I have enable the Kasa integration but can’t see an option to use Kasa cloud account. That means I can’t control smart plugs that are in a different home. There’s also a firmware update that stops local access working so have avoided that. Is it possible to login with my Kasa account on Home Assistant? The Tuya integration uses the cloud account so why not Kasa?
1 Like
HA is focused on local control wherever possible
1 Like
I really think there should be an option to use cloud control when local control can’t be done. Why be so against this and not give us an option to use cloud accounts even if it’s a risk? I also have a Hue Bridge in another home and can’t add it to HA because of it being on a different network so feel I have been ripped off. Yet I can control the Tuya lights fine.
1 Like
If the hue bridge is in another home then it’s quite a different task.
Home Assistant is built for one home per instance.
In some cases you might be able to make it work using a VPN.
I believe what you perhaps should be thinking about is to set up two instances of Home Assistant.
After all, you have two homes.
I understand this is not what you want but as I believe that is the better/only option as it is now.
There is a Feature part of the forum where you can request that to collect votes for the developers to consider.
I think I speak on behalf of all HA when I say we’d be happy to give you your money back.
OK, sorry, that was a bit snarky. But I think the point is a fair one. Now, getting back to the question at hand…
I use some TP-Link Kasa devices, and I see your point. What I think you’re saying is, why not allow two different Kasa accounts in the same HA instance, so you can control devices belonging to either account. After all, TP-Link doesn’t support local control anyway, so we are always going through the TP-Link cloud API, even if we’re using HA.
I would vote for that request, if it were submitted. I wouldn’t personally use it, but it makes sense and would be a nice addition for those who would.
The other option I see is to add all the TP-Link devices in both homes to the same Kasa account. This would work with the existing HA integration and the existing Kasa API. No coding changes required. I could see myself doing this if I were to set up some TP-Link devices in, say, an older relative’s home or a summer cottage.
1 Like
TP-link does support local control though. In most cases that’s preferable.
OP, what’s your use case? What are you trying to do?
Just look at the thread TP-Link HS110 Smart Plug disappears after latest firmware update - Third party integrations - Home Assistant Community (home-assistant.io).
Also having the smart plugs in 2 different homes would mean having to buy another Raspberry Pi and set up another instance of HA. I rather not waste my money and effort in doing that so I prefer just one HA instance.
2 Likes
I hate to say it but I think the vast majority of people prefer local control and, effectively, that is what HA is all about.
If you want to be able to control your system with the TP-Link cloud account I think you might have to look at writing the integration on your own. The current integration doesn’t allow for what you want.
1 Like
What a shame about the lack of support for the cloud. I can’t write my own integration because I am no good at coding. I would be stuffed anyway even if I did set up another instance of HA because the app only supports one instance at a time. The app doesn’t support being signed in 2 instances at the same time as far as I know so switching between them would be a pain.
You could use one in the app and one in the browser.
Potential option if you are fine with cloud services, enable Kasa in the SmartThings app. Enable the SmartThings link to HA.
I’m doing this right now because I have a troublesome Kasa plug that will not connect to my router unless I am logged into a Kasa account. It just doesn’t seem to work without a cloud connection.
I don’t believe you actually have to have a SmartThings hub to do this.
I’m fully with you on this issue. In the 3 years since your question, has there been any change of heart from the HA community? Many of us work with remote distributed systems, where it’s impractical, if not impossible, to remotely maintain a network of HA platforms. The purist’s argument that HA is intended to support only local nets only has quite successful counterexamples, e.g. Yolink integration. So if there’s an issue due to lack of transparency on the part of TP-Link, then just say so…