The Wink home automation thread

[FreddieT]

Question for matt-wink, I contacted support via email about the 0.82 hub firmware and was told it was released but I needed to call support to get it. Why if it is released can't I just do the update when I want to?

I'll second that question! A lot of us might not have the time to sit on the phone just to request something that needs to pushed to the hub, when it can/should be done automatically. Kind of takes the "Auto" out of "automation."

 

[quagga]

I'll second that question! A lot of us might not have the time to sit on the phone just to request something that needs to pushed to the hub, when it can/should be done automatically. Kind of takes the "Auto" out of "automation."

Although without a changelog, it's hard to always know why I'm asking to have the firmware update pushed to me. It could fix things, or it could be a *kaboom*.

For Mr. Matt-Wink, I've said this before to your twitter feed but you guys need a blog or forum or something to get info out other than an unofficial Facebook group / twitter feed / this thread on Anandtech. You'll wear yourself out repeating information or chasing down misinformation down across the net. Set up a place where you dish out the info and we will come to you.

 

[FreddieT]

Although without a changelog, it's hard to always know why I'm asking to have the firmware update pushed to me. It could fix things, or it could be a *kaboom*.

For Mr. Matt-Wink, I've said this before to your twitter feed but you guys need a blog or forum or something to get info out other than an unofficial Facebook group / twitter feed / this thread on Anandtech. You'll wear yourself out repeating information or chasing down misinformation down across the net. Set up a place where you dish out the info and we will come to you.

Agreed. Having one official Wink source should be high on the priority list for Wink. This getting information third hand is crazy, and it makes Wink look bush league!
With Wink's resources there is absolutely no good reason why they can't have a forum or blog to reach out to their users, no reason at all.

For example, there are rumours circulating around the net about Wink's latest outage. Wink says they've identified the problem and are working to correct it, yet I've read on a Facebook group page that their Data Center suffered a fire. Unless Wink can communicate directly with us, rumours and speculation will continue to grow. Come on Wink, communication isn't that difficult! All I know is my hub has been off line for about 6 hours and I'm really starting to wonder when or if the system will come back online.

 

[BillinGlendale]

All I know is my hub has been off line for about 6 hours and I'm really starting to wonder when or if the system will come back online.

I'm starting to think about putting a spare Wemo or two in some lights if it doesn't come back online before dark.

 

[BillinGlendale]

Well boo.

I got a free hub with $100 purchase from wink (bought some GoControl).
It's not rootable because apparently they removed the file that was leveraged to gain root.

I bought one at Home Depot today. Same thing.

I was really looking forward to getting my hands on a root hub to see what I could do with it.

Oh well.

From what they were saying on the XDA thread, you can root during an upgrade. Though you have to catch it at just the right point.

I d/l'ed your last version of your web control site; looked really good. I'll try today's revision once my hub has returned from it's staycation.

 

[FreddieT]

I'm starting to think about putting a spare Wemo or two in some lights if it doesn't come back online before dark.

I hear you. But if rumour and conjecture have anything to do with it, I might make that move permanently!

Picking up bits and pieces of info around the net, Matt from Wink has stated: Do NOT unplug or restart your hub." (his emphasis, not mine)

If, after the smoke has cleared and Wink's system comes back online and if all those who unplugged their hubs in the hopes of getting it back online have to reinstall their devices because it screwed something up with their connection, I will be officially done with Wink.

Again, communication is key here, but Wink doesn't seem to think it's a necessity!

 

[BillinGlendale]

Do NOT unplug or restart your hub

That train left Glendale a few hours ago.

 

[Scottie Parr]

I have an EcoLink motion sensor that works great. (I love now how there is an option in Wink that 'No Motion' can result in an action now).

Anyway, I bought a 2nd EcoLink motion sensor and it just doesn't work. I have it set to message me in case it does work. With the cover off, the light is RED so there is power. When the small black button is pressed in, or when the cover is on, no motion or SHAKING will get the red light to blink. I had it work for a few minutes and it sent me texts through Wink. Now, nothing.

I don't think it's Wink but I thought I'd ask. The sensor just doesn't give me any indication that it is picking up motion. There is no red light blink.

Any ideas? The web doesn't really show anything for this in searches.

Thanks!

 

[FreddieT]

What's worse? Cooking in the dark? Or cooking with sunglasses on because the kitchen full of un-dimmable 60w led bulbs are searing my retinas?

 

[BillinGlendale]

Looks like I picked the wrong week to <del>quit drinking</del> install Wink. Time to get the ladder out and replace a GE-Link bulb and attach it to a Wemo.

ETA: That works, now I won't have to depend on my computer monitors for light.

 

[simple2010]

That train left Glendale a few hours ago.

I was on it too. This is really going to suck having to reset 20 GE lights. That stupid on/off/on/off/on/off routine takes forever...

 

[brinkbart]

This is really going to suck having to reset 20 GE lights. That stupid on/off/on/off/on/off routine takes forever...

Is it confirmed we will have to re-pair? Or is this mere conjecture?

 

[FreddieT]

I was on it too. This is really going to suck having to reset 20 GE lights. That stupid on/off/on/off/on/off routine takes forever...

This is all I've ever seemed to have done since investing in the Wink system, and I'm pretty much at the end of my patience with it.

 

[FreddieT]

Is it confirmed we will have to re-pair? Or is this mere conjecture?

Nobody really knows yet. Wink isn't saying much at this point, but according to the unofficial Wink group on Facebook, hubs are starting to come back online. But again, this is unofficial.
It would be nice if Wink came on and shed a little light on the situation with their users!

 

[aosmer]

Latest from Brian Knopf (Wink Security Employee) on the Facebook group. This is responding to a question about the cause.

Expired certificate on the server. The good news is the security features are working great because the Hubs are not connecting to a server with an invalid certificate.

 

[simple2010]

Is it confirmed we will have to re-pair? Or is this mere conjecture?

Just rumors. They did send a tweet saying "NOT" to reboot the hub. Perhaps the rumor is based on them hoping your hub remembers the device pairing if they lost it on their end. Who knows though. I can deal with an outage but re-pairing everything is a real drag. The longest I've gone is about two weeks before I've had to re-pair at least something, so I know the procedure. That's also why I know doing it for dozens of things will really be terrible.

 

[quagga]

Nobody really knows yet. Wink isn't saying much at this point, but according to the unofficial Wink group on Facebook, hubs are starting to come back online. But again, this is unofficial.
It would be nice if Wink came on and shed a little light on the situation with their users!

On that group Brian Knopf is a Wink person. His comment is that they let a SSL cert expire which caused the failure.

I've just ordered a SmartThings Hub. I'm done with amateur hour.

 

[simple2010]

Expired certificate on the server. The good news is the security features are working great because the Hubs are not connecting to a server with an invalid certificate.

Hah, nice work guys. That's why you setup alerts for things like that before they are a problem. Sheesh.

 

[FreddieT]

Latest from Brian Knopf (Wink Security Employee) on the Facebook group. This is responding to a question about the cause.

I call BS! There is no way in hell it takes a Department's "Best Engineers" the better part of a full day of "working on a solution" after they've identified the problem to blame it on an "expired certificate!"

Maybe Wink should only have their Barista come in 4 days a week instead of 5 and give up 1 day of catered lunch and use that money to hire a communications person to let their users know what's going on!
Expired certificate? Give me a break!!!!

 

[FreddieT]

On that group Brian Knopf is a Wink person. His comment is that they let a SSL cert expire which caused the failure.

I've just ordered a SmartThings Hub. I'm done with amateur hour.

This Dog and Pony show ends for me too. Ordering a Smart Things hub right now.

 

[matt-wink]

Hey gang. Still seeing some HUBs offline. All hands on deck to get it fixed. Will keep you posted.

 

[FreddieT]

Hey gang. Still seeing some HUBs offline. All hands on deck to get it fixed. Will keep you posted.

So it's not a certificate issue? Re-issuing an SSL is few keystrokes, not an "all hands on deck" situation!
Just like my house right now, Wink is keeping me in the dark!

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Latest from Brian Knopf (Wink Security Employee) on the Facebook group. This is responding to a question about the cause.

Completely inexcusable. The fish stinks from the head down at Wink.

 

[smhawkes]

So it's not a certificate issue? Re-issuing an SSL is few keystrokes, not an "all hands on deck" situation!
Just like my house right now, Wink is keeping me in the dark!

That is all Wink knows how to do. No change logs, no idea if Wink will ever work again.

Ben Kaufman said 2 months ago that local control was coming soon, if that would have been true today would not be that big of a problem.

 

[aosmer]

Good to see that Brian Knopf is now going off on users in the Wink Facebook Group. Good PR Wink!If anyone wants to catch up on the drama come on over, it's brutal.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/WinkUsersGroup/