Companion app notifications with offline server

Mobile Apps
,
1

Hello
I’m sure this is documented somewhere but I can’t find it, so apologies in advance for the dumb question but here goes.

Im pretty new to home automation and Home Assistant. My server is not open to the internet, I can only log in when I’m on home WiFi or lan. The server box is online though obvs.

I have some notifications set up, and they’re working well, but this morning my wife got a notification on her phone while she was away from home.

I was surprised by this, I thought it would only start working once I’d exposed the server to the internet.

Is this expected behaviour or have I accidentally opened something on my router maybe?

Thanks in advance

2

It can send notifications out but her phone wouldn’t have been able to respond. On android at least Google services transmits the notification out.

Once you expose the install then you can respond to the notification too.

1 Like
3

I see ok thanks! Hers is an iPhone so I suppose Apple does too. Interesting.

1 Like
4

Yep. Remember firewalls are directional. :sunglasses:. You didn’t stop anything going out.

1 Like
5

:flushed:
:joy: Good point. I’ve been battling with configuring vlans and firewalls on my router, so I was worried I’d broken something.

1 Like