I understand that developers can’t account for every possible scenario, but I’ve found an undesirable outcome to using the app with a certain setup – not unique, I’m sure – but not super common I suppose.
I’m hoping that someone can test out the bug and let me know if they can reproduce it or if it’s something that is a quirk on my particular setup:
I use a VPN app on my phone (PIA). It’s NOT currently set up to block internet access with the kill-switch (always on VPN in Android settings is not enabled).
Home Assistant is set up in Docker, using DuckDNS and Let’s Encrypt. I am able to access HA from my network or when I’m on the mobile phone network through the DuckDNS address I’ve created, and my phone can access it in both cases as well, normally.
The issue I’m having is that the VPN app does not properly automatically start when the phone boots and I’ll sometimes forget to start it after rebooting. I can still access the internet when this happens, so I frequently don’t remember to start the app.
When I’ve failed to start the VPN, I am unable to use the HA companion app to load my server’s dashboards. If I try to use voice assist, it tells me there is an error.
So far, no big deal; user error to a degree. The bigger problem is that when that happens, even if I start the VPN and open the app again, it is stuck on that failure. I need to then go into settings and force close the app and open it again in order for it to realize that I’ve corrected the VPN issue. After I do that, it works as intended. I’m wondering if this is intended behavior for some reason, or if it’s just a condition that’s been overlooked.
Thanks
Sounds like the app read the environment on bolt and then do not update even though the environment is changed, like when the daylight saving activated and the app is already running.
I don’t seem to get what you are telling. DuckDNS and let’s encrypt seems to suggest you can access HA without VPN from outside your home. But you say when the vpn is not started, you have an error. That suggest the above is not set up correctly and you only have a proper setup for local connection. That is all confusing to me.
If HA was started without access to local lan, and has external access configured (even though not functional) I do not know what would trigger HA to start connecting locally again. I would not be surprised if it is looking for the wifi ssid, hwich does not happen when you start the vpn.
But either way, if you configured duckdns and let’s encrypt, why won’t it work before you start vpn?
Can you please point to where I can find instructions on how to retrieve those so I can reproduce the error and post the relevant log entries?
I didn’t want to be a bother if I couldn’t find at least one other person that has the same issue.
Thanks!
Trust me, I’m confused as well.
I can access my HA server from any network I’ve tried, whether it’s a family member’s Wifi, a public Wifi (which I don’t do without a VPN for obvious reasons), or my mobile carrier’s data network, using multiple different devices. I’ve tried 2 computers and my phone, and it seems the only time I have a problem is with my phone’s app when the VPN is not connected. Very odd indeed, since as I mentioned, I can access websites regardless of the VPN status.
The typical scenario is like this: I wake up, grab my phone and hit the talk button to start my wake up routine, the HA companion app opens and shows an error message, I realize that the VPN is off, I start it, kill the HA companion app through settings and then hit the talk button again and it works right away.
“Assist couldn’t reach Home Assistant, check your connection”
The app is also telling me that my connection is broken, so I refreshed the log in the settings and exported it.
Yikes. That’s a lot to go through and I have no idea what I’m trying to zero in on. Is there any way I can send this to you directly so you can skim it over and see if there’s anything that jumps out at you?
Can someone please delete this thread?
It seems that I was confused and the problem has something to do with DuckDNS rather than the companion app. My bad.