The Servers configuration of my Companion app (on iPhone) is set with the Internal URL to http://ipaddress:8123 of my HA server at home and one defined SSID for my home WiFi. The External URL is set to Home Assistant Cloud (I use Nabu Casa cloud).
At a second residence (e.g. vacation home) I have configured the wireless network and access points with the same SSID for ease of connection of my own devices.
Of course, my Companion app identifies that second network as the same network as at home, but the HA server is not located there, so it does not connect and it does not switch over to internet connection (via Nabu Casa).
Can this be configured in another/better way to make this scenario work? I am not prepared to rename the SSID at the second location.
Nope. How in the world would the software be able to know when you really wanted that SSID to count as being in the location of the server and when not?
You will need to do what you are not prepared to do.
Why is there two networks with the same name?
Was it really that good of a name that you thought you would use it again?
Anyways, being serious now. You will have issues with location if they have the same SSID.
Google and Apple use SSID to set peoples position to make indoor accuracy better
My wireless network has a wonderful name, I love it! It avoids me having to set up portable devices like a smartphone multiple times. Why wouldn’t I want such convenience, regardless of what Google or Apple think about tracking my location? Besides, when you go to the supermarket or a hotel chain, there’s a good chance their WiFi name is the same between different locations and you can seamlessly connect each time. Same logic.
Well, one reason is HA cannot identify you are at home if SSID’s are the same. How many devices do you have that travel between locations that this saves you so much hassle? I’d say the hassle you have now is more, because you will only have to access the new wifi once per device, but you’ll have this trouble as long as you keep it the same.
If there’s anything I learned is that my family members are lousy at anything ICT , except connecting to WIFI. That they can all do with their eyes closed.
It could use an IP subnet, and I could make the subnet addressing different between my different locations, which is already the case anyway. But then you could argue that I can run into the same subnet used at any other place. It could also use proximity somehow, or the presence of a certain device such as my home router, or the public IP address from my internet provider (which is unique in the world), or a specific ID of a hardware device,… Any number of possibilities, I’m just not sure which would be feasible, hence me asking my original question.
It’s not about connecting.
It’s about getting a wrong location.
But yes stores and hotels also have that issue and I believe Google and Apple handles them based on them being large stores and hotels.
Or that there is enough phones that has found this wifi in multiple locations so that Google and Apple just accept that it is that way.
But on a smal wifi that could take weeks.
Now, the HA devs need to put in some other way to define home and away internet connections because a single user won’t setup a second SSID at the second location?