That "just works" promise on your next smart device is hiding infrastructure requirements, protocol conflicts, and privacy vulnerabilities that manufacturers would rather you never discover. In this episode, Chelsea Miller breaks down the technical checklist you need to complete before purchasing any smart home device—covering network architecture, protocol compatibility, and the specific hardware requirements that determine whether your automation runs locally or becomes another surveillance endpoint. Whether you're building a privacy-first setup or just tired of ecosystem lock-in traps, this guide reveals what breaks smart homes before they even get started.

• Your router likely can't isolate IoT devices from your personal network—most consumer routers lack VLAN support, and without it, a compromised smart bulb could access your NAS ...