FAQ
Do you have questions relating to your new frients? Find the answers to a list of frequently asked questions here. In case you have additional questions, please contact your retailer.
FAQ about the smart home devices by frient

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General FAQs

What is frient?

frient is the shortcut to your peace of mind. With frient wireless smart home devices, there is always someone safeguarding what matters the most to you. A frient who ensures that you and your loved ones are always safe and comfortable. A frient who watches your home – even when you’re not there - and leads you on the way to a green and safe everyday life.

To connect and control to your frient device, you will need a Zigbee-supporting smart home hub and a web- or mobile app.

Where can I buy frient devices?

You can find a list of retailers carrying our friently products here

How can I get started with frient?

To get started with frient, you will first need a Zigbee-supporting hub compatible with the friently devices and functionalities. You will also need a smartphone or tablet where you can download your smart home app.

What is a hub?

A hub, also called a gateway, is the heart of your smart home system. It enables communications between all the parts of your smart home system: your wireless networks, smartphone/tablet app, smart devices, and appliances.

Which hubs do frient devices work with?

While we don’t offer hubs in the frient product range, the devices should be compatible with hubs which are Zigbee certified. You can find an overview of hubs which we have integrated and tested our friently devices with here.

What is Zigbee?

Zigbee is a wireless network, and one of the world's most trusted and secure standard protocols in wireless communication. All frient devices are Zigbee certified and can connect and communicate with each other using the same IoT language.

What are the advantages of using frient products?

frient products are here to make your life more comfortable and give you peace of mind. By installing frient devices in your home, you can be sure that you, your loved ones, and your belongings will be safe at all times. You can also control and keep an eye on your home while you’re away, and make sure only the electric appliances you want are turned on.

The range of uses of frient devices in your home are endless and only limited by your imagination.

Is there a monthly subscription fee for using frient products?

No. Once you have purchased a frient device, it is yours to own and use forever. Any additional premium services available through your smart home app are in no way related to frient.

Are frient devices safe to use?

Yes, frient devices have been thoroughly tested to ensure they meet the highest standards and comply with EU safety regulations and directives. The products are also CE and Zigbee certified.

Where can I find out more about frient?

You can find out more about frient on our ‘About frient’ section. You can also stay informed about the frient product range – and get new ideas for your smart home – by following us on Instagram, liking our Facebook page, and signing up for our newsletter.

Which connected devices work with frient?

frient products are able to connect and communicate with other wireless devices through your smart home system. The devices also work with a broad range of connected devices according to your smart home system, such as lights, smart locks, sensors, cameras, among others.

What is a smart home system?

Smart home, or home automation, is the use of wireless devices such as sensors connected to a network at home. This allows you to connect electric appliances and other parts of your home, to remotely control, monitor and protect your home through functions like remote lighting, smoke and fire detection, secure access control, and many more. By connecting your devices and appliances to your smart home system, they become a part of the Internet of Things (IoT) – a network of physical devices that can collect and share data for your benefit.

frient devices

General device questions

What can I do with frient devices?

frient devices allow you to monitor, control, and automate a wide variety of aspects of your home, as long as they are connected to a supported gateway. For example, you can remotely turn on and off electric appliances using your smartphone with the Smart Plug Mini, protect your home from fire and be notified if smoke is detected with the Intelligent Smoke Alarm, and look out for leaks in hard to reach places with the Water Leak Detector and Probe.

Where can I get more information about frient devices?

You can find out more about our friently devices in our 'Products' section.

What wireless networks do frient devices support?

All frient products work exclusively via Zigbee. The devices are Zigbee certified and can communicate with each other through a Zigbee-supporting hub.

How do I install a frient device?

Installing a frient device is extremely easy and you can do it yourself, without needing to pay an expert or technician (except for the Smart DIN Relay which should only be installed, accessed, serviced, and maintained by qualified electrical personnel). It is as easy as inserting the included batteries in the device (if batteries are needed), ensuring it is turned on and searching for a Zigbee network, and adding to your smart home it via your app.

How do I control my frient devices?

You can control your frient devices through the user interface offered by your smart home system. This can be either a wall-mounted terminal, an app on your smartphone or tablet, or a web interface on your computer.

Can I control my connected devices while away from home?

Yes, you can easily control your devices while away from home through your smart home app on your smartphone or tablet.

How do I reset my frient devices to their factory setting?

Resetting is needed if you want to connect your devices to another gateway, or if you need to perform a factory reset to eliminate abnormal behavior. For most of the frient devices, a factory reset is performed by holding the menu button for 15 seconds. You can find detailed instructions on how to do this in your device’s installation manual.

Note: some of the frient devices need to be connected to the electricity via a socket (e.g. Smart Plug Mini) – remember to factory reset them while they are powered on.

Can I use frient devices without a gateway/hub?

Some of the frient devices will do their basic job without a hub, however, in order to fully enjoy the functionality of the devices, you’ll need a compatible hub.

Note: when the device is not connected to any hub, it will at certain times search for a connection – causing higher battery consumption.

Can I connect a couple of my frient warning devices, so they can all react together for a certain condition (e.g. smoke)?

Such a function can be only handled by a hub. If the hub does support such functionality, frient warning devices are capable of performing that way.

Is it possible to see the device’s battery percentage in the app?

Currently, there is no support to indicate the battery percentage.

Can I use frient devices outside the home?

Our devices are designed for indoor use only and cannot be recommended for outdoor use unless it’s stated differently on the product page.

Can frient devices work locally?

The frient devices are capable of it, however, this option requires a specific hub that supports such a solution.

Do the frient sensors need to be mounted in any specific way to provide accurate readings?

The placement is different for each of the sensors. To make sure that the received readings will be as accurate as possible check the installation manual for your sensor and follow the recommendations in the “Placement” section to find the best spot for your device.

Note: remember to always keep your devices within the Zigbee network range.

Where can I find technical information for the frient products?

Technical specifications are available for each of our products on their product page.

To find them just select the product of your interest, scroll down and click on “See all specifications” under the “Specifications” tab.

What’s the battery lifetime for the products?

The battery lifetime for frient products ranges from 2 to 9 years, depending on the product.

To see the battery life for the product you’re interested in, please visit the product overview page, select the product, and navigate to the “Specifications" section.

Product updates

How can I update my frient devices?

You can find the firmware for the different frient products on github.com

The updates are done via your smart home hub and the process differs from hub to hub. If you have any questions about the update process, please check the manual of your hub or contact their support.

Download the firmware

How long can I update my frient devices?

Unless otherwise noted on the product page (see the specifications section), frient will supply security updates at least 5 years after purchase from an authorized reseller. After this date, security updates might be supplied but are not guaranteed.

Available updates can be found here.

When a product is no longer supported, we recommend upgrading to the newest generation of the product. End of support of specific products will be communicated on the product pages.

Electricity Meter Interface

Which meters is the Electricity Meter Interface compatible with?

The Electricity Meter Interface is compatible with meters that have a blinking LED light.

Why does my Electricity Meter Interface show an unrealistically high consumption?

The Electricity Meter Interface is configured to read LED output of 1000 pulse/kWh. This is the standard for most European meters.

Some meters however have an LED output of 10 000 pulse/kWh which leads to the Electricity Meter Interface showing the consumption multiplied by 10.

What's the default number of impulses per kWh (imp/kWh) for my Electricity Meter Interface?

The default number of impulses per kWh (imp/kWh) is 1000 imp/kWh.

Can I change the number of impulses per kWh (imp/kWh) for my Electricity Meter Interface?

This feature is supported by the Electricity Meter Interface, however, the integrations with Smartthings and Homey do not yet include the ability to change the settings. We are looking into this possibility.

Can I power on my Electricity Meter Interface with a 5V power supply instead of batteries?

Yes, you can easily do that by using a compatible DC 5V power supply adapter.

Does my frient Electricity Meter Interface need a hub to read the data from my home electricity meter?

Yes, the Electricity Meter Interface from frient, requires a supported hub to be able to provide you with the data.

Note: you can find the list of the compatible hubs on the product page under the “Frients with” tab.

Can the Electricity Meter Interface work with electric meters used for solar panels?

Yes, it is possible if your meter contains two separate LEDs - then you can measure the output LED.

If there’s only one LED flashing differently it’s unfortunately not possible. The device measures the LED pulses and does not recognize if they transmit outputs or inputs.

Does the Electricity Meter Interface require the visible LED on the home electricity meter to perform readings?

Yes, the Electricity Meter Interface from frient has to be installed on a flashing LED on the electricity meter.

Intelligent Smoke Alarm

Can my Intelligent Smoke Alarm trigger the other compatible alarms in my home?

As of now, you can connect the sirens of your frient alarms with a Homey hub.

Can the Intelligent Smoke Alarm detect smoke and go off even without the hub?

Yes, the Intelligent Smoke Alarm will trigger the built-in siren when it detects smoke. Even without the hub.

Note 1: you won’t be provided with any data such as temperature. You also won’t be able to receive any notifications and create any flow scenarios without a hub.

Note 2: when the device is not connected to any hub, it will at certain times search for a connection – causing higher battery consumption.

Motion Sensor & Motion Sensor Pro

How long is the blind period of my Motion Sensor or Motion Sensor Pro?

The Motion Sensor and the Motion Sensor Pro have a blind period of 4 minutes after movement has been detected.

What is the angle at which the Motion Sensor or Motion Sensor Pro shall be placed?

To get the best area of detection, its angle of detection from above, the sides, and below must be 45°.

Note: remember to always keep your devices within the Zigbee network range.

Air Quality Sensor

How can I calibrate my Air Quality Sensor?

The sensor calibrates itself based on the cleanest air it has detected. On this baseline, it calculates the VOC values.

In what unit does my Air Quality Sensor output the values?

The sensor uses the PPB unit for outputting the values

Will my Air Quality Sensor be integrated with the SmartThings hub any soon?

Yes. The work on integrating the Air Quality sensor with the SmartThings hub is currently in progress and will be finished soon.

Hubs and connectivity

How do I connect my frient devices to Homey?

To connect your new frient device, first you need to have your Homey set up. See how do that here.

Next, you need to install the frient app for Homey from here.

Then, you need to make sure your device is turned on and searching for a Zigbee network.

After you’ve done this, you can add your device using the app. You can get more detailed instructions here

Start with the router devices first (smart plugs, smart cable)

Add remaining devices based on distance from Homey. (Remember to add the battery-powered devices at the point of usage)

My app is unstable, what should I check first?

The first thing you should check for an unstable app is whether the experimental update feature on your Homey is switched ON. If it is, you need to disable it to run the stable version of the software.

See the next question for further instructions on how to stop receiving experimental updates.

How do I stop receiving experimental updates?

Note: this procedure will only work on a computer.

1. To stop receiving experimental updates, set Homey in Factory Reset Mode and (re)link your Homey to your Wi-Fi.

2. After connecting to your Wi-Fi, Homey will check for updates. On this screen, press ALT on your keyboard.

3. Click on the newly appeared option Revert to the stable channel and install the updates.

How many Zigbee devices does one Homey support?

Homey can support an unlimited number of devices at once. Some of the used technologies, however, limit this number, albeit at relatively large numbers.

For instance, you can only add 20 battery-powered devices per Zigbee network. If you have more, you need to add repeater devices (main powered devices) such as the Smart Plug Mini. To use more devices, add devices that work on different technologies, like Wi-Fi.

How do I connect my frient devices to SmartThings?

To connect your new frient device, first you need to have your SmartThings hub set up. See how do that here.

Next, you need to make sure your device is turned on and searching for a Zigbee network. Use the installation manual that comes with the device.

Then, you can add your device using the SmartThings app.
Go to Add device → by brand → frient, then choose device type and follow pairing instructions. You can get more detailed instructions here.

How do I connect my frient devices to Google Assistant?

You can connect to Google Assistant via your compatible hub.

For Homey see here.
Note: the Homey + Google Assistant integration only works for selected devices

For SmartThings see here (see section Google Assistant with SmartThings).

Can I connect my frient devices with different hubs than listed on the website?

We have not tested or integrated our products with any other hubs than those listed here. Therefore, we cannot provide support or guarantee any functionality with non-compatible hubs.

Security

Disclosure policy

Introduction ​

This policy applies to all products and services offered by frient A/S.

frient offers high-quality IoT devices in Danish design.

This vulnerability disclosure policy applies to any vulnerabilities you are considering reporting to us (frient A/S). We recommend reading this vulnerability disclosure policy fully before you report a vulnerability and always acting in compliance with it.

We value those who take the time and effort to report security vulnerabilities according to this policy. However, we do not offer monetary rewards for vulnerability disclosures.

Reporting

If you believe you have found a security vulnerability, please submit your report by writing an email to security@frient.com

In your report, please include:

  1. Vulnerability Details:
    • Asset (web address, IP Address, product or service name) where the vulnerability can be observed
    • Weakness (e.g. CWE) (optional)
    • Severity (e.g. CVSS v3.0) (optional)
    • Title of vulnerability (mandatory)
    • Description of vulnerability (this should include a summary, supporting files, and possible mitigations or recommendations) (mandatory)
    • Impact (what could an attacker do?) (mandatory)
    • Steps to reproduce: These should be a benign, non-destructive proof of concept. This helps to ensure that the report can be triaged quickly and accurately. It also reduces the likelihood of duplicate reports, or malicious exploitation of some vulnerabilities, such as sub-domain takeovers

  1. Contact Details:
    • Name and email address (optional)

What to expect ​

After you have submitted your report, we will respond within 10 working days and aim to triage your report within 20 working days. We will also aim to keep you informed of our progress.

The priority for remediation is assessed by looking at the impact, severity, and exploit complexity. Vulnerability reports might take some time to triage or address.

You are welcome to enquire on the status but should avoid doing so more than once every 14 days. This allows our teams to focus on the remediation.

We will notify you when the reported vulnerability is remediated, and you may be invited to confirm that the solution covers the vulnerability adequately.

Once the vulnerability has been resolved, we welcome requests to disclose your report. We would like to unify communication to affected users, so please coordinate the public release with us.

Guidance ​

Do NOT:

  • Break any applicable law or regulations
  • Access unnecessary, excessive, or significant amounts of data
  • Modify data in the organization's systems or services
  • Use high-intensity invasive or destructive scanning tools to find vulnerabilities
  • Attempt or report any form of denial of service, e.g. overwhelming a service with a high volume of requests
  • Disrupt the organization's services or systems