I plan to look for devices that support open protocols and open firmware, but in the meantime I need to vent about this.
Here’s the only status I can find of the Wemo app/service:
https://downdetector.com/status/wemo/
While investigating not being able to login to the Wemo app for three days, I discovered that Belkin announced they’re turning off their cloud services for Wemo in a couple months. They only announced it in July of this year.
https://www.belkin.com/support-article/?articleNum=335419 (archive.org)
Some of the light switches will still work with HomeKit, but I have one that doesn’t have the necessary QR code. Belkin (Wemo) says to find an e-waste recycler. Companies should be required to provide a path to install open firmware when they stop supporting their products. Apparently you can install OpenWRT on these if you haven’t patched an old exploit:
https://www.realmtech.net/2016-04/openwrt-on-a-belkin-wemo-easy-way
One more gripe: They apparently emailed their customers (but who reads email?) but failed to put an announcement in their app—the obvious place to put it.
It’s such a “fuck you, we’ve got your money” move that I have no plans of buying any Belkin product again.
I guess I’ll get to enjoy the journey I’ll be taking to find out what the latest developments in open devices has been since I installed my closed-system devices. Thankfully the options and community has been growing.
Not so nice reminder to avoid these proprietary, manufacturer-specific ecosystems. I went for Zigbee devices, and in the future I’ll add Matter. And I have a few cheap wifi plugs and I picked them because there’s an alternative open-source firmware available. Guess all of that is going to work until the relais inside die of old age.
I hope you didn’t waste too much money on those Wemo devices.
Even if the devices had continued to work, it was a pretty pricy endeavor. Knowing they’re obsolete in less than a decade means the cost spread over that few years is ridiculous.
https://www.belkin.com/support-article/?articleNum=317601
I unsuccessfully tied to get ahold of someone via chat on this page.
How hard is it to run servers? How much data does turning on or off a device even use?
They should have added one last feature to support community servers, so anyone could host them. Companies really don’t care about burning bridges.