Larnitech: A Proprietary CAN-Bus Platform for Integrators
Larnitech is a German-engineered home and building automation system built on its own two-wire CAN bus, not KNX. This overview covers the architecture, full device range, and app ecosystem, plus the single-vendor tradeoff worth discussing with clients before quoting a project.
How the bus is wired and configured
Two-wire CAN bus
Actuators, dimmers, inputs and other modules share one CAN High / CAN Low pair instead of a dedicated core per function, wired through standard WAGO-type terminal connectors.
Main Gateway at the line ends
The Main Gateway carries two CAN-bus ports, one at each end of the line, giving the classic CAN linear topology with termination at both ends.
Configuration in the app, not ETS
There's no separate engineering tool to license or learn — addressing, grouping and logic are set up from the Larnitech app on a tablet or phone.
Devices join the same bus
DIN-rail and pattress (flush-mount) modules, plus motion, temperature, humidity, CO2 and leak sensors, all sit on the same CAN line.
The device range
The turnkey starter kit
One box with a main module carrying 10 relays and 4 dimmers, 24 inputs for switches or sensors, 8 temperature-sensor inputs, and an expansion port. Aimed at apartments, houses, commercial units and hotels, and set up entirely from a tablet — no separate programming skills required on site.
DIN-rail lineup
Main and standard gateways, base units, actuator/relay modules (7-18 channels), extension modules (5-12 channels), dimmers (2-6 channels), a 10-channel heating controller, a 9-channel LED controller, 3-channel shutter control, a leak-protection module, the 16-channel DW-SW16 button adapter, a DALI interface controller, RS485/RS232 serial adapters, the DW-010 4-channel 0-10V input module, a universal interface module and meter adapters.
Pattress (flush-mount) range
For back-box installs: a 2-channel actuator, a combined dimmer and LED controller, a 6-channel 24V input module and standard input modules, interface adapters, a 6-channel I/O module, an AC adapter and a Bluetooth CAN-bus interface.
Sensing
Motion, temperature, humidity, CO2 and leak detection feed straight into the same bus logic as the actuators.
Cross-platform app
One app for Android, iOS, Linux and Windows drives lighting, climate, security, media scenes, appliances, leak alerts and CO2 monitoring, with Siri, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa on top and AES-encrypted communication.
Single-vendor, and we'll say so
Larnitech is its own closed CAN ecosystem, not the open KNX standard — its modules aren't cross-certified for interoperability the way multi-vendor KNX devices are. Third-party hubs like 1Home can bridge Larnitech and KNX into one app, but that's an added integration layer, not a shared standard.
Working with PanelCraft on a Larnitech project
We source the hardware, build the panel, and hand you documentation you can actually commission from.
- Sourcing across the full Larnitech DIN-rail and pattress range
- Panel assembly to IEC 61439 with the CAN line pre-wired and terminated
- Wiring diagrams and a bill of materials for the installer on site
- An independent read on whether single-vendor lock-in suits the project before you commit
- EU-wide sourcing and project support for multi-site rollouts
Frequently asked questions
Is Larnitech the same as KNX, or compatible with it?
No. Larnitech is the manufacturer's own proprietary CAN-bus system, separate from the open ISO/IEC 14543-3 / EN 50090 KNX standard. Larnitech devices aren't mutually certified with KNX hardware the way KNX products from different vendors are. Third-party hubs such as 1Home can control both systems from one app, but that's an integration layer on top, not a shared protocol.
What cable and topology does the bus use?
A two-wire CAN High / CAN Low pair, wired through WAGO-type terminal connectors, in a linear topology terminated at both ends. The Main Gateway provides the two CAN-bus ports at the line ends.
Do we need ETS or a similar engineering tool?
No — there's no separate engineering software to license. Addressing, grouping and logic are configured directly from the Larnitech app on a tablet or phone.
Can Larnitech tie into Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri?
Yes, through the Larnitech app, which also encrypts its communication with AES. The app itself runs on Android, iOS, Linux and Windows.
What's the Metaforsa kit for?
It's Larnitech's turnkey starting point — a main module with 10 relays, 4 dimmers, 24 switch/sensor inputs and 8 temperature-sensor inputs, plus an expansion port. It targets apartments, houses, commercial spaces and hotels, and is configured from a tablet without specialist programming.
Evaluating Larnitech for a project?
Send us the scope and we'll tell you honestly whether it fits — then handle sourcing, panel assembly and documentation.