X10 Community Forum

📱X10 WIFI => 🗯General Discussion => Topic started by: Walt2 on January 22, 2018, 03:14:09 PM

Title: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Walt2 on January 22, 2018, 03:14:09 PM
Does the CM100 work with phones/tablets that are outside your home, or is it limited to only supporting phones/tablets directly connected to the same local WiFi network?

I am thinking along the lines of does it set up something like Port Forwarding, or uPnP, thru my home's router?
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Tuicemen on January 22, 2018, 03:18:46 PM
This does work outside your home network no port forwarding is required.
At least in my tests from both in the city and my off grid place.
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Walt2 on January 22, 2018, 03:23:23 PM
That is good news.     :) 

I have some software/hardware which has a limit of working only on the local WiFi network.    While that is fine for my home-bound tablets, my smartphone is usually running on LTE data, and not WiFi, even when at home which means it connects from outside my local network.
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Tuicemen on January 22, 2018, 03:27:55 PM
The owner wasn't interested in creating another fancy remote which this would have been with only local control.
The Authinx owner deserves lots of praise for staying on the manufacture to get a stable solid device.
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Noam on January 22, 2018, 03:31:05 PM
On my Android phone at least, the app turns WiFi back on and tries to reconnect to my home network) when I open it up. I was trying to test the operation over 4G - and it basically wasn't letting me. I had to leave the house, and move far enough out of my WiFi range (so the phone couldn't reconnect to my home WiFi) to test it that way.
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Tuicemen on January 22, 2018, 03:39:51 PM
I believe that is by design to save on data usage.
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: BaBaLou. on January 29, 2018, 02:07:34 PM
Just to clear this up.
I have taken this app on my LG6 phone and connected to my home hub from my business through wifi  and also on the road with data.
 No issues. Quick connection. I am confused on how it did that without my intervention through my router. I will look into that when i have chance but so far it make me  just applaud all involved in creating a trully exciting product to keep us playing with. x10. Again.  >!
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Noam on January 29, 2018, 05:02:08 PM
Just to clear this up.
I have taken this app on my LG6 phone and connected to my home hub from my business through wifi  and also on the road with data.
 No issues. Quick connection. I am confused on how it did that without my intervention through my router. I will look into that when i have chance but so far it make me  just applaud all involved in creating a trully exciting product to keep us playing with. x10. Again.  >!
I'm pretty sure that the WM100 makes a connection out through the router to one of the Authinx (X10) servers, and that's how it connects back in when you're not on the same network.
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: no57 on January 31, 2018, 09:27:41 AM
I believe that is by design to save on data usage.

  I tested controlling remotely through other WiFi networks, from a drugstore and from my dentist, and it works.
  I always connect via a VPN when I am not at home.
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Mic_ on February 04, 2018, 03:24:24 AM
According to Noam, the VM100 goes through Autnix server? If this is the case, it could present issues down the road if said server crashes. Isn't this what happened to the old X10 when they folded and their servers went off line?
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Tuicemen on February 04, 2018, 04:16:31 AM
I don't believe the WM100 connects to an Authinx server.
I believe instead it uses P2P, simular to how many IP cameras connect to their apps , however I can attempt to find out for sure.
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Mic_ on February 04, 2018, 04:23:36 AM
Thank you
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Noam on February 05, 2018, 10:02:56 AM
I don't believe the WM100 connects to an Authinx server.
I believe instead it uses P2P, simular to how many IP cameras connect to their apps , however I can attempt to find out for sure.
Would that create a problem if your home IP changes (as it could, in theory, if your router reboots, etc)?
I'm pretty sure it would need some sort of authentication password to modify my router's firewall rules to make a direct connection inbound - and I certainly never gave it anything of the sort.
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Tuicemen on February 05, 2018, 10:39:49 AM
I never setup any port forwarding rules for it nor my IP Cameras either, yet I can connect to my cameras from any  IP camera app using just the UID and password.  ::) :'
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: HA Dave on February 05, 2018, 02:15:26 PM
... Would that create a problem if your home IP changes (as it could, in theory, if your router reboots, etc)?
I'm pretty sure it would need some sort of authentication password to modify my router's firewall rules to make a direct connection inbound - and I certainly never gave it anything of the sort.

I think you (we) did. Only instead of manually typing everything out.... we scanned a QR code thingy on the devices back... then shared the same logon password that our phone/tablet uses. If your phone can connect... everything else should as well.
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Noam on February 06, 2018, 04:53:30 AM
... Would that create a problem if your home IP changes (as it could, in theory, if your router reboots, etc)?
I'm pretty sure it would need some sort of authentication password to modify my router's firewall rules to make a direct connection inbound - and I certainly never gave it anything of the sort.

I think you (we) did. Only instead of manually typing everything out.... we scanned a QR code thingy on the devices back... then shared the same logon password that our phone/tablet uses. If your phone can connect... everything else should as well.
The WiFi password doesn't give the device permission to modify the router's configuration (especially since the WiFi access point it connects to is a physically different device than the router where the changes would have to take place - with a completely different set of credentials for logging in. While I haven't gone back and checked the router's configuration (I meant to last night,  but forgot), I'd be really surprised if the WM100 was able to modify the router's firewall rules without my permission.
And even if it were somehow able to do that, the mobile device would be connecting to the public IP of the router, which is DHCP in most cases. How would the WM100 inform the app *remotely* of an IP change? It only makes sense that there is a server involved, and both devices open a connection to the server.
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Tuicemen on February 06, 2018, 10:35:39 AM
I just got a email back regarding how the WM100 connects.
It basically connects the same as Amazon Alexa devices using a Amazon cloud server.
This should make any Alexa skill developed very quick. :)%
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Knightrider on February 06, 2018, 11:36:21 AM
So, when Amazon goes kaput, or someone stops paying the lease, the Willie 100 becomes just another brick on the wall?
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Mic_ on February 06, 2018, 12:01:26 PM
I had to set up port forwarding for all of my IP cameras in order to view them while away from home. I tried to view said cams before I established port forwarding, with no success. I don't know if this is the case because I have a static IP address

Did I hear someone here say they did not need to set up port forwarding in order to view their ip cams while away from the house
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Noam on February 06, 2018, 12:03:08 PM
So, when Amazon goes kaput, or someone stops paying the lease, the Willie 100 becomes just another brick on the wall?
Pretty much.
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Tuicemen on February 06, 2018, 12:20:35 PM
If Amazon goes kaput 90% of all IoT devices will be bricks! ::) :'
However there may just be a way to configure the WM100 to use with your own server.
We may have to wait for the protocol but there is a hack for the itead sonof modules which also use the amazon cloud severs. ;)
https://blog.ipsumdomus.com/sonoff-switch-complete-hack-without-firmware-upgrade-1b2d6632c01

Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Tuicemen on February 06, 2018, 12:27:28 PM
Did I hear someone here say they did not need to set up port forwarding in order to view their ip cams while away from the house
You need to use an app that allows QR scanning or UID manual inputting
This will only work from a smartphone it will not work from a PC or web browser.
I tested this out on an old phone to connect to an IP camera I had setup using this method on my new phone.
I typed in the UID and Password hit connect and it connected. It did take a while for it to initially find the camera. This was also not the X10 Airsight app I tested this with.
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Mic_ on February 06, 2018, 12:46:28 PM
Forgive me folks if I seem a bit repetitive; just trying to get a better grasp on things. So, since the VM 100 connects via one's cell phone app through your modem, and since your Cell phone is already set up via WiFi through your modem, there is no need to use other servers for the VM100?

If the above is true, there should be no issue unless your provider's server crashes?
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Tuicemen on February 06, 2018, 01:05:08 PM
You do not need to setup any additional servers for the WM100 to work with your phone from anywhere.
As long as your phone can connect to the internet and your homes modem is connected to the internet you'll be able to control devices on the WM100.
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Tuicemen on February 07, 2018, 10:04:56 AM
On my Android phone at least, the app turns WiFi back on and tries to reconnect to my home network) when I open it up. I was trying to test the operation over 4G - and it basically wasn't letting me. I had to leave the house, and move far enough out of my WiFi range (so the phone couldn't reconnect to my home WiFi) to test it that way.
That has been flagged as a bug which I'm told is being fixed for the next release.
 >!
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: HA Dave on February 11, 2018, 06:54:39 AM
Anyone still thinking of a HA wall display.... Amazon has there 7 inch tablets for $39.99 (https://www.amazon.com/All-New-Amazon-Fire-7-Tablet/dp/B01GEW27DA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1518369922&sr=8-2&keywords=fire+tablet) which includes the built-in Alexa. So you can use the touchscreen to control devices.... or just ask Alexa to do that.
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: IPS on February 15, 2018, 04:31:50 PM
Today my wm100 arrived. No real problem setting it up. Wish it either could be synced with Alexa or had its own voice control. Do I need AHP pc running for wm100 to work? I’ll test that over the weekend. 
I have few smart light plugs which can also be controlled with Alexa and wish Wm100 could sync with them too.
I observed that wm100 is pole sensitive. On purpose I plugged it upside down and blue light didn’t come on.
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: SkipWX10 on February 15, 2018, 04:55:55 PM
Today my wm100 arrived. No real problem setting it up. Wish it either could be synced with Alexa or had its own voice control. Do I need AHP pc running for wm100 to work? I’ll test that over the weekend. 
I have few smart light plugs which can also be controlled with Alexa and wish Wm100 could sync with them too.
I observed that wm100 is pole sensitive. On purpose I plugged it upside down and blue light didn’t come on.

You do not need AHP running. I do not have a PC or AHP running 24/7 and have no issues at all connecting to or using WM100. Most all my HA is done via loaded CM15, and no conflicts with the WM100 either.
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: IPS on February 16, 2018, 12:48:16 AM
You do not need AHP running. I do not have a PC or AHP running 24/7 and have no issues at all connecting to or using WM100. Most all my HA is done via loaded CM15, and no conflicts with the WM100 either.
[/quote]

I do need pc running 24/7 because I have some macros that run on AHP pc.
Now if those macros could be run from wm100 then I would not need running pc. Right now I don’t even know how and if macros can be run from Willy 100.

Would appreciate any example of a macro setup on Willy 100
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Tuicemen on February 16, 2018, 01:08:18 AM
Currently macros can not be created on the WM100.
Scenes are as close to macros as you can get right now  but they have no trigger option.
Hopfully a update will remedy this shortly
 >!
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: IPS on December 29, 2023, 02:53:20 PM
Did I hear someone here say they did not need to set up port forwarding in order to view their ip cams while away from the house
You need to use an app that allows QR scanning or UID manual inputting
This will only work from a smartphone it will not work from a PC or web browser.
I tested this out on an old phone to connect to an IP camera I had setup using this method on my new phone.
I typed in the UID and Password hit connect and it connected. It did take a while for it to initially find the camera. This was also not the X10 Airsight app I tested this with.

Mr. T
I just read your this post and I know it is an old one. I just started to have this problem with my foscam IP CAMERAS due to the fact that  in my area no ISP was providing high speed internet so I had to switch to Starlink and that does not provide port forwarding.
I would really appreciate if you could please send me complete set up.
Thank you.
Wish you and every other member a happy new year. May the God bless us all with happy, healthy and enjoyable year..
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: Tuicemen on December 29, 2023, 04:10:24 PM
Unless your cameras don't have a uid a app that uses that won't work. I don't remember where I found the uid code on the camera I used maybe under the p2p setting.
Title: Re: Work from Phones/Tablets outside your home?
Post by: brobin on December 29, 2023, 04:21:05 PM
Good article on how to do port forwarding on Starlink:
https://www.starlinkhardware.com/does-starlink-have-port-forwarding/