has an open API which makes it easy for companies to make compatible products.

Wink Hub的最大卖点之一是它具有多个无线电设备，并支持使用ZigBee，Z-Wave，蓝牙，Wi-Fi的智能家居设备以及Lutron和Kidde设备使用的433 Mhz无线电芯片，有一个开放的API，可让公司轻松制造兼容产品。

The Wink Hub retails for $50 and the control software is available for Android and iOS devices. For those without Android or iOS devices (or who wish to have a physical control center in their home) there is another device in the Wink stable, the Wink Relay ($200), which is wall-mounted Android-based device that is essentially the Wink Hub on steroids with a touch screen and two physical switches.

Wink Hub零售价为50美元，控制软件可用于Android和iOS设备。 对于那些没有Android或iOS设备的人(或希望在家中拥有物理控制中心的人)，Wink马stable中还有另一台设备Wink Relay(200美元)，它是壁挂式基于Android的设备，实际上是带有触摸屏和两个物理开关的类固醇上的Wink Hub。

As of this review the Wink Hub is available only directly from Wink or from Home Depot.

在本评论中，仅可从Wink或Home Depot直接使用Wink Hub。

如何安装和配置它？ (How Do You Install and Configure It?)

The push toward widespread consumer adoption of smarthome products has yielded some really user-friendly installation processes and user interfaces and the setup and use of the Wink is definitely part of this trend. Let’s take a look at setup and configuration.

向消费者广泛采用智能家居产品的推动已经产生了一些真正用户友好的安装过程和用户​​界面，并且Wink的设置和使用无疑是这一趋势的一部分。 让我们看一下设置和配置。

设置集线器 (Setting Up the Hub)

The physical hub is fairly large compared to the form factor of other smart hub type devices. It has an 8″x8″ face with a 3″ depth and a small easel-like projection at the back to keep it upright. The face has a very slight circular depression in it with the Wink logo in the center and a tiny curved LED window at the top of the circle.

与其他智能集线器类型的设备相比，物理集线器相当大。 它的表面为8英寸x 8英寸，深度为3英寸，背面有一个小的画架状凸起，以保持其直立。 脸部有一个非常轻微的圆形凹陷，中间是Wink徽标，圆形顶部是一个弯曲的LED小窗口。

The majority of all setup and configuration occurs via the smartphone app so the extend of physical setup for the hub involves finding a good location in your home and plugging it in. As long as it’s within range of your Wi-Fi router one place is as good as another once you factor in whether or not you want to see the hub and your tolerance for the bright LED. When you turn the hub on you might not think the LED is particularly bright when viewed in a daylight room but the continuous “everything’s OK” blue LED indicator feels laserbeam bright at night; we were able to easily navigate around a room at night with no other illumination that that of the hub.

所有设置和配置的大部分都通过智能手机应用程序进行，因此集线器的物理设置扩展包括在家里找到合适的位置并插入。只要它在Wi-Fi路由器的范围内，当您考虑是否要看集线器以及对明亮LED的容忍度时，这就是另一个好选择。 当您打开集线器时，您可能不会认为在日光房间中观察时LED会特别亮，但是持续的“一切正常”的蓝色LED指示器在晚上会感觉到激光束很亮。 我们能够在晚上轻松浏览整个房间，而无需使用集线器的其他照明。

The searing brightness of the LED can be easily dampened with a inconspicuous bit of white electrical tape but we will say, as those who like to wall/rack-mount our networking gear, we were disappointed that the device could neither be put flush to a wall nor did it even have wall mounting holes. That’s a very minor complaint, mind you, and it’s not like it was difficult to tuck the bridge out of sight behind our media center.

用一块不起眼的白色电工胶带可以很容易地减弱LED的灼热亮度，但是我们要说的是，就像那些喜欢围墙/机架安装我们的网络设备的人一样，我们感到失望的是，既不能将设备平放到墙，甚至没有墙安装Kong。 请注意，这是一个很小的投诉，并不是很难将桥梁隐藏在我们媒体中心的后面。

安装Wink应用 (Installing the Wink App)

Once you have the hub plugged in and the LED is blinking away as it awaits a real network connection and the ability to check for firmware updates and the like, it’s time to install the mobile app. To that end, vising the app store for your Android or iOS device and grab the free Wink software  (iOS / Android).

一旦插入集线器并且等待真正的网络连接以及检查固件更新等功能的LED指示灯闪烁时，就该安装移动应用程序了。 为此，请访问Android或iOS设备的应用商店，并获取免费的Wink软件( iOS / Android )。

Those of you who have been following along with our smarthome product reviews will recognize the app interface (and the initial steps) immediately as both the GE Link smarthome starter kit and the more power Wink Hub use the same Wink control software.

那些一直关注我们的智能家居产品评论的人会立即识别出应用程序界面(以及初始步骤)，因为GE Link智能家居入门套件和功能更强大的Wink Hub均使用相同的Wink控制软件。

Launch the app and follow the on-screen instructions for creating a Wink account (if you have previous experience with Wink products like the aforementioned GE Link kit you can, and should, use the same credentials).

启动应用程序，并按照屏幕上的说明创建Wink帐户(如果您以前有过使用Wink产品(如上述GE Link工具包)的经验，则可以并且应该使用相同的凭据)。

Once you’ve logged in with your account it’s time to add the Wink Hub to the control software. If smartphone’s Bluetooth radio isn’t already on, take a moment to do so now as the initial setup process for the hub occurs over Bluetooth.

使用帐户登录后，就可以将Wink Hub添加到控制软件中了。 如果智能手机的蓝牙无线电尚未打开，请花点时间进行操作，因为集线器的初始设置过程是通过蓝牙进行的。

将集线器链接到您的网络 (Linking the Hub to Your Network)

With the app installed, your account created, and Bluetooth on, it’s time to add your hub to the app and configure its network access.

安装了应用程序，创建了帐户并启用了蓝牙后，就可以将集线器添加到应用程序并配置其网络访问权限了。

From the Wink app home screen tap on the “Add a product” + symbol, select Hubs, and then select “Wink HUB”. You’ll be prompted, in helpful pictorial format, to complete the steps we’ve already completed (plugging it in, turning Bluetooth on, and so on).

在Wink应用程序主屏幕上，点击“添加产品” +符号，选择“集线器”，然后选择“ Wink HUB”。 系统将以实用的图片格式提示您完成我们已经完成的步骤(插入电源，打开蓝牙等)。

Plug in your Wi-Fi credentials, hit “Connect Now” and feel free to leave the hub alone for a good ten minutes. It will connect to your network, check for updates, download and run any updates, and setup routines all while the LED shifts through a rainbow of colors. When the LED comes to rest at solid blue the process is complete. After click “Done” you’ll be kicked over to the Hub page within the Wink app and given a mini overview of how to add a device.

插入您的Wi-Fi凭据，点击“立即连接”，然后随意将集线器静置十分钟。 它会连接到您的网络，检查更新，下载并运行任何更新，以及设置例程，同时LED会在彩虹中移动。 当LED指示灯变为稳定的蓝色时，该过程完成。 单击“完成”后，您将跳至Wink应用程序内的“集线器”页面，并获得有关如何添加设备的迷你概述。

将智能家居设备添加到集线器 (Adding Smart Home Devices to the Hub)

The process of adding devices to the Wink Hub is very straight forward and we even made a pleasant discovery along the way (more on that in a moment). To add a device simply select the hub from the Wink sidebar menu (accessible by tapping the menu button in the upper left corner of the user interface).

将设备添加到Wink Hub的过程非常简单，我们甚至在此过程中也取得了令人愉快的发现(稍后会介绍更多内容)。 要添加设备，只需从Wink侧边栏菜单中选择集线器(可通过点击用户界面左上角的菜单按钮进行访问)。

There you select “Add a Product” and then select whatever product you wish to add to the hub. Let’s add a few of the extra GE Link bulbs we haven’t gotten around to linking yet.

在此处选择“添加产品”，然后选择要添加到集线器的任何产品。 让我们添加一些我们还没有链接到的GE Link灯泡。

Once you finish selecting the device you want to add you’ll be presented with a step-by-step pictorial process tailored specifically for that device. The process was as easy (and identical) as it was when we added Link bulbs during our review of the GE Link lighting kit. What surprised us was how easy adding other smarthome items was like our Nest Learning Thermostat and Philips Hue Bulbs.

选择完要添加的设备后，将为您提供专门针对该设备量身定制的逐步图示过程。 该过程与我们在审查GE Link照明套件时添加Link灯泡时一样容易(且完全相同)。 令我们感到惊讶的是，添加其他智能家居产品如此容易，例如我们的Nest Learning Thermostat和Philips Hue Bulbs。

Or, more accurately, we should say that we weren’t necessarily surprised that it was easy to add them, but we were very surprised to find that we could add them and retain the full functionality of their individual control applications. We had presumed that we’d need to remove the Hue Bridge from our smarthome network and re-pair the Hue bulbs with the Wink Hub. While we could have done just that, the Wink Hub offered us something even better: the ability to add the Hue Bridge right into the Wink Hub. In this way you can use the Wink Hub to control the Hue bulbs while simultaneously using the Hue Bridge/App (if there are certain features, programmed scenes, or other Hue-specific things you wish to continue using). The same thing happened with the Nest thermostat and Nest Protect smoke alarms; you can control and interact with them via the Wink software but the devices otherwise stay independent and mated to their own applications (which typically over more advanced control for those moments you need to fine tune things).

或者，更准确地说，我们应该对添加它们很容易并不感到惊讶，但是对于能够添加它们并保留其各个控制应用程序的全部功能，我们感到非常惊讶。 我们以为我们需要从智能家居网络中删除Hue Bridge，然后将Hue灯泡与Wink Hub重新配对。 尽管我们可以做到这一点，但Wink Hub为我们提供了更好的东西：将Hue Bridge直接添加到Wink Hub中的功能。 这样，您可以使用Wink Hub来控制Hue灯泡，同时使用Hue Bridge / App(如果要继续使用某些功能，已编程的场景或其他特定于Hue的功能)。 Nest恒温器和Nest Protect烟雾警报器也发生了同样的事情； 您可以通过Wink软件控制它们并与之交互，但是这些设备保持独立并与它们自己的应用程序匹配(通常在需要微调的那些时刻，它们通常由高级控制来控制)。

Given how walled-garden a lot of products can be it was a very pleasant surprised to see that we could add products to the Wink Hub without removing them from other devices first.

考虑到很多产品可以围起来，我们很高兴看到我们可以将产品添加到Wink Hub而不用先将它们从其他设备中移除，这让我感到非常惊喜。

使用集线器 (Using the Hub)

Once you’ve installed the hub, configured it, and added devices, you’re ready to interact with your devices through the Wink Hub and application. There are several manual ways you can interact with your devices as well as semi-automated and automated ways too.

一旦安装了集线器，对其进行了配置并添加了设备，就可以通过Wink集线器和应用程序与设备进行交互了。 您可以通过几种手动方式与设备进行交互，也可以使用半自动和自动方式。

The navigation bar at the bottom of the screen gives you access to the major functions of the hub. The Home page (seen in blue above) showcases the attached hub, lights, and sensors. You can tap on any of the general categories to dig down to individual smart devices and make adjustments to them. Although it’s a useful (and necessary) feature to control each individual object in your smarthome stable this is the least powerful section of the Wink software as all it really accomplishes is giving you the ability to control devices from afar (e.g. turning off the lights without going to the switch or adjusting the thermostat from the couch). In the screenshot below you can see both the simple interface for adjusting smart bulbs as well as the sequence, accessed via the upper right menu button, of linking the bulbs into a group for ease of use.

屏幕底部的导航栏使您可以访问集线器的主要功能。 主页(上方以蓝色显示)展示了已连接的集线器，指示灯和传感器。 您可以点击任何常规类别以深入挖掘各个智能设备并对其进行调整。 尽管这是控制智能家居稳定器中每个对象的有用(必要)功能，但这是Wink软件中功能最弱的部分，因为它真正完成的全部工作就是使您能够远距离控制设备(例如，在不使用灯光的情况下关闭灯光)转到开关或从沙发上调节恒温器)。 在下面的屏幕截图中，您可以看到用于调整智能灯泡的简单界面以及通过右上角菜单按钮访问的将灯泡链接到一组以便于使用的顺序。

The Shortcuts page is where you can create simple shortcuts like a single button to dim the lights and lower the automated blinds when it’s time to watch a movie or to otherwise link together multiple changes in your smart devices. (If you’re used to the concept of “scenes” in the Philips Hue smart lighting system the shortcut system is exactly like that.) This is a step up, in terms of usefulness and power, from the individual toggles of the Home interface. Instead of adjusting five different items one at a time, you can tap a single button labeled “Morning Routine” or the like and achieve the same effect.

在“快捷方式”页面中，您可以创建简单的快捷方式，例如单击一个按钮即可在观看电影或将智能设备中的多个更改链接在一起时调暗灯光并降低自动百叶窗。 (如果您习惯了Philips Hue智能照明系统中的“场景”概念，则快捷方式系统就是这样。)就实用性和功能而言，这是从Home界面的各个开关进行的升级。 您可以单击一个标有“ Morning Routine”(早晨程序)之类的按钮来实现相同的效果，而不必一次调整五个不同的项目。

The Robots page is where you can create simple automated events like having the Wink Hub turn on all your lights and alert your phone in the event that your smoke detector detects smoke or getting a notification when the smart lock is engaged with the dog walker’s security code. While the Robots section is very easy to use it might lack the nuance you’re looking for: that’s where Wink’s IFTTT integration comes in handy (check out some of the clever recipes over at IFTTT.com like automatically locking your doors and turnining off the lights when the Nest detects you’re away from home). By far the Robots and IFTTT integration is the most powerful element of the Wink experience as it allows you to not only take input from your existing devices (with the Robots function) but it can even use input from external sources (like the Emergency Weather Service) via the IFTTT system.

在“机器人”页面上，您可以创建简单的自动化事件，例如让Wink Hub打开所有灯并在烟雾探测器检测到烟雾时提醒手机，或者在智能锁与the狗狗的安全密码结合使用时收到通知， 。 虽然“机器人”部分非常易于使用，但可能缺少您所需要的细微之处：这就是Wink的IFTTT集成非常方便的地方(在IFTTT.com上查看一些聪明的方法，例如自动锁定门并关闭门。当Nest侦测到您不在家时会亮起)。 到目前为止，机器人和IFTTT的集成是Wink体验中最强大的要素，因为它不仅使您能够从现有设备(具有机器人功能)中获取输入，而且甚至可以使用来自外部资源(如紧急天气服务)的输入)通过IFTTT系统。

好的，坏的和判决 (The Good, the Bad, and the Verdict)

After spending a month with the hub what do we have to say about it? Let’s take a look at the good, the bad, and the verdict.

在中心花了一个月后，我们要说些什么？ 让我们看一下好，坏和判决。

善良 (The Good)

• $50 price point is consumer friendly (and anywhere from $50 to $250 cheaper than other consumer smart hubs).50美元的价格点是消费者友好的(比其他消费者智能集线器便宜50美元至250美元)。
• No monthly fee/subscription for the service.没有月费/服务订阅。
• The setup process is very user friendly and the guided steps make it nearly foolproof.设置过程非常人性化，指导步骤使其几乎万无一失。
• Accepts smart devices (like the Philips Hue bulbs) without forcing you to pair them directly to the Wink Hub.接受智能设备(例如Philips Hue灯泡)，而不必强迫您将它们直接与Wink Hub配对。
• Supports IFTTT protocol.支持IFTTT协议。

坏人 (The Bad)

• No web access; you can only control the Wink Hub via your iOS/Android device.没有网络访问； 您只能通过iOS / Android设备控制Wink Hub。
• The hub requires continual Internet access for functionality (if your Internet connection is lost so is the connectivity between the hub and all your devices).集线器需要持续的Internet访问才能获得功能(如果Internet连接断开，则集线器与所有设备之间的连接也会丢失)。
• This is a minor quibble but the LED indicator light on the hub is bright enough illuminate a room at night.这是一个小问题，但集线器上的LED指示灯足够亮，可以在夜间照亮整个房间。
• Another minor quibble: there’s no good way to wall mount the device (on account of the missing mount holes and the easel-like shape).另一个小问题：由于缺少安装Kong和类似画架的形状，因此没有很好的方法将设备壁挂在墙上。

判决 (The Verdict)

Although we had some minor complaints about the physical design of the hub (did we mention we like wall mounting?), overall our experience with the Wink Hub was a positive one. The setup process was painless, and we spent more time waiting for the device to finish updating than we actually spent adding and configuring our devices. Once configured the hub worked exactly as promised and offered a pleasant and smooth user experience that gave us access to all of our smart home devices without completely taking them over and locking us in to just using the Wink app.

尽管我们对轮毂的物理设计有一些小抱怨(我们提到过我们喜欢壁挂式安装吗？)，但总体而言，我们在Wink轮毂方面的经验是积极的。 设置过程很轻松，与实际添加和配置设备相比，我们花费更多的时间等待设备完成更新。 配置完成后，集线器将完全按承诺工作，并提供令人愉悦和流畅的用户体验，使我们能够访问所有智能家居设备，而不必完全接管它们并将其锁定在仅使用Wink应用程序的状态。

Even the thing that we found most problematic about the Wink Hub, the total reliance on Internet connectivity for functionality, is more of a dislike based on principle than practice. Our cable modem connection in a modestly sized metropolitan area is rock solid and easily has uptime in excess of 99.99%. Realistically the reliance on a live connection isn’t a big issue for most people with modern broadband connections, but the device should still perform local functions (like localized shortcuts and automated triggers) without Internet access. There’s no reason why smart bulb mood lighting should be dependent on Internet access.

甚至对于Wink Hub而言，我们发现最成问题的是，完全依赖Internet连接来实现功能，在基于原则而非实践的基础上，也更加不受欢迎。 在大小适中的城市区域中，我们的电缆调制解调器连接坚如磐石，正常运行时间轻松超过99.99％。 实际上，对于大多数拥有现代宽带连接的人来说，对实时连接的依赖并不是一个大问题，但该设备仍应能够在没有Internet访问的情况下执行本地功能(如本地化的快捷方式和自动触发器)。 没有理由说明智能灯泡氛围照明应依赖于Internet访问。

Those minor and major complaints aside, the Wink Hub is a great value at a mere $50 (and with no subscription fees at that). It connects with tons of products across dozens of brands, it supports multiple connection types to get your various devices talking to each other in a useful and meaningful way, and it has a pleasant-to-use interface wrapping it all together. Whether you’re just getting started in smart home and home automation or you’ve got a stable of products you’d like to link together, the Wink Hub currently offers the broadest reach of any smart home hub on the market.

除了那些次要和主要的投诉，Wink Hub的价值仅为50美元(并且没有订阅费)。 它可以连接数十个品牌的大量产品，支持多种连接类型，以使您的各种设备以有用和有意义的方式相互通信，并且具有易于使用的界面，将它们封装在一起。 无论您是刚刚开始智能家居和家庭自动化，还是想将稳定的产品链接在一起，Wink Hub都能提供目前市场上所有智能家居中最广泛的服务。

Have a question about or experience with smart home automation? Jump into the forum below learn more or share what you know.

对智能家居自动化有疑问或经验吗？ 跳至下面的论坛，了解更多或分享您知道的知识。

翻译自: https://www.howtogeek.com/217902/htg-reviews-the-wink-home-automation-hub/