5 essays
The Control Panel
Smart home setup, device choices, automation design, and platform decisions. Home Assistant deep-dives and systems the family actually likes.
01
Home Assistant: 32 Automations My Family Actually LikesA former network engineer shares the 32 Home Assistant automations that survived family li...
Wes ChandlerThe Control Panel
Aug 05, 2026
→
02
Smart Bulbs vs Switches: I Installed Both to Find OutA side-by-side test of smart bulbs and smart switches in the same room—what actually worke...
Wes ChandlerThe Control Panel
Aug 03, 2026
→
03
The Automation That Shut Off the Furnace at Super BowlA well-intentioned Home Assistant automation turned off the heat during a Super Bowl party...
Wes ChandlerThe Control Panel
Aug 02, 2026
→
04
The Roast: My Five Biggest Smart Home Mistakes (So Far)A former network engineer publicly roasts his five biggest smart-home mistakes—what went w...
Wes ChandlerThe Control Panel
Aug 01, 2026
→
05
Why a Network Engineer Ripped Open His Electrical PanelA former network engineer explains how one heat-pump install turned into ripping open the ...
Wes ChandlerThe Control Panel
Jul 30, 2026
→