Amazon Echo Club - Page 309

issybird · 10-20-2021, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catlady

I HATE SMART PLUGS!

OK, this needs a little context.

In truth, I only ever use two smart plugs: one to run the Christmas tree and one to start up a space heater and take the edge off before I come downstairs in the morning. Neither is in use right now.

OtinG · 10-20-2021, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catlady

I HATE SMART PLUGS!

Why? Please explain and maybe we can help.

I’ve got 4 I use; 2 are Amazon Basics and 2 or TP-Link. They work well, but were somewhat a PITA to program into Alexa. I use the Alexa app on my iThingies to control them though rather than arguing with Alexa via voice commands. Mostly I programmed them to turn on and off at certain times, so I don’t have to mess with them much.

John F · 10-20-2021, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catlady

I HATE SMART PLUGS!

Mods, can you please move this to the technology vent and rant thread?

John F · 10-20-2021, 07:59 PM

Youtube TV has been freezing every couple of days. I set up a routine ("reset tv") that cycles power on a smart plug (for the fire tv). Now I just need my parents to remember the phrase.

OtinG · 10-20-2021, 11:51 PM

I did the same thing with an old 27” Vizio TV in my study. At least once a week the remote stops working and the only way to remedy the issue is to unplug the TV for 20 seconds then plug it back in. So I set up a routine to have Alexa turn off the smartplug it is plugged into then turn it back on. I use my Alexa app to activate it though as I’m tired of arguing with Alexa all the time.

CRussel · 10-20-2021, 11:53 PM

Personally, I love smart plugs. Though trying to convince early TPLink plugs to connect to the new WiFi6 router is an exercise in total frustration!

Catlady · 10-21-2021, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

OK, this needs a little context.

In truth, I only ever use two smart plugs: one to run the Christmas tree and one to start up a space heater and take the edge off before I come downstairs in the morning. Neither is in use right now.

The context is, the stupid Wemo plug won't work. It was grayed out in the app.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OtinG

Why? Please explain and maybe we can help.

I’ve got 4 I use; 2 are Amazon Basics and 2 or TP-Link. They work well, but were somewhat a PITA to program into Alexa. I use the Alexa app on my iThingies to control them though rather than arguing with Alexa via voice commands. Mostly I programmed them to turn on and off at certain times, so I don’t have to mess with them much.

Thanks, but it's beyond help. I've gone through almost every troubleshooting tip (other than messing with my router; I'm not going to take a chance on screwing up everything else), and it won't work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRussel

Personally, I love smart plugs. Though trying to convince early TPLink plugs to connect to the new WiFi6 router is an exercise in total frustration!

My limited experience has found them to be completely unreliable and untrustworthy.

Fuller context for my rant: I was using the Wemo smart plug with a faux fireplace insert, with a "rule" to turn it off after a half hour after I turn it on. I recall that it was terrible to set up last winter, but finally worked OK. Obviously I didn't use it all summer; I started using it occasionally again over the past few weeks. It would sometimes be grayed out in the Wemo app, but going through the re-adding process in the app would get it back. Annoying, but fairly quick.

Until yesterday. It was grayed out, and it would not be added back. The Wemo app kept going through the process, would find the plug, but then would not connect to my wifi. Sometimes it would tell me the cloud was the issue. Sometimes it tell me I had no wifi connection and to reenter my password. Sometimes it would just tell me to try again.

I unplugged and replugged the device, reset the device, even uninstalled and reinstalled the app, per the troubleshooting advice. No luck. Then removed the grayed-out device, and tried again, with the same nonsense repeated. Also tried with another outlet. Nothing. So I accept defeat.

As I said, I'm not asking for help. I'm ready to toss the plug as a piece of junk.

OtinG · 10-21-2021, 10:52 AM

I'm not familiar with the Wemo plugs, but it does sound like either there is a fault with the plug itself or they screwed up the Wemo app like Amazon occasionally does with the Alexa app. Either way it sounds like it might be beyond help at this point.

However, I will make one suggestion. As an amateur radio operator (ham) I can tell you that radio signals do not deal well with metal. Metal can screw up signals and even completely block them. You mentioned using the plug with a fireplace insert which makes me wonder if all that metal near and within the fireplace could be interfering with the radio signals being sent back and forth between the WiFi router and the plug. You might try an experiment and move the plug to an outlet away from the fireplace just to test this out. If the plug starts working correctly again and has decent connectivity with its app after being moved, that might indicate that the metal is interfering. If it is the metal, then repositioning the plug or the router might be a solution. You might even be able to use an extension cord to move the plug farther away from the metal fireplace and insert.

ApK · 10-21-2021, 11:03 AM

I think I've mentioned I've trashed my wemo plugs and now have only tplink and a couple Amazon plugs only because they were dirt cheap promotions. I also have some ZigBee plugs from Ikea, since I have a hubitat elevation hub.
Newer plugs are cheap, and have been reliable So I see no value in fighting with an older, problematic one.

Catlady · 10-21-2021, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OtinG

However, I will make one suggestion. As an amateur radio operator (ham) I can tell you that radio signals do not deal well with metal. Metal can screw up signals and even completely block them. You mentioned using the plug with a fireplace insert which makes me wonder if all that metal near and within the fireplace could be interfering with the radio signals being sent back and forth between the WiFi router and the plug. You might try an experiment and move the plug to an outlet away from the fireplace just to test this out. If the plug starts working correctly again and has decent connectivity with its app after being moved, that might indicate that the metal is interfering. If it is the metal, then repositioning the plug or the router might be a solution. You might even be able to use an extension cord to move the plug farther away from the metal fireplace and insert.

I appreciate the suggestion, but there isn't really a lot of metal; it's not in a firebox in a real fireplace. I don't have an outlet farther away on that wall, and even if I did, the insert isn't supposed to be used with a normal extension cord. And the Wemo plug worked in the past, albeit with occasional problems.

When I was fooling with it yesterday, I did try removing the smart plug to a different outlet in another room, with nothing plugged into it, just to see if I could set it up, but it's still impossible.

Catlady · 10-21-2021, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApK

I think I've mentioned I've trashed my wemo plugs and now have only tplink and a couple Amazon plugs only because they were dirt cheap promotions. I also have some ZigBee plugs from Ikea, since I have a hubitat elevation hub.
Newer plugs are cheap, and have been reliable So I see no value in fighting with an older, problematic one.

The Wemo plug is about three years old, and was a cheap add-on to a Dot, I think.

I have an Amazon Basics plug also--another cheap add-on--but I believe it's packed away with Christmas decorations, as controlling the lights was my main use for it.

Right now, I never want to see another smart plug, but I suppose I will be lured in again at some point.

tubemonkey · 10-21-2021, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

In truth, I only ever use two smart plugs: one to run the Christmas tree and one to start up a space heater and take the edge off before I come downstairs in the morning. Neither is in use right now.

you don't have your Christmas tree up yet?

ApK · 10-21-2021, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

you don't have your Christmas tree up yet?

Up yet? Why would you ever take it down?

tubemonkey · 10-21-2021, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catlady

Right now, I never want to see another smart plug, but I suppose I will be lured in again at some point.

Famous last words?

Just wait, there'll be a Black Friday deal that you can't resist

tubemonkey · 10-21-2021, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApK

Up yet? Why would you ever take it down?

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10-20-2021, 07:59 PM	#4624
John F Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,958 Karma: 70880793 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo Clara 2E	Youtube TV has been freezing every couple of days. I set up a routine ("reset tv") that cycles power on a smart plug (for the fire tv). Now I just need my parents to remember the phrase.

10-20-2021, 11:51 PM	#4625
OtinG Old Gadget Guy Posts: 1,913 Karma: 6854865 Join Date: Jun 2018 Device: Oasis 3, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPad mini 6, iPad Air 2020, Alexa Devices	I did the same thing with an old 27” Vizio TV in my study. At least once a week the remote stops working and the only way to remedy the issue is to unplug the TV for 20 seconds then plug it back in. So I set up a routine to have Alexa turn off the smartplug it is plugged into then turn it back on. I use my Alexa app to activate it though as I’m tired of arguing with Alexa all the time.

10-20-2021, 11:53 PM	#4626
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,297 Karma: 80074820 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), iPad Air M3	Personally, I love smart plugs. Though trying to convince early TPLink plugs to connect to the new WiFi6 router is an exercise in total frustration!

10-21-2021, 10:52 AM	#4628
OtinG Old Gadget Guy Posts: 1,913 Karma: 6854865 Join Date: Jun 2018 Device: Oasis 3, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPad mini 6, iPad Air 2020, Alexa Devices	I'm not familiar with the Wemo plugs, but it does sound like either there is a fault with the plug itself or they screwed up the Wemo app like Amazon occasionally does with the Alexa app. Either way it sounds like it might be beyond help at this point. However, I will make one suggestion. As an amateur radio operator (ham) I can tell you that radio signals do not deal well with metal. Metal can screw up signals and even completely block them. You mentioned using the plug with a fireplace insert which makes me wonder if all that metal near and within the fireplace could be interfering with the radio signals being sent back and forth between the WiFi router and the plug. You might try an experiment and move the plug to an outlet away from the fireplace just to test this out. If the plug starts working correctly again and has decent connectivity with its app after being moved, that might indicate that the metal is interfering. If it is the metal, then repositioning the plug or the router might be a solution. You might even be able to use an extension cord to move the plug farther away from the metal fireplace and insert.

10-21-2021, 11:03 AM	#4629
ApK Award-Winning Participant Posts: 7,390 Karma: 68329346 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: NJ, USA Device: Kindle	I think I've mentioned I've trashed my wemo plugs and now have only tplink and a couple Amazon plugs only because they were dirt cheap promotions. I also have some ZigBee plugs from Ikea, since I have a hubitat elevation hub. Newer plugs are cheap, and have been reliable So I see no value in fighting with an older, problematic one.