The Wink Home Hub 2 is a special hub or router designed to communicate with various smart home automation equipment over the wide and varied array of different languages and frequencies.
Basically, the Wink Home Hub 2 provides all the antennas you need to talk to almost anything related to home automation in one device.
Wink Platform
The Wink platform is the software, phone app, and services provided by the Wink company.
The Wink platform talks to your Wink Home Hub 2, and to the app you install on your smartphone securely.
This allows you to use the app on your phone, even when you're not home, to control your smart home equipment.
The Wink platform also translates the variety of different protocols or languages that smart home devices use, and presents it to you in a simple, easy interface in the app on your smartphone.
What can the Wink Home Hub 2 talk to?
Zigbee
Used in lights, low-power switches primarily, but found in small and large appliances as well
Z-Wave
Found in smart plugs, outlets, switches, and small and large appliances
Lutron Clear Connect
Found in smart lighting, switches, and sensors
Kidde
Fire safety products
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
Used for certain sensors, such as grill temperature probes
Wi-Fi in both 2.4 GHz and 5GHz spectrums
Used in modern wireless communication between your devices, as well as smart lighting, security cameras, and other devices
Also can be used to connect to your home network
Ethernet
Used to connect to your home network
Wink also offers multiple smart home starter kits that include smart lights, motion sensors, door & window sensors, and siren/chime devices. All of which are designed to tie into the Wink Hub 2.
3. Basic Setup for Your Wink Hub 2 Wireless Home Automation