Specifications
The Schlage LiNK system I will be testing includes the wireless deadbolt, wireless network camera, and a wireless thermometer. The components communicate via Z-Wave technology and to access the system remotely you must pay for a monthly subscription.

In Use
The basic component of my home automation system from Schlage is the Deadbolt Starter Kit. You can also get a Lever Starter Kit, which is a doorknob with the wireless entry feature built-in. I was sent the deadbolt starter kit in the bronze finish to match the other hardware in my home. Despite the fact that my doorknobs are from a different manufacturer, the finish matched perfectly.

The wireless dead bolt gets its power from three AA batteries and a single 9V battery. On the inside of the door, the deadbolt is large and looks like what you see on the inside of most hotel room doors. The outside of the deadbolt is larger than the typical deadbolt and has a numerical keypad for entering the unlock code.

The deadbolt doesn’t turn itself, rather the unlock code activates the handle on the outside of the deadbolt and you can then unlock the door. Installing the system was no more difficult than installing a normal deadbolt. The starter kit also includes the required base station and a controller for turning anything that plugs into a standard AC outlet on or off. You can even set the system up to turn on a lamp in your entry hall when your code is entered into the keypad.

You must purchase the starter kit to get the Schlage Bridge before you can set up and install other components like the Trane thermostat I used and the wireless network camera. Installing the thermostat was my next step, and it was much more complex than installing the deadbolt.

I found the online instructions that went along with the deadbolt to be lacking for someone who doesn't do this sort of thing all the time. The actual install was easy enough (be sure you kill the power to the AC unit) and you need to know exactly what type of HVAC system you have. I spent hours fussing about trying to get the thermostat to work and was at the point of going back to my original thermostat when I found the flaw in the directions for my home wiring setup.

The problem was that the actual wires inside my original thermostat (of which there are several) were labeled Y-Y2 to one terminal and then another terminal was labeled Y1. According to the Schlage directions wires labeled on terminals Y1 or Y on the stock thermostat go toY1 on the new Trane thermostat. I connected it this way and went about my business. The catch here is that my original thermostat had the Y and Y2 as the same terminal. To make a long story short, the directions had me connecting the Y-Y2 wire from my stock thermostat to the wrong terminal on the Trane thermostat that goes with the Automation system.

The Y wire is very important in my system, without it connected to the correct terminal; the compressor unit would not turn on meaning only the fan ran when the cooling system activated. Once I moved that Y wire from my original thermostat to the Y2 terminal on the new Trane thermostat everything worked flawlessly. It just took a few hours for me to realize the instructions had the wires backwards compared to my stock thermostat.

After the debacle with the thermostat, the installation of the wireless camera was a piece of cake. I mated the camera to the wireless bridge by unplugging the bridge and hitting the plus button in it and then plugging the camera in. This is the same process more or less that you follow to add the lock and the thermostat to the automation network as well.

After all the components were installed, you can log onto the Schlage online website and have complete control over your automated home from any web-connected computer. The coolest part is that I can control my thermostat from the couch or from any other place with web access. I can also use the iPhone app that is available for the system to send the unlock command to my front door to let people in without actually being home.

I can also view the live camera feed form the wireless camera that I installed with the system from the web portal. Aside for the issue with the instructions, the fact that you have to pay on a monthly basis is certainly the main drawback to this system. The monthly service is about $13 per month or you can get a year for a bit under $150. If you don't pay, you can't access the automation system online.