Rako Lighting Controls

What Is Rako?

Rako is a British professional lighting control system — a step above consumer smart bulbs or smart switches, and below full KNX/DALI building automation. It provides scene-based dimming control of a property's lighting using intelligent wall keypads, with either a wired or wireless architecture.

Wilsons installs Rako as a standalone lighting control system and as part of larger Control4 integrations (Rako integrates natively with Control4 via a driver).

Wired vs Wireless

Rako Wired (W-Series)

Rako wired systems use the Rako bus — a dedicated 4-core data cable running from a central rack of dimmer modules to each circuit. Keypads wire back to the same bus.

Dimmer modules sit in a central location (airing cupboard, plant room, or dedicated rack) — not at each switch position
Wiring: Each lighting circuit runs from the dimmer module to the light fitting (not via the switch position); keypad bus cable runs to each keypad location
Best for: New builds and major refurbishments where cable can be planned from the start
Benefit: Clean switch plates (keypads only — no bulky dimmer backs), easy to change circuit assignments via software

Rako Wireless (RCM Series)

Rako wireless uses radio communication between keypads and dimmer modules. Modules can be fitted at the switch position or in the ceiling void.

Dimmer modules (RCM): Fit at the ceiling rose or in a back box, receiving wireless commands from keypads
Keypads: Battery-powered or mains, communicating wirelessly to the modules they control
Best for: Retrofit and renovation where running additional bus cable is impractical
Benefit: Far less disruption than wired; can be added to any property

Key Components

Component	Description
RCM dimmer module	In-ceiling or in-box wireless dimmer — one per circuit
W-series rack dimmer	Wired 5-channel or 10-channel dimmer rack unit
Rako keypad (RK series)	Wall keypad — 2, 4, or 8 button; controls scenes for a room
Rako bridge (WK-Series / RA-BRIDGE)	Ethernet bridge connecting the Rako system to the IP network — required for app control, scheduling, and Control4 integration
RA-PROG	Programming remote — used on site to set channels, levels, and scenes without a laptop
Rako app	Customer iOS/Android app via the bridge — control scenes, set schedules, check status

Scenes and Channels

Rako uses a scene-based model:

Each channel corresponds to one dimmer/circuit (e.g. Channel 1 = pendant, Channel 2 = floor lamps)
Each room has up to 15 scenes — preset combinations of channel levels (e.g. Scene 1 = 100% all, Scene 3 = 50% pendant only, Scene 4 = all off)
Keypads are programmed to recall scenes — each button triggers a scene

The customer presses a button labelled "Dining" and the room sets to exactly the right mood instantly — no fiddling with individual dimmers.

Programming Rako

On-site with RA-PROG (basic):

Set the room and channel address on each dimmer module
Record and adjust scenes directly from the keypad
Simple and works without a laptop

With Rako software (Windows, via bridge):

Full system configuration — room names, scene names, button labels, schedules
Firmware updates
Required for Control4 driver configuration

Control4 integration:

The Rako bridge connects to the IP network
Add the Rako driver in Composer and point it at the bridge IP
All Rako rooms and scenes become addressable from Control4 — scenes can be triggered from Control4 touchscreens, keypads, and automation events

Common Issues

Problem	Fix
Module not responding to keypad	Check module and keypad are set to the same room address; re-pair if needed
Flickering at low dim levels	Check lamp compatibility — not all LEDs are Rako-compatible; use Rako-approved LED drivers or lamps
Bridge not appearing on network	Check ethernet connection; confirm bridge has DHCP IP; reboot bridge
Control4 not controlling Rako	Check bridge IP in Composer driver config; confirm bridge firmware is current
Scene levels not saving	Use RA-PROG or software to re-record; confirm module is not in setup mode