At the moment only 4.1 is known to have this firmware version but it wouldn’t surprise me if they make the same change to other plugs as it was to fix a reported security vulnerability (which reported the unauthenticated local control as a vulnerability).
It looks like there is still a local interface on port 80 via a web server, It looks like it now works similar to Tapo plugs do where it uses some kind of encryption, it may be possible to update the integration to support this but I’m not sure on that, it looked like some progress was being made on various interfaces to the plugs on a couple github comments I read for various projects.
As for HW 4.1 being UK only that’s possible but I don’t know for sure the support site does some revisions are region specific and it goes all the way upto 7 I think it was.
Tp-Link are notorious for having different revisions on the same product which can end up being nothing like each other internally, they can end up being completely different SOCs.
I did ask Tp-link support if they are planning to roll out this update/change to other devices and also if there’s an official API/SDK that could be used to restore the functionality.
I don’t honestly expect to get anything useful from them but it’s worth a shot.
I have 6 UK plugs and all 3 of my 4.1 hardware dropped off over the course of a few days. My other units are 1.0 and 2.1 and they are currently still working.
Are you able to block those remaining devices from accessing the net? It might be advisable until TP-Link let us know if they are rolling out this “improvement” to the older units too.
I just bought a HS100 in Germany, it is HW v4.0, two things:
Latest FW here is 1.1.5 which is still working with HA. (So I blocked them from internet access in my router)
During setup you can add it to your wifi and block it before it does the FW update (I just checked).
So as long as you can get your hands on old stock it should keep on working if you can prevent them from reaching the internet and learning about new FW (which apparently is not yet provided in Central Europe).
If the python-kasa project integrates the new connection method I would hope that the TP Link HA Integration will be using that as well. For the time being avoid any updates.
I saw similar behaviour with 3x HS110 that I had still in boxes after getting last year around Black Friday. All hardware v2.1 and I added them in Kasa app (Android) and when it showed on network it asked to update firmware. I hard closed out the Android app and then blocked on router and all were found in HA. I already had 2x old ones on hardware v1.0 which were still working.
One thing to mention is that the box says 3 years warranty. Not likely to get any joy from a warranty claim but might be worth everyone flooding TP-Link with support claims for warranty returns.
My Kasa devices also stopping working under HA. They do work well under Homebridge (Homebridge Tplink Smarthome plugin) and they can be used with HA using the HA HomeKit controller. This is the workaround that I found to continue using them with HA. (I run HA and Homebride on the same Raspberry Pi).
One thing to mention is that the box says 3 years warranty. Not likely to get any joy from a warranty claim but might be worth everyone flooding TP-Link with support claims for warranty returns.
Aside from blocking their resources for legit claims I don’t believe this would do any good - they for sure will not roll back a firmware change because a fraction of their customers are unhappy.
Well, it’s a community manager providing a specific downgrade option for the FW - I haven’t read anything about reversing course or adopting any of the (very good) recommendations made in the post. So my hopes are on the current (apparently promising) efforts to reverse engineer the new approach.
@NamCisum
I’m the author of the post on the TP-link community
She DM’ed me apologizing and stating that their engineering team is working on a “solution”. Calling Home Assistant an “unauthorized application” has ceased at least.
I hope they take my examples and suggestions to heart…
You’re totally right that the reverse engineering of the new local control API needs to continue and a backup solution via their cloud API needs to be matured (I would hate if it gets to the point of using their cloud API)…
I also have a post on their community requesting MFA/2FA on their Omada controller product line that seems to have attracted attention.
@quenchmaster
In her DM to me, she instructed me to email [email protected] linking back to the thread I posted and to include my MAC addresses. She then told me to reply to her DM with the ticket number.
I’m hoping everyone doesn’t have to register on the TP-Link community and ask for this 1-1 treatment I got for posting…
I have also had another email from TP-Link saying much the same thing and asking for MAC addresses and the email address of my TP-Link account. I didn’t go through the forum, just contacted them through their support page saying the new firmware broke HA integration.
The email also said “We are aware that the support of Home assistant is a very useful feature for some customers and our senior engineers are looking into the possible solution.” so perhaps there will be a future option to enable the old local API a bit like Logitech did on the Harmony Hub. It certainly seems like they’re taking HA seriously at least.
Bravo for your community post too, very well written and I bet it made a significant impression!
Yes, same for me. I’ve got a HS100 on hw ver 1.0 and 1.2.6 and can control from HA 0.117.5. After the firmware update, I had to “Reload” the TP-Link integration in HA, but after that, it showed up again.
It would not surprise me at all if they decided the “solution” was to force users to their cloud API. From a support standpoint, it’s far easier to have users on a system you can control than a third-party platform.
I will not sign up for a Kasa account and I will not use a product which requires me to go through their cloud servers. It’s not that I’m paranoid about privacy (although I do consider it a plus) but simplicity, reliability and performance demand a local solution. I want to be able to control my own hardware for the same reasons vendors would prefer to control it for me. I can trust my own motives and am willing to fix my own mistakes.
Anyone communicating with TP-Link developers might want to include gentle reminders that a cloud-based answer is NOT a solution.
This whole thing reminds me of the Logitech issues a few years ago. They removed some Harmony abilities due to “security concerns” and then ended up changing course after a lot of feedback from this community and others.
