Hello,
As a newbie in home automation, after some searching I decided to buy Home Assistant green.
It is advertised as plug and play and access to your smart home from anywhere.
I checked beforehand whether my smart home hardware is supported. Basically all well-known manufacturers.
I almost only use Switchbot.
Unfortunately, at the beginning it is not plug and play as it is advertised and shown in numerous videos available on the Internet.
Not a single smart device connected to the WiFi was found. Only my smartphone was found.
After the first scan I actually received the following response (something like this): your smart devices have been added, you may have to add additional smart devices manually.
The response after the first scan is funny.
When integrating Switchbot it comes via Bluetooth or API. OK, you have to or can buy a Bluetooth dongle. I didn’t have to because after some research I was able to add Switchbot via API.
Then the test for the remote connection and the next surprise. For the very simple version via the cloud, you obviously have to take out a monthly subscription.
Videos are shown on the internet, but you don’t have to pay much for the subscription. Subscription here, subscription there, and you pay a lot of money for all sorts of subscriptions like idiots.
OK, then I researched the videos using Duck DNS, followed them and installed them.
Checked using Home Assistant, no error message. Restarted.
The problem now is that I can no longer access Home Assistant green.
Error message:
Unable to connect to Home Assistant
If the Home Assistant hostname does not match, check the Home Assistant certificate or connection settings and try again.
How am I supposed to access Home Assistant green if I can no longer access the device?
According to my research so far, a factory reset is not possible on an Android smartphone/tablet. I did find the Home Assistant instructions (for the PC) with the installer and Balena Etcher, but I can’t do anything with them because I don’t have a PC.
I’m really disappointed with Home Assistant green so far. I did some research before buying, but I can’t read everything for a hundred years, down to the last detail.
Nothing as advertised: The simplest solution with plug and play and access from anywhere.
For me, the device is going back or out the window. Completely unsuitable for users who work with an Android smartphone or tablet. You can’t even do a factory reset without effort!