The whole apartment // end to end

Topology//how it flows

Claro fiber  →  Claro ONT (bridge mode, in service area)
                    │
                    │  ONE Cat6a trunk (~10m to Linen Closet)
                    ▼
        ┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
        │  CENTRAL RACK  //  Linen Closet     │
        │  Built-in wall cabinet w/ door      │
        │                                     │
        │   • 24-port patch panel             │
        │   • 16-port unmanaged switch        │
        │   • Eero 6+ "main" node (gateway)   │
        │   • UPS ~600VA                      │
        │   • HA Yellow                       │
        │   • Hue Bridge                      │
        └─────────────────────────────────────┘
                    │
                    │  Cat6 fans out
                    ▼
            16 room drops + 6 AP locations
      

Hardware//what goes in the rack

Why Linen Closet//over other locations

• Geometrically central — sits between bedroom wing and kitchen/living wing, ideal for Zigbee mesh from the HA Yellow
• Already has a door — architect's plan shows the door; rack lives as a wall buildout behind it
• Adjacent to BWC Valentina — power and HVAC infrastructure accessible on the other side of the wall
• Built-in recessed rack — needs ~15–20cm of wall depth behind the front face. Confirm depth available with architect before construction
• Linen storage compatible — most linen closets are shelves that don't go to the back wall, so 20cm depth is easy to allocate

AP placement//6 APs, all wired backhaul, all wall-powered

All 6 Eero 6+ units deployed. Zero spares. If one fails, buy a new one. Sala de Estar and Suíte Valentina don't have their own APs — they get coverage from adjacent rooms (Sala Íntima and Suíte Hóspedes/Master respectively).

Drop count per room//16 room drops + 1 structural

Plus 1 empty conduit (electrical panel → Linen Closet) for unpredictable future cabling.

Structural cables//3 critical runs beyond the room drops

These three runs aren't for room devices — they're infrastructure between the rack and other building systems. Each one is irreversible after the renovation closes, and each one solves a future problem worth thousands of reais.

Plus 1 empty conduit (electrical panel → Linen Closet) for whatever cabling shows up in the next 5 years that no one can predict today. Total: 17 cables (16 Cat6 + 1 Cat6a) + 1 spare conduit.

Segmentation//Eero's limits, honestly

VLANs aren't needed because ~90% of smart devices aren't on Wi-Fi. The Shelly modules and Aqara sensors all use Zigbee through the HA Yellow's coordinator — a separate radio entirely. They don't have IP addresses and can't talk to the internet directly, so they're outside the threat model VLANs solve. Only ~5–7 Wi-Fi smart devices (Daikin REIRI, smart TVs, future smart appliances) sit on the main network, and they're all from reputable vendors with reasonable security.

Defense in depth: Eero firewall blocks inbound from internet, Eero Plus ($10/mo) optional for threat detection, no random AliExpress smart plugs.

Zigbee strategy//no Wi-Fi load

Every Shelly Gen4 module ships in Matter mode by default. Each gets switched to Zigbee mode (press button 5×) so they all join the HA Yellow's mesh — not the Eero's Wi-Fi. With ~38 Shelly modules + Aqara sensors, you'd be doubling the Wi-Fi client count if everything went over Wi-Fi. Zigbee keeps the Wi-Fi clean for phones, laptops, and TVs.

Bonus: each Shelly module also acts as a Zigbee router — it relays signals for battery-powered sensors and other Zigbee devices, building a denser, more reliable mesh as more Shellys come online. (Shellys do NOT extend Wi-Fi — only Zigbee.)

Hardware

Why HA Yellow//vs alternatives

• Local-first by design — runs everything on-device, internet only needed for voice + remote access
• Built-in Zigbee radio — no separate USB stick (Sonoff ZBDongle, etc.) needed
• PoE-capable — one cable for power + network, can live anywhere with a network jack
• Best HA integration coverage in the ecosystem — Shelly, Daikin, Aqara, Eero all have first-class integrations

Voice routing//how Alexa fits in

Existing Alexa devices stay where they are. They connect to HA via the Nabu Casa Alexa Smart Home integration (part of the €7.50/mo subscription). Every entity in HA — every light, every shade, every HVAC zone, every scene — becomes addressable as "Alexa, [command]."

The Daikin REIRI also has its own Alexa skill, so you can have either path. For consistency, prefer routing through HA so all voice commands go through one place.

Hardware

Wall buttons//behavior

• Short press — toggle on/off, returns to last brightness
• Long press / hold — ramp brightness up, next hold ramps down
• App / Alexa / HA — set any brightness 0–100% directly

Bulb selection//the gotcha

• All bulbs on one Shelly Dimmer must be the same brand and model
• Bulbs must be labeled "dimmable" — non-dim LED on a dimmer = flicker, failure, or damage
• Trailing-edge dimming (Shelly Dimmer Gen4 default)

Hardware

Wire mapping//Uniflex → Shelly

RC snubbers//essential, not optional

Each shade motor is an inductive AC load. Every time the Shelly 2PM relay switches direction, the motor's collapsing magnetic field generates a voltage spike that erodes the relay contacts. Without snubbers, relay failures within a few years are likely given the cycle counts (sunrise + sunset = ~10,000+ cycles per shade per year). With them, the relays outlast the motors.

Two snubbers per motor — one across Marrom/Azul, one across Preto/Azul, mounted in the junction box near the window.

Hardware

Capacity check//indoor vs outdoor

Total indoor capacity: 4×3,100 + 6×6,100 + 1×1,900 = 52,500 kcal/h. Outdoor capacity (3 × 6HP): roughly ~45,000–48,000 kcal/h. Connection ratio: ~110%, well within typical VRV range (130–150% max). System isn't oversold.

Control layers//three of them

Why REIRI over Modbus today//the tradeoff

• REIRI is bundled at no extra cost from Daikin direct; Modbus interface (DTA116A51) is R$5,000 more
• REIRI gives features Modbus can't — push alerts for error codes, filter cleaning reminders, app-level scheduling, Daikin service integration
• Modbus gives features REIRI can't — fully local HA integration, no cloud dependency, raw status registers
• Decision: take REIRI now, reserve the option for Modbus later — the F1/F2 bus stays accessible for retrofit

Likely sensor families (TBD per room)

Garage and doorbell//dry contact integration

Two Shelly 1 Mini Gen4 modules in dry-contact mode bridge the existing garage opener and doorbell into HA without exposing them to 220V. Garage gets remote open/close via app. Doorbell triggers can route to phone notifications, Alexa announcements, or scenes ("guest arrival" turns on entryway lights).

Electrical (mandatory for Shelly)

• Neutral wire to every switch box — non-negotiable for Shelly modules. Most older Brazilian installs have only live + switched-live at the wall box; Shelly needs the 220V neutral.
• Confirm Brazilian 4×2" caixa depth on 2–3 representative boxes before bulk ordering — module + wires + push-button needs to fit.
• Push-buttons (momentary), not toggles — wired to Shelly S1/S2 inputs, not the load.

Cat6 / structured cabling//17 cables total

Room drops total = 14 (Master 2 + Valentina 1 + Hóspedes 2 + Office 3 + Sala de Estar 1 + Sala Íntima 3 + Lavabo/Dining 1 + Kitchen 1). The HVAC F1/F2 cable counts as structural, not a room drop, so the total drops-per-room table in the Network section sums to 14, plus 3 structural = 17 total.

Other//don't forget

• Power outlet at HA Yellow location — dedicated, accessible
• UPS at HA Yellow location — power continuity covers brownouts, momentary cuts
• Ground bar in electrical panel — for all motor grounds, Shelly ground references
• RC snubber junction space — leave room in shade motor junction boxes for 2 snubbers per motor

Recurring//subscriptions

Sensor layer//pending walkthrough

Budget ballpark — assume €400–800 once a per-room sensor plan is finalized. Mostly Aqara presence (FP2) and ambient sensors. Can be phased in post-install.

For Daikin//written confirmations

1. F1/F2 bus accessibility — confirm in writing that the F1/F2 indoor bus is accessible at the indoor unit junction for future installation of a Modbus interface (DTA116A51 or successor model). One sentence in the contract or quote.
2. 3 outdoor units rationale — confirm zoning and placement plan. Why 3 × 6HP instead of 1 larger system? Where does each one sit physically?
3. Indoor unit changes — confirm the swap from 2 × 4HP ducted to 1 × FXDQ20PDVE slim-duct + 2 extra cassettes is intentional. Which zones changed and why.
4. Electrical panel sizing — confirm the panel handles 3 dedicated breakers for the outdoors at 220V 1-phase. Each 6HP outdoor pulls real amps on startup.

For Anteparo / Uniflex//motor type

1. Motor type confirmation — written confirmation in the email thread that all 15 motors will be the Convencional (contato seco / dry contact) variant, NOT RTS or TSR. Single line: "Confirmo que os motores serão Convencional, contato seco, sem rádio integrado."
2. Limit switch programming — confirm Uniflex programs the limit switches during install, not the electrician or homeowner.

For the electrician//cable list and rack

1. Confirm Cat6 cable list in scope — all 17 cables: 14 room drops (Cat6), 1 electrical panel (Cat6), 1 HVAC F1/F2 (Cat6), 1 Claro trunk (Cat6a F/UTP shielded), + 1 spare conduit. Specify Cat6a only for the Claro trunk; Cat6 everywhere else.
2. Linen Closet rack buildout — confirm wall depth allows 15–20cm recess for a 6U–9U wall-mount cabinet. If not, surface-mount inside the closet instead.
3. Wall-box depth check — open 2–3 representative caixas on a site visit to confirm Shelly modules will fit before bulk-ordering 30+.
4. Cable labeling protocol — printed cable tags (not handwritten tape) for all spare/future runs, especially the VRF Modbus cable.

For Claro//one phone call

1. ONT bridge mode — call Claro and request the fiber ONT be configured in bridge mode so the Eero 6+ gateway handles routing, DHCP, firewall. Standard request, no extra cost.
2. Fiber entry point — confirm where Claro brings the fiber into the apartment so the trunk Cat6 to the Linen Closet rack can be routed accordingly.

For yourself//decisions pending

1. Bulb compatibility test — buy 1 Dimmer Gen4 + 1 of the LED model planned. Test before bulk-ordering 30 dimmers.
2. Final dimmable circuit count — depends on lighting plan finalization. Tag each switch in the plan as D (dimmable → Dimmer) or O (on/off → 1PM Mini).
3. Room-by-room sensor walkthrough — Aqara FP2 per key space, basic sensors elsewhere. Hold purchase until lighting plan is final.
4. Network rack hardware order — cabinet, patch panel, PoE switch, UPS. Can be ordered closer to electrical phase to avoid sitting in storage.