# HomeKit - Failing Remote Access



## Dr_AL (Apr 29, 2007)

Okay, so I've installed some Lutron Caseta wireless switches and then have the associated hub so I can control the switches via my iPhone and Siri. I also rigged up my best thermostat to work with Siri. It works well at home, however remote access does not work (i.e. Outside of the house on 3G/LTE)

Going by the old method of needing an AppleTV signed into iCloud, I have done that and it worked once for 10 minutes. Otherwise it doesn't work and trying to set it up and troubleshoot is frustrating. 

Has anybody set up anything that supports HomeKit? And does it work outside of your network at all?


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## WCraig (Jul 28, 2004)

Dr_AL said:


> ...Has anybody set up anything that supports HomeKit? And does it work outside of your network at all?


Yes and yes. I've got an iHome SmartPlug and Elgato Eve Weather. Whether local or remote, the first Siri command has been hit or miss but if I immediately ask a second time, it virtually always succeeds. BTW, I think the first-time success rate improved after I upgraded to iOS 9.1.

I've read that quite a few people have remote access problems and Homekit is such a black box that it is crazy-making trying to figure out what is wrong. A couple of the most of-mentioned references are:

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT204893

How to troubleshoot your HomeKit accessories | iMore

One guy went so far as to set up all his Homekit devices under his wife's Apple ID. Everything works fine there, even with his own ID added as a guest.

BTW, have you seen:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2kc6M1fJPE[/ame]


Craig


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## Dr_AL (Apr 29, 2007)

Thanks Craig. I've tried a number of available resources and have view both of those link but thanks anyways!

About the only thing I haven't tried is to set up a new Apple ID to see if it works. It wouldn't work under an Apple ID that I had eons ago for iTunes, it won't work on my old .mac Apple ID and it hasn't worked under my wife's. At this point I'm sick of setting up rooms & zones. 

Other than the new Apple ID, I haven't restored my devices yet but restoring a 128Gb iPhone which is about 70% full isn't very appealing. 

I've tried using just one of my two AppleTVs or both but still nothing. I did get it to work once with my .mac Apple ID but it worked for 10 minutes outside of the house and then died. Not sure why on that front. 

I have mainly Lutron products and the Lutron app work outside the network since it uses a proprietary login and connection beside HomeKit. 

It is frustrating since there is next to no information on this stuff. 


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## Dr_AL (Apr 29, 2007)

Well for no reason whatsoever, remote access HomeKit started working today. Didn't actually do anything. Had previously turned off wifi on my iPhone since the home network was slow as hell. Then went to turn off a light and it worked via 3G. 

Didn't do anything as I last troubleshooted anything last week after the original post. 


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

Hmmm…??? Somewhat satisfying I guess that it started working but rather upsetting in the reliability and confidence departments…


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## Dr_AL (Apr 29, 2007)

pm-r said:


> Hmmm…??? Somewhat satisfying I guess that it started working but rather upsetting in the reliability and confidence departments…



As WCraig mentioned, it's basically a black box with very few instructions or resources. 

If it was "its Apple, it just works" that would be great but due to the number of people scratching their heads it's obviously not the case. 


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## pm-r (May 17, 2009)

Dr_AL said:


> As WCraig mentioned, it's basically a black box with very few instructions or resources.
> 
> If it was "its Apple, it just works" that would be great but due to the number of people scratching their heads it's obviously not the case.



As I understood the "HomeKit" thing, all such devices had to be approved and qualified by Apple and as such, it seems they are also not doing much to help. 

PS: What are the listed specs for compatibility for the device(s)???


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## WCraig (Jul 28, 2004)

Dr_AL said:


> As WCraig mentioned, it's basically a black box with very few instructions or resources.
> 
> If it was "its Apple, it just works" that would be great but due to the number of people scratching their heads it's obviously not the case.


My main point was that when something goes wrong, it is very tough to find out why. Typically, processes that run in the background, like Homekit, create log files. Especially when they encounter an error condition. A developer or knowledgable user can read the log file to understand what went wrong and figure out how to correct it. It would be nice if there was a 'debug' setting on iOS to create such logs* and a way to review them. All we have is 'trial and error' which leads people to spout voodoo solutions that may be completely irrelevant. 

OTOH, it is still early days for Homekit. Major new features were added in iOS 9 and it seems some fixes were rolled out in iOS 9.2. Hopefully much more will be coming in the next releases. Maybe even debugging!

Craig


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## Dr_AL (Apr 29, 2007)

pm-r said:


> As I understood the "HomeKit" thing, all such devices had to be approved and qualified by Apple and as such, it seems they are also not doing much to help.
> 
> 
> 
> PS: What are the listed specs for compatibility for the device(s)???



There are ways to fool iOS into thinking something is HomeKit compatible so I don't know how much certifying Apple is really doing.

Also some devices like the Lutron dimmer switches have some features which seem to be outside of HomeKit or the way their specific all interacts with the devices is handled outside of HomeKit APIs entirely.

I'm waiting to go deeper into HomeKit till it gets a bit more mature. I have Lutron light switches which is it. Contemplating the Schlage lock so that I could set up triggers based on time and when the door locks or such. 

I've rigged my 1st gen nest to function via HomeKit with a Mac and homebridge which worked adequately for now. Would consider an Ecobee thermostat in the future though. 


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## Dr_AL (Apr 29, 2007)

Back to not working remotely...

I'm not at home so I can't troubleshoot either at this time so will have to wait until if get home to see if there is something up. 


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## macintosh doctor (Mar 23, 2009)

Dr_AL said:


> Back to not working remotely...
> 
> I'm not at home so I can't troubleshoot either at this time so will have to wait until if get home to see if there is something up.
> 
> ...


 here is my two cents.. stick with ecobee thermostat.. best on the market comes with free zones as well, plus i have used it over a year fault free.

as for switches. I stick with WeMo - it just works, the whole home..
except i have two switches and door locks that are z wave which are tied into my smart home alarm system with cameras etc [ honeywell tuxedo.. ] works amazingly as well - lock and unlock the home remotely, as well lights are programmed to the alarm system as you enter or leave the home .


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## Dr_AL (Apr 29, 2007)

So remote access appears to have died due to a power outage. Everything came back on so why it continued to not work was beyond me. Left it as is as I was sick of it. 

Now two weeks later it started to work by itself again.


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## Sprague (Nov 25, 2015)

I've read where you can have an Apple TV 3 or 4 to act as a hub for remote access. It works for my lock and a couple of switches but hue lighting will not connect remotely on a cell or external wifi network. 

Not the end of the world because the lighting is following my programmed settings but just the same it should work. 

I wish apple would dedicate some time to documenting HomeKit but so far very little info. 

Any thoughts out there?


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## Dr_AL (Apr 29, 2007)

Sprague said:


> I've read where you can have an Apple TV 3 or 4 to act as a hub for remote access. It works for my lock and a couple of switches but hue lighting will not connect remotely on a cell or external wifi network.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



When HomeKit first launched you did need an AppleTV 3rd Gen or 4th gen for it to work. Since the release of iOS 9, I believe manufacturers are able to make it work without an AppleTV but to my knowledge this hasn't been implemented by anybody. I could be wrong on that front but I believe everything still needs an AppleTV at this time but there is a possibility that it won't in the future. 

If the products are wifi then they just need to be on the same network as the AppleTV. Bluetooth devices will still work remotely however the AppleTV needs to be in close proximity to be able to interact with the device via Bluetooth. 

While my remote access has been less that perfect, it is currently working with Lutron Caseta light switches, Phillips Hue light bulbs, and then a Nest first gen thermostat via HomeBridge (https://github.com/nfarina/homebridge)

The two links provided by WCraig had been the mists useful ones that I had found. 


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## Sprague (Nov 25, 2015)

Dr_AL said:


> When HomeKit first launched you did need an AppleTV 3rd Gen or 4th gen for it to work. Since the release of iOS 9, I believe manufacturers are able to make it work without an AppleTV but to my knowledge this hasn't been implemented by anybody. I could be wrong on that front but I believe everything still needs an AppleTV at this time but there is a possibility that it won't in the future.
> 
> If the products are wifi then they just need to be on the same network as the AppleTV. Bluetooth devices will still work remotely however the AppleTV needs to be in close proximity to be able to interact with the device via Bluetooth.
> 
> ...


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## Sprague (Nov 25, 2015)

Well that helped. I can now access the hue lights remotely as long as I'm on my cellular connection. If I'm on an external wifi it gives a message that I need to be on my home wifi. Not perfect but I'll work with these parameters.


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