A home automation system comprising a plurality of nodes (2, 3) coupled in communication to one another by a wireless connection so as to form a local area network and including a central node configured to be connected to a wide area network, and a plurality of peripheral nodes, each identified by a respective network identifier and configured to operate as senders of direct messages (M, M1, M2) addressed to the central node, in a first operating mode, and as repeaters of direct messages (M, M1, M2), in a second operating mode; wherein: each peripheral node is connected to the central node either directly or indirectly, through one or more further repeater peripheral nodes, functioning in the second operating mode; each direct message (M, M1, M2) comprises an ordered set of network identifiers (IDK, IDJ) indicating respective repeater peripheral nodes that define successive steps of a direct preferential path between a sender peripheral node, functioning in the first operating mode, and the central node; and each peripheral node in the direct preferential path is configured to route along the direct preferential path received direct messages (M, M1, M2) and to add the respective network identifier to the ordered set of network identifiers (IDK, IDJ) in the routed direct messages (M, M1, M2); characterized in that each peripheral node is configured to send a configuration request message (MCFG) to the central node, in an initialization mode, and the central node is configured to send a configuration response message (MCFG') addressed to the sender peripheral node of the configuration request message (MCFG), in response to the reception of the configuration request message (MCFG); each node (2, 3) is configured to send periodically in broadcast mode a heartbeat message containing the respective network identifier and a respective number of routing steps (NUMSTEPK) to reach the central node; and each peripheral node is configured to receive, in the initialization mode, respective heartbeat messages from adjacent nodes (2, 3), to select one among the received heartbeat messages, on the basis of the respective numbers of routing steps (NUMSTEPK) and of respective signal levels (RSSI), and to send a connection verification request message (MLCRQ) to the central node through the peripheral node indicated by the network identifier of the selected heartbeat message. each peripheral node is connected to the central node either directly or indirectly, through one or more further repeater peripheral nodes, functioning in the second operating mode; each direct message (M, M1, M2) comprises an ordered set of network identifiers (IDK, IDJ) indicating respective repeater peripheral nodes that define successive steps of a direct preferential path between a sender peripheral node, functioning in the first operating mode, and the central node; and each peripheral node in the direct preferential path is configured to route along the direct preferential path received direct messages (M, M1, M2) and to add the respective network identifier to the ordered set of network identifiers (IDK, IDJ) in the routed direct messages (M, M1, M2); characterized in that each peripheral node is configured to send a configuration request message (MCFG) to the central node, in an initialization mode, and the central node is configured to send a configuration response message (MCFG') addressed to the sender peripheral node of the configuration request message (MCFG), in response to the reception of the configuration request message (MCFG); each node (2, 3) is configured to send periodically in broadcast mode a heartbeat message containing the respective network identifier and a respective number of routing steps (NUMSTEPK) to reach the central node; and each peripheral node is configured to receive, in the initialization mode, respective heartbeat messages from adjacent nodes (2, 3), to select one among the received heartbeat messages, on the basis of the respective numbers of routing steps (NUMSTEPK) and of respective signal levels (RSSI), and to send a connection verification request message (MLCRQ) to the central node through the peripheral node indicated by the network identifier of the selected heartbeat message.