Smart Home

Smart home: Ajax, Aqara and Shelly

Relays, switches, sockets, sensors, video doorbells and automation for lighting, blinds and irrigation. Three different ecosystems in one catalogue, and the important part is choosing the first one well. We sell and install in Málaga and the Costa del Sol.

Which ecosystem suits you

Ajax makes sense if you already have, or plan to install, the Ajax alarm: its relays, doorbell and switches live in the same app as the detectors and cameras, and automate through the system’s scenarios. Shelly is the route for an already-built house: the relays hide behind your existing switch or in the junction box, so you keep the fittings you have. Aqara is the affordable sensor and remote option, easy to start with room by room, and the one that works best with voice assistants.

What to compare before you start

1. The app. Three ecosystems mean three apps. Decide how many you are willing to open every day before you buy.
2. Neutral wire in the box. Many relays need it. It is the first thing to check in an older house and the most common reason for a return.
3. Wireless coverage. Zigbee and WiFi behave differently through thick walls, and flush-mounted relays sit inside a metal or masonry box where signal drops.
4. What you actually want automated. Lights and blinds pay off in daily use; irrigation and climate only if they are genuinely scheduled.
5. What happens when the internet fails. A switch with a Shelly relay still works as a switch; a cloud-dependent remote does not.

How it gets installed here

On the Costa del Sol most jobs are partial: automating the living room and the porch, closing blinds when you leave, turning on outdoor lighting on detection. In a new build it is cabled for from the start and the result is far cleaner. If you already have our alarm or cameras, the natural move is to add automation to the same system instead of opening yet another app.

Worth reading first

• Ajax with other brands’ cameras: scenarios
• Ajax alarm with no monthly fees

Two reference parts: the Ajax Doorbell 4 MP with integrated AI and the Ajax LightCore smart dimmer relay.

Frequently asked questions

Can I mix Ajax, Shelly and Aqara in the same house?
They can coexist, but they do not always integrate. Each keeps its own app and automations; some can be bridged through a voice assistant or an intermediate controller. If you want one screen for everything, pick a main ecosystem and use the others only where the main one cannot reach.

Do I need building work to automate the lights in a finished house?
Usually not. The relays sit behind the existing fitting or in the junction box and you keep your current switches. The condition is a neutral wire and room in the box — check that by opening one fitting before buying anything.

What if in two years I want to move everything to a professional system?
What you lose is the ecosystem, not the cabling. That is why in renovations we recommend cabling the important points even if you use wireless relays for now: the day you switch, the expensive work is already done.