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Level 1

21 points

PLEASE help with HomeKit!!!

I seriously hope this will be the last time I have to write this. Especially that i called Apple literally 5-6 times and ALL 5-6 times each rep said, and i Quote, "HomeKit?, Whats that?" Yes, Apple tech support. So heres my dilemma. No matter what i do, i can not access my devices remotely. Believe me when i tell you, I'm not new to automation. I currently have, over 50 HomeKit devices. June 2nd, i rewired my entire house with hardwired Lutron in wall dimmers, plus plug in dimmers, iDevices switches, Elgato weather, ecobee 3, ismartplugs, over 30 phillips hue bulbs and i can't access a single device remotely. And please, PLEASE, realize that i have already done ALL the basics a thousand times.

i am on iOS 9.1, signed into iCloud with keychain and Apple TV 3rd Gen running 7.2, everything on same Network, so I have no idea what it could be. Once Apple support figured out what HomeKit was (lol), they directed me to the developers site to try to find some answers. I haven't yet, but as I'm writing this a few things popped in my head.

First, Apple TV, I have it hard wired to router, would that make a difference? .....well just unplugged it and connected it through wifi, so thats not it. BTW, i have already signed out and back into iCloud on all devices including Apple TV. I just can't figure it out, especially that Lutron, within its own app, DOES work remotely, Ecobee too. I have and use every JHomekit app in the app store, with iDevices being my main go to app due to its most tight knit integration with HomeKit and iCloud.

SO PLEASE, somebody give me some insight on what they think it could be. I have gotten rid of some extremely expensive equipment for HomeKit. As soon as it was announced, I made my decision that HomeKit would be my automation platform. I'm so sorry I did that right now, but the only thing saving me, is that in due time I'm sure it will be all fine. I just cant for the life of me figure out whats going wrong.

Thank you very much in advance for all, responses, advice, and opinions.

iPhone 6s Plus, iOS 9.1

Posted on Oct 22, 2015 10:20 PM

24 replies

JuSTBLeSSeD Author

Level 1

21 points

Dec 9, 2015 10:28 AM in response to Dirx808

Yes 808, I'm not sure if it was this post, but I don't as stating that ecobee and Hue work fine within their own apps. All my devices work great remotely if I'm using their native app. But I use iDevices app for all my HomeKit devices, and only their device will work remotely while the others say unreachable. The whole point of this HomeKit is to use it as a whole within one chosen app. And in that respect, it's not working.

Dirx808

Level 1

8 points

Dec 9, 2015 11:03 AM in response to JuSTBLeSSeD

I had the same issue with the Apps remotely connecting via HomeKit... they were working with their native connections (i.e. talking through the Hue and ecobee Web portals). Once I replaced the Apple TV and Siri started working, the apps are also working for me over the HAP protocol. I'm at work and I just changed some lights in iDevices app and verified that they had switched via the Eve app. Both reported the temperatures from the ecobee3 immediately too, so I am sure they are communicating.

I do agree this, whole thing is a nightmare to get up and running though. Especially this time of year... These would make awesome Xmas gifts but I have no desire to go through this troubleshooting with all of my relatives... 😕

JuSTBLeSSeD Author

Level 1

21 points

Dec 9, 2015 11:08 AM in response to Dirx808

wwow, your totally on the same page as me. Just about the only one. Lol. I can't believe you got it working in an universal app like iDevices. I have the airport extremes as routers and through an app called inet I was able to check the HAP protocol and wondered if maybe something in my router was blocking it, but from what I can see I don't think so. So I wonder why I can control remotely through native app but not a 3rd party.

Dirx808

Level 1

8 points

Dec 9, 2015 1:52 PM in response to JuSTBLeSSeD

This might be a dumb question... but it burned me once... Do you have the "Allow Remote Access" switch turned on under Settings --> HomeKit --> Home?

This got turned off randomly on mine during one of my resets. I also had to allow HomeKit access to several of the apps in Privacy settings. It seems even though I had deleted all the apps, their settings were hanging around. I enabled and configured ecobee, then Hue, and then the entire iDevices first, and then was able to add apps like Eve and Home without issue.

I haven't checked my router logs to see what is happening there... That was going to be my next step, but I seem to be in the lucky boat right now. The Apple TV 4 really seemed to make the difference... It was the last change I made and everything has been great since.

Dec 9, 2015 8:35 PM in response to Dirx808

new appleTV not working 100%.....well you can't use siri on it to do any home kit commands. I just got my family added to my "home". I had to remove all their invitations, resend and reaccept. Now they are working.....odd but I'll take it. Tomorrow I will see if off network commands work. I still have my other appleTV pugged in, so I have two at home. gen 3 and gen 4. If it doesn't work tomorrow, then I'll disconnect the 3 and see if it changes the result.

Dec 10, 2015 11:08 AM in response to Dan DeRusha

Everything is working now. I have 3rd gen and 4th gen appleTV connected to my iCloud account.

I have iPhones - 6 - 5s -5 - ipad mini 1st gen all working with home kit. MY iPhone 6 works remotely now as well. I have 3 invited family members all with their own apple ID's. I removed all home kit data on their devices.....removed all invites from my home kit and resent them. kids woke me up messing with the lights this morning. Very Cool!!!! hope this helps someone.

Dirx808

Level 1

8 points

Dec 10, 2015 11:45 AM in response to JuSTBLeSSeD

Awesome!! Great to hear! 🙂 It is quite fantastic when it's working, isn't it?!

I'm yet to try the invites but my system seems to be holding up great for now. Very happy (finally)!

Mac Ohio

Level 1

0 points

Dec 22, 2015 2:42 AM in response to JuSTBLeSSeD

With Apple TV 3 mine worked for a day then stopped working remotely with Siri and 3rd party Apps.

I got Apple TV 4 and everything works!

CharCast

Level 1

0 points

Jan 30, 2016 5:58 PM in response to JuSTBLeSSeD

Hey all, good thread. It's good to know I'm not alone with similar time and resource investments and frustration level. I recently went all-in with Hue, Lutron, etc. and spent the better part the last week with the same issues. Oddly a force quit of all the apps on my iPhone followed by a reboot allowed my remote access via Siri to start working. Now if I can figure out why the invitations I've sent to my family aren't working. Have any of you crossed that bridge successfully yet?

PLEASE help with HomeKit!!!