I’ve been using a VPN created thru my ASUS router to remotely access my HA for several months now.
With the new Remote UI feature I was wondering what the real benefits are of using that over my VPN?
I have no concerns at all about the security of my network as it is right now since I need to find the correct open router port and need a username/password/cert file to access my VPN.
As far as the HA config right now I have local networks (127.0.0.1) set up as trusted_networks in my config and the remote UI isn’t compatible with that config. Not a big deal having to put in credentials but it is a change that has to be made.
It will be a benefit to not have my VPN port open on my router and then the need to also connect to the VPN before I access my HA instance so that is one benefit.
Are there any other benefits I’m missing besides those if I use the Remote UI and what are the potential downsides of using it that I’m not thinking of?
You covered the main one, namely no VPN required (so no need for the two-step process of connecting to the VPN first before accessing Home Assistant).
The other one is that if you have Amazon Echo or Google Home devices, they’ll work through Nabu Casa’s connection (as opposed to not working via a VPN).
I do but it’s pretty rare. Most functionality is handled by HA. I think the occasional access to my Blue Iris DVR software is the only thing I would still likely use it for. But if it was still necessary I wouldn’t mind leaving the VPN port open and using the HA remote ui.
My question is if there are any non-obvious (to me) differences between the two. Mainly in security but also otherwise.