I bought the LIFX A19 Smart Light Bulb on Amazon in Jan.
It came in a nifty cylinder box and super tiny instructional manual – installation looked straight-forward.
Plugged it into the socket and used my iPhone to scan the LIFX ID code (located on the instruction manual).
Using the Apple HomeKit I tried to connect it to my home WiFi network – didn’t work. I got a “no response” or it timed out.
Tried connecting 5x (then remembered the definition of insanity).
So I downloaded the LIFX App and tried again. Same problem.
I noticed the smart bulb kept trying to switch to old WiFi networks I’ve used in the past, not my home WiFi network. This made me think that it wasn’t a defective bulb because something appeared to be working.
Finally searched online. Took a few mins before finding a possible solution.
The Fix: turn the light switch on/off 3-5 times
After flipping the switch a few times the LIFX bulb did a couple blinks. Good sign. (I imagine this is how Edison felt in 1879)
Went back to my iPhone and it quickly connected to my Apple HomeKit.
After naming my new bulb ‘Bugsy’ I was able to control all the features.
Today it works great — I’m not a huge fan of Apple HomeKit because you have to navigate a bunch of pages before getting to bulb settings.
LIFX App – confusing and has trouble connecting if I’m not on the same WiFi.
I paid for the Lightbow app and it’s a lot easier than others I tested:
changing colors, set timers, and creating new presettings
Very straight-forward app.
Overall I’m pretty happy with the LIFX purchase.
It was a little buggy at first, but only took a few mins to figure out.
Smart bulbs are somewhat expensive, but today have a lot of practical uses – I think they’d make good home security device. Today’s models include motion detection.
This year I plan on buying a few more for my bedroom and bathroom.
You can learn more about the LIFX A19 smart light bulb here.