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bphagan64's avatar
bphagan64
New Contributor
2 months ago
Solved

Storing Smart Home Codes

I store a lot in 1password to keep everything together.

I am starting to get into Smart Home and devices.

Most come with a code or a QR Code. Depending on where you put the device,
It may not be convenient to access the code if I need to re-pair the device.

Does anyone have a suggestion to add the QR codes, the text codes and identifiable information like a location into 1password? 

The only option I see is to create a(or multiple) secure note and add a photo of the QR code and type in other relavent information.

Once I start to get dozens or even hundreds of individual devices, this could get unweildy to manage or use effectively.

Would like to see 1password add a new catagory for adding Smart Home codes and device information.
I think there is an IOS app called Homebase for Homekit that does this, but don't want yet another subscription or tool to manage my information.


Regards,
Brett
 

  • Hi bphagan64​! Welcome to the Community. This is an interesting question, and there are a few organizational solutions depending on your setup and preferences.

    You mentioned that managing a lot of items for your devices could get unwieldy. Items are pretty flexible in terms of what you can add to or remove from them. One option would be to create an item for an area of your home or a device type, then customize the sections and fields to include the relevant information for each individual device. Here's a simple example:

     

    Here's how that looks while editing to give you an idea of how you could move things around:

     

    Another option, and what I'd probably do myself, is to create an item for each device, then organize them with vaults and tags. For example you could put all your device items in a Smart Home vault, then tag each item with a location and type. The vault would help keep everything in one place, and the tags would allow you to quickly look for an item related to Security, Basement, or whatever tagging scheme makes sense to you. The other advantage to making an item for each device is that you'd be able to look them up with a search, which could include search filters.

    Would either of these options, or something similar, work for you? If not, could you share a bit more about your use case and what sort of features you'd like to have available? I'd be happy to pass your comments along to the team. Thanks again!

3 Replies

  • 1P_Timothy's avatar
    1P_Timothy
    Icon for Community Manager rankCommunity Manager

    Hi bphagan64​! Welcome to the Community. This is an interesting question, and there are a few organizational solutions depending on your setup and preferences.

    You mentioned that managing a lot of items for your devices could get unwieldy. Items are pretty flexible in terms of what you can add to or remove from them. One option would be to create an item for an area of your home or a device type, then customize the sections and fields to include the relevant information for each individual device. Here's a simple example:

     

    Here's how that looks while editing to give you an idea of how you could move things around:

     

    Another option, and what I'd probably do myself, is to create an item for each device, then organize them with vaults and tags. For example you could put all your device items in a Smart Home vault, then tag each item with a location and type. The vault would help keep everything in one place, and the tags would allow you to quickly look for an item related to Security, Basement, or whatever tagging scheme makes sense to you. The other advantage to making an item for each device is that you'd be able to look them up with a search, which could include search filters.

    Would either of these options, or something similar, work for you? If not, could you share a bit more about your use case and what sort of features you'd like to have available? I'd be happy to pass your comments along to the team. Thanks again!

    • bphagan64's avatar
      bphagan64
      New Contributor

      I will give this a try to see how it works for me.
      I like the idea of a separate vault for the devices.
      Prefer to have a Category item that is easy to add a new device.
      Creating a Notes template means I have to go to that template, duplicate and then add info.
      Not terrible, but a category item would be nice.
      Here is a list of information I may want to track:

      Home: I have multiple locations that I may want to track
      Room: Which room the device is installed or located.
      Category: What kind of device is it, Switch, Plug, Lock, Sensor, etc
      Type: Endpoint, router, border router, etc
      Accessory Name: What name I call the device in my Home App
      Manufacturer: Company that makes the device
      URL: Company or product URL
      Model: Model number of the device
      Serial Number: Serial Number of the device
      Communication: The type of network comm used. Thread, WiFi, Zigbee, etc
      Connection: Wireless, wired, PoE, etc
      Matter: Is the device Matter compatible
      QR Code: Image of the QR code of the device for pairing
      Code Number: The code number usually with the QR code
      Mac ID IPv4 and IPv6: Some devices are WiFi
      Network ID: Not sure if there are other network identifiers for thread, zigbee, etc
      Manual: PDF copy of the manual for future reference

      You have a couple I did not consider:
      Power Mode: Battery, wired, etc
      Battery Charged: Last time the battery was charged
      Battery Changed: Last time battery was replaced.
      Battery Type: What type of battery needed for replacement

      I am sure there are other items that could be included.

      Regards,
      Brett

      • 1P_Timothy's avatar
        1P_Timothy
        Icon for Community Manager rankCommunity Manager

        Thanks for following up with me bphagan64​. My apologies for the delay in reply.

        I can definitely see the benefit in having a category more suited for smart home entries rather than modifying a secure note for each. I cannot promise this will be added to 1Password but I've shared your interest with the team including the specifics you included here.

        Thanks again for taking the time to share these details with me. 

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