The Wink home automation thread

[JFHughes08088]

Put a tripper on the door and set the notification on your phone to make a sound.

 

[ai8ut]

I have 2 Wink hubs in different homes. One has updated to firmware 1.1. The other is At 0.89.0 and it says it needs to be updated. I have tried dozens of times to update. It appears to be updating, with flashing lights etc, but it never actually takes the update. This one was purchased directly from Wink after the authentication snafu. I have reset hub and deleted and reinstalled. Anybody have a solution?

Day before yesterday I encountered the same issue. I bought another hub for the house, installed it, and it would not allow me to add any devices. Our condo hub installed and went thru the firmware (1.1.0) update just fine.
Our house hub (0.87.0) continually reported it needed to be updated in order to add the first device. I was on the phone quite a while with Wink lvl1 support. We moved the hub to different locations (at one point 44' away (see PS. below)), placed the hub face down, etc. attempting to update it but each failed. Lvl1 attempted to push updates on several occasions which also failed. Lvl1 is sending me a box to have the unit shipped back, has escalated the problem to lvl2 and lvl2 attempted to work the problem but the hub was showing offline to them (light blinking as if an update was being performed). Lvl2 emailed me and I reset the hub for them. This morning I checked the hub and it is still showing firmware version 0.87.0.
Yesterday, I installed all (7) of the Lutron switches, Honeywell thermostat, and myQ garage door opener so when I get the hub (back or) operational I will only need to add them into the hub configuration.

I know this may not be what you want to hear but I am sharing my like experience with you to let you know you are not alone. I will try to feedback any information to help you as soon as it becomes available.

PS. If you have one of the new AC routers (e.g. WRT###AC), move the hub 3-4 times the recommended distance from your router (and include a wall or two in between) if possible. I was told the newer AC router signal strength is much stronger. I have a Linksys WRT1600AC installed at the house.

 

[adymax]

Can you use Wink as a security system? Can you set it so if a sensor gets tripped to call a phone#? My wife wants a monthly fee free security system and I had my eyes on one on Amazon but if I can do the same think with Wink I would go HA route.

 

[jlslate]

I would not consider it at this time. It might get there, but there are a cuple of obstacles in the way. First, it needs local control. Second, it needs some way to arm/disarm it. Third, I know of no way to alert you other than an alarm, or texts and emails. There might be solutions to the last couple items, but I am not aware of them.

 

[MjnMixael]

I'd be surprised if Wink ever had a completely free auto-dialing system. You're better off installing a couple Dropcams in association with other Wink sensors and then calling the cops yourself.

 

[Mike A.]

I would not consider it at this time. It might get there, but there are a cuple of obstacles in the way. First, it needs local control. Second, it needs some way to arm/disarm it. Third, I know of no way to alert you other than an alarm, or texts and emails. There might be solutions to the last couple items, but I am not aware of them.

Agree. Even though most of the various pieces are there (e.g., GoControl kit, etc.), it's not really set up well to use as an alarm system at this point. The lack of an easy arm/disarm and other typical alarm features become apparent when you start to try to use it like an alarm. You can hack things together so that it gets close but not quite there.

 

[ai8ut]

PS. If you have one of the new AC routers (e.g. WRT###AC), move the hub 3-4 times the recommended distance from your router (and include a wall or two in between) if possible. I was told the newer AC router signal strength is much stronger. I have a Linksys WRT1600AC installed at the house.

Update:
I swapped out my Linksys WRT1600AC with an older Netgear N600 (WNDR3700) of the same base configuration Sunday morning.
The Wink Hub connected to the older router, it came online, was able to click "Add Device", the Wink App said I needed a firmware update, the update completed successfully, and the device (Lutron wall switch & remote) added successfully. I was able to add an additional Lutron Wall switch with remote and 2 Lutron Plugin adapters with remotes successfully as well. All are operational and fully controllable via the Wink App. I have not yet included our Honeywell thermostat or MyQ garage door openers in the configuration.
I pulled the WNDR3700 logs and found that each time Wink Support attempted to push a firmware update the router was logging "[WLAN access rejected: incorrect security]" errors. I have sent my testing results and router logs to Wink Support for their review and recommendation.
At this point in time I do not know if this is a router security issue or a Wink server update issue though I tend to lean toward it being router configuration. What I am hoping is the user supplied information and the Wink Server information will help them identify the problem and post a resolution for others who are encountering the same problem.
My plans going forward are to back out the WNDR3700 router to my newer WRT1660AC router and reconfirm device connectivity and operation.

 

[daudet419]

PS. If you have one of the new AC routers (e.g. WRT###AC), move the hub 3-4 times the recommended distance from your router (and include a wall or two in between) if possible. I was told the newer AC router signal strength is much stronger. I have a Linksys WRT1600AC installed at the house.

Do you have same SSIS on both band? If so add Ssid_5G on the 5 GHz band

Wink does not like 5g network, only 2.4.

I have 3 routers setup as AP's one BG CH 1, one BGN on CH 6 and one BGN,AC on CH 11 and 157

All 2.4g have same SSID and the 5ghz have SSID_5ghz

I have 2 wink HUB and they work like a charm.

 

[ai8ut]

Do you have same SSIS on both band? If so add Ssid_5G on the 5 GHz band

Wink does not like 5g network, only 2.4.

I have 3 routers setup as AP's one BG CH 1, one BGN on CH 6 and one BGN,AC on CH 11 and 157

All 2.4g have same SSID and the 5ghz have SSID_5ghz

I have 2 wink HUB and they work like a charm.

daudet,
Thank you for your response. I was to far in the forest to see the trees.
Planning to swap the Netgear with the newer Linksys to day and retest.
The 2.4 Ghz band on Netgear is using CH: 1 whereas the Linksys was CH: Auto. I will specify a channel on the Linksys during swap-in and retest.
Unfortunately, I will not be able to recreate the firmware update problem but we will see if Wink Support can successfully push an update (their push failed no matter which router was installed).
Thanks again for the response. Will let you know what happens.

 

[CSI007]

Does anyone know if this product works with Wink?

http://************/nkbec5s

I was looking for a switch that the wink app can tell me when the light is actually switched off or on.

Thank you

 

[MjnMixael]

Does anyone know if this product works with Wink?

http://************/nkbec5s

I was looking for a switch that the wink app can tell me when the light is actually switched off or on.

Thank you

Bad link... however, Wink reliably tells me when my Lutron lights are on/off as well as my GE bulbs and my Hue lights. I'm not aware that Wink has issues with proper polling anymore of any type of light.

 

[CSI007]

Sorry about that. Let me try again.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-Home-...ZzksLtCmEcqzXpEar_bM8aAlml8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[CSI007]

Looks like I need the 12772 first which costs about twice as much. Maybe a bit cheaper then the Leviton switches. Just want this for my garage door lights outside.

 

[Mike A.]

Sorry about that. Let me try again.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-Home-...ZzksLtCmEcqzXpEar_bM8aAlml8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

They do "work" with Wink, but make sure that you understand what that is. It's the secondary/auxiliary switch for a 3-way. You also need the primary which is what actually communicates via Z-wave. That alone won't do much of anything other than manually.

When set up with the primary/master/whatever you want to call it, Wink does for the most part find the status properly. Usually OK, sometimes not when you launch the app after things may have been changed physically independent of the app. Robots do work reliably when you change the on/off switch state.

Edit to add: Looks like you figured it out. Yes, you need the other too if you want a 3-way. If you just want a single switch, then you need the other one versus this one. The packaged 3-ways with two switches are just both in the same package.

 

[colinnwn]

Bad link... however, Wink reliably tells me when my Lutron lights are on/off as well as my GE bulbs and my Hue lights. I'm not aware that Wink has issues with proper polling anymore of any type of light.

My Links and Crees are wrong status in the app it seems more frequently than not. Part of it may be perception. If it is either having trouble connecting to the light or the light got turned off, the app should show unknown status. But it almost never does, and it toggles on/off when pressed while I'm looking at the light and know darn well nothing is happening.

 

[wagohn]

Does anyone know of a desktop app for Wink? I find it clumsy and inconvenient to go get my phone out of the car when sitting in the house and a light fails to turn on per schedule.

I know that you can run an Android emulator that runs the Wink app, but it seems silly to boot into a whole other OS from my PC just to turn on a light.

A standalone PC-Desktop app seems logical.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Does anyone know of a desktop app for Wink? I find it clumsy and inconvenient to go get my phone out of the car when sitting in the house and a light fails to turn on per schedule.

I know that you can run an Android emulator that runs the Wink app, but it seems silly to boot into a whole other OS from my PC just to turn on a light.

A standalone PC-Desktop app seems logical.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Have you tried Craig Trunzo's winkathome.net? You can access it from any browser and can control lights with it.

 

[wagohn]

Have you tried Craig Trunzo's winkathome.net? You can access it from any browser and can control lights with it.

Thanks, looks interesting but is crashing on login.

 

[dennisj00]

Does anyone know of a desktop app for Wink? I find it clumsy and inconvenient to go get my phone out of the car when sitting in the house and a light fails to turn on per schedule.

I know that you can run an Android emulator that runs the Wink app, but it seems silly to boot into a whole other OS from my PC just to turn on a light.

A standalone PC-Desktop app seems logical.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

There's a Chrome Developers mode that runs the Android app mentioned several pages back. Still works in Win 10.

 

[EdJr]

There's a Chrome Developers mode that runs the Android app mentioned several pages back. Still works in Win 10.

I've tried it - meh. It "feels" (very subjective) awkward using a touch-screen interface with the mouse. Plus, since it's running another instance of Chrome when you do that, it really sucks up your memory.

 

[wagohn]

I've tried it - meh. It "feels" (very subjective) awkward using a touch-screen interface with the mouse. Plus, since it's running another instance of Chrome when you do that, it really sucks up your memory.

Me too. It's clunky and takes time to boot etc -easier to just find my phone. I was hoping for something that would free me from searching for my phone every time I want to turn a light on or edit settings. Seems a web-based solution accessible from any PC would be the way to go.

I was hopeful for the web-based option as mentioned a few posts earlier but since trying for the last 2 days, the site fails while attempting to login via Wink.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Me too. It's clunky and takes time to boot etc -easier to just find my phone. I was hoping for something that would free me from searching for my phone every time I want to turn a light on or edit settings. Seems a web-based solution accessible from any PC would be the way to go.

I was hopeful for the web-based option as mentioned a few posts earlier but since trying for the last 2 days, the site fails while attempting to login via Wink.

I was just able to log in to winkathome.net without any issues.

 

[wagohn]

I was just able to log in to winkathome.net without any issues.

Ha! Its working now. I left him a message so perhaps he fixed it. Looks great. Thanks all for the recommendation.

 

[Mike A.]

Haven't checked out his site for a while. He's come a long with with it. Very nice job now.

I like that you can see the code and events. That's one thing that I don't like much about the Wink stuff - there's little detail provided and no way to see what's happening behind the scenes. They need some kind of a more "advanced mode" beyond the easy-to-use interface.

 

[Kaido]

Amazon Echo gets StubHub event info, further automates your home:

http://www.engadget.com/2015/08/17/amazon-echo-adds-stubhub-cree/

Adding to its home automation toolbox, Echo also plays nice with Cree connected light bulbs and gear from both Levitron and Lightify through the Wink hub.

Also interesting new features with the voice control:

Most recently, the online retailer tacked on StubHub integration for keeping tabs on local events. Once you set your city, you can ask the gadget's virtual assistant Alexa to tell you what's going on this weekend, for example.

See...that's why I like home automation & not smarthomes, at least in the past. But now they're adding contextual stuff to it, so it's not a hassle to link everything together because they do it for you, so even moreso than Siri, the Echo is the first smarthome product I've really believed in. Thought crosses your mind, you say it, it does it. "Alexa, remember to open the blinds at sunrise today." I also have to say that the Echo has the most amazing mic setup of anything I've ever used, ever. I was across the room at my buddy's house playing with it & simply talked in a normal voice and it picked it up just fine - AND understood me! Brilliant. I'm not sure if I want to invest $179 just yet, but maybe if they do like a multi-room audio Sonos competitor & add Airplay support, I'd jump on a few.