Kasa Smart 3 Way Switch HS210 KIT Needs Neutral Wire 2 4GHz Wi-Fi Light Switch works with Alexa

I've bought several variations of these from this brand. Simple reason, they just work all the time while there have been others, I've used work too, but only some of the time. Installation is quick and easy, plus unlike some others they do include a ground wire. Connecting with Alexa is no problem and automatic after initial setup. I'm pretty new to the Smart Home Game, have changed and updated my network a couple of times. That's where there are a couple of places where these excel with one being able to easily reset them. Another place that is a pretty big deal compared to some others is if you have a dual-band or tri-band network, you don't have to jump through hoops to get this to pick the 2.4GHz range. Some others that I have required turning off the 5GHz band to get them to find the network then I've just had to forget about getting consistent results after turning it back on. As far as fit, they fit perfectly in standard US junction boxes, don't get hot, look nice and as an added kicker, they're budget priced. Read more

This smart switch comes with two sets of switches. Each set includes two wire nuts, two mounting screws, snap-on face plate, wire labeling stickers, and the switch itself. Install is relatively straightforward. I was able to install these in a 3 way dimmer switch configuration and a 3 way configuration. For both, I made sure to install the smart switch at the switch with the hot wire from the main home circuit, rather than any hot wires coming from other switches in the setup. If you install in any of the switches after this first switch then I believe it won't work. Only one switch is needed - the other switches can stay dumb. This also works for a single pole switch (just wire one of the travellers). For the 3 way dimmer, the other switch is the dumb dimmer switch. It works fine after the install. For the 4 way switch, the intermediate switch is the four way and the last switch is another 3 way switch. I also didn't touch these and they worked fine. To find which switch is the first switch, I voltage tested the common wire on the switch (usually has a black screw, bottom right side of the switch when facing it) while operating the switches. The common wire for the first switch will never go to zero (when measuring between it and ground or using a line tester). In my house, this first switch was also usually in the largest gang outlets or near areas with lots of wiring. If your old switch has the wires inserted into a hole in the switch rather than screwed on the side, you have to find a small paperclip and stick it in the even smaller hole next to it. Then you can pull the wire out. The neutral and ground wires in the smart switch are permanently fixed to the smart switch. They can be wired into any existing bundles of neutral (white) and ground (exposed copper) wires in the outlet box. My outlet box had these already bundled together and secured using a wire nut. I just unscrewed the wire nut and added the cables from the switch. The remaining line/hot wire (black) and traveller wire connections are screwed onto the smart switch. There are no wires coming off the smart switch itself for these. I do not believe it matters which traveller wire goes to which terminal. Typically the traveller wires will be bundled into one sheathed wire in the outlet box, while the line/hot wire will be separate. My traveller wires were colored red and black. The traveller wires are screwed onto the top of the switch, and the line wire to the right side. I found the smart switches to be a lot larger than the dumb switches, but they do just barely fit into the outlet box. I had to chip away some drywall compound from my outlet boxes to get them to fit. If your outlet box is metal, you might want to insulate the traveller wire terminals, as I think they could contact the metal box. Setup is very easy with the app. No QR codes to scan. Just go near the switch and follow the instructions in the app. It does not use Bluetooth either. It seems to search for a Wifi broadcast from the switch. For some of my switches I had trouble connecting the first time, but a retry, or reset of the switch (using a small button on the front of the switch) would allow it to work. Alexa integration is automatic once you link the Kasa phone app. The switch itself is not a toggle like a normal switch, but simply a clicky button. When off, a dim white ring lights up the switch. Below the switch are very small reset and restart buttons. Although I only have one switch per three way or four way setup, the app can still tell if my light is on or off. Finally, these have no delay. I have some Kasa smart plugs plugged into switched outlets. With these smart plugs, there is a slight delay when turning on the switch and waiting for the lights to come on. However, with the smart switches, there is no delay. I assume this is because the smart plugs actually lose power while the switch doesn't. I am very happy with these switches. The setup and use is very easy. Install was very straightforward, even though I had not done any switch installs before. These are one of the cheapest smart switches on the market, but they perform excellently. Read more

It is easy to install and work great. Read more

Summary: The three ways HS201 kit replaced my existing HUBBELL switches. The HS201s are bulkier than conventional switches. You need to factor it into account if you are installing in a gang box crowded with wires and connectors. I expect that any smart switch will take more space, it is not specific to TP-Link. The TP-Link switches only function when a neutral is available. New and recent constructions may have a neutral laid out, missing with older buildings. Do not order the TP-Link smart switches if you don't have a neutral available. The TP-Link switches have a thicker mounting bracket than that of my HUBBELL. I installed the HS201 in existing 4-Gang and 3-Gang boxes. As shown in the photos, my existing wallplates no longer provided a perfect fit between the switches and the wall. I called TP-Link CS, and they took note of the problem, and never provided any answer. PROS: works as expected; Central hub not required. "Kasa" app. takes you through the installation step by step, with DIY instruction; you need to create an account, one more email and password. Easy to pair with your Wifi network; Easy to configure to work with your existing Smart Home devices (Alexa, Google home, etc...) CONS: Switches are bulkier than conventional ones, it may be an issue in crowded gang boxes. Neutral is required for the system to work. Delivered with two single switch wallplates; the wallplates should not be included, but sold separately. TP-Link offers no 2-Gang, 3-Gang, 4-Gang wallplates to fit their switches. Customer Service was reachable, but did not follow up on my request: what wallplate should I use to have a perfect fit between the wall and a TP-Link HS201 switch. The original wallplate left a gap with the wall where the switch was installed. Be aware that if your installation deviates from standard, the Kasa app. will tell you to call support for assistance. Keep in mind that if you lose power, you will have to pair each and every TP-Link switch again! why couldn't they use non volatile memory? The same goes if you change ISP. Not cheap! REVIEW: I have a staircase in my home, and three way switches at the top and bottom. This was the perfect testing ground for a set of Smart Switches. After a bit of research, I identified TP-Link as a good candidate, because they had a selection of products that would work in case I decided to add more components in my home. I renounced to my initial brand choice, because it required to have an extra hub to interface all the devices together. The installation did not go as smoothly as I expected, due to the larger size HS201s compared to conventional three way switches. My installation was done inside 4-gang and 3-gang boxes, with existing connectors and plenty of wires. The wires are not the flexible type, and it took me some time to bend them in a way that would allow the switch to fit. This also makes me question the possibility to add more switches. There is very limited room behind the HS201 and the back of the gang box. I suppose gang boxes manufacturer should start proposing deeper boxes to accommodate smart switches. Before you order any Smart switch, check the inside of your gang box, even if it is for a single switch. Before you order any Smart switch check your Wifi level close to where you will install. No Wifi, means you need to spend more money for repeaters. Not necessarily from TP-Link. There are other solutions. There are a few tools TP-Link advices to have before you begin, and I strongly recommend one of them; the contact less voltage detector, to ascertain you have effectively cut the power off. Identifying the wires require a little understanding of how a 3 way switch works, meaning load, 2 travelers, a ground. A conventional three way switch does not require a neutral. So you may have a little digging to do to find it. In my case, they did the paint job without covering the gang boxes, so all the wires inside were white! I had to remove the paint to be able to see the colors. You may also be in that situation. Do not hesitate to remove ALL the switches, and clean everything as required. In case of multiple switches in a gang, make sure ALL the switches are powerless. Do not assume because the one switch you are working on is powered off, that the others will necessarily be. Especially if you work with 3 way switches installed in multiple locations. This is where the contact-less voltage detector comes handy!!! I used Leviton wall plates to replace my originally installed one, which did not fit a mix of HUBBELL and TP-Link switches. If you want to install smart switches in a "shadow" area of your home, I recommend that you use a "mesh" system, rather than "repeaters or extenders"; Google, Linksys, Netgear, Samsung, eero propose equipment that eliminate any network shadow in your house. However, those are not cheap. I have tried the Linksys Velop and returned it. Each time you lose power, you need to reconfigure it. I live in an area where power outages are frequent. I am talking about losing power once every two months in average. This is why I am reluctant to equip my house with more TP-Link switches. Read more