WeMo Switch Troubleshooting
I have replaced all my WeMo switches. I don't recommend using them. But, I had them for more than 3 years. So, some of my WeMo work might help others.
I have ~30 smart switches installed to control overhead lights, fans and N-way lights.
This page describes troubleshooting steps after the switch has been up and running but then stops working (post install).
Why does a smart switch go down?
Smart switches can go off-line for a variety of reasons. The issues impacting my smart switches are:
Rebooting or restarting my gateway, switch or Wi-Fi Access Point
An upgrade to Alexa or Echo - this was a recent issue and I lost about 1/3 of my switches
WeMo sends an update and the switch doesn't come back (this is my most common issue. If I except a WeMo update, then I set aside about 30 minutes after the update to restore any failed devices. I have not found a pattern to the failures.)
A back-to-back power outage occurs and the switch does not come back. My home experiences frequent power glitches, which are momentary outages during storms. I cannot remember a long lasting power outage. I have only lost connection to a few WeMos from power glitches.
There is a rogue DHCP server on your network
I've heard of Smart Wi-Fi switches losing connectivity because of to many devices on one Wi-Fi Access Point (AP). However, I have not experienced this issue.; it doesn't seem plausible.
My Wi-Fi Setup
All of my smart switches (~30) are connected to one SSID using a 2.4GHz 802.11b-only AP built-in to my ISP's gateway. All other bands on the AP are disabled. The 802.11b-only SSID is unique.
I also have two other APs. One is upstairs and the other is on the ground floor. Each AP has two radios. One radio is used for 802.11n-only and the other is for 802.11ac-only (5GHz). Each AP uses an automatically selected optimal channel. The SSIDs are unique.
How do I find my WeMo's IP Address?
Here is a script. Get the script from github:
$ wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dumbo25/wemosetup/main/wemosetup.py
You may have to change the address 192.168.1.255 in the script. This is the broadcast IP address on my home LAN.
Run the script:
$ python3 wemosetup.py discover
and it will list all WeMo devices on your network with: friendly name, IP Address and port
Manual Instructions:
Yes, this annoying. The WeMo app does not show the IP address. And my router cannot show the WeMo's Friendly Name. So, to find the IP address, I must cross-correlate WeMo app data with Gateway data
On a smart phone open the WeMo app
Select More
Click Settings & About
Click Hardware Info
Click on the Device Name of interest, which will show the device's MAC Address without colons in upper case
Open a browser and go to AT&T Gateway
Select Device and then Device list tabs, which will show the device MAC Address and IP Address but not the Friendly Name
On a MacBook, find the MAC Address on the page using CMD-F.
In general, only the last 6 digits should be needed
Also, the Gateway shows the MAC Address in lower case
The WeMo's MAC Address needs to be incremented by 1 using hexadecimal arithmetic. So, ...C7528E becomes c7:52:8f
Hub:
I use Amazon Alexa as my hub. I have an echo in each room. A Smart Phone runs the Smart Switch apps (e.g., WeMo, Kasa, Smar Life) and the Alexa app
Register WeMo Device:
If the WeMo app asks to register device, then do it.
I need to document the circumstances when this occurs
HomeKit, Home and Wemo - I would prefer not to use HomeKit
How do I get rid of "New Device" on Alexa:
After Discovery, devices may be marked as New Device un Devices.
To remove "New Device", click on the device and then go back to Devices
If asked to setup device, do that but I skip everything and then go back to Devices
Alexa won't discover WeMo devices:
I am not sure what causes this to happen. My guess is an update by either Alexa or WeMo causes the two to become out of synch.
The only way I have found to fix this is to is in the Alexa app:
Go to Devices
Scroll down to Your Smart
Enable Smart Home Skills
Search for WeMo
Disable WeMo
Re-enable WeMo
Relink Alexa and WeMo
Run Discover
Goals:
My goal is to get the switch working as quickly as possible. So, my troubleshooting stops when the issue is fixed.
How to fix a smart switch?
WeMo Smart switches can be reset a couple of different ways. Here is the recommended order to try and get a WeMo Dimmer Switch back on-line:
Reboot - hold power bar in for 2-3 seconds (blinks white). wait 1 minute, open wemo app
Factory Reset - hold power bar in until blinks red, wait 2 minutes, blinks white, open wemo app
Power Cycle - flip circuit breaker, wait 10 seconds, flip back
Power cycling is a problem. Flipping one circuit breaker impacts several other switches (see this table). And another switch restarts my gateway and another restarts a switch. So, an attempt to fix one switch by power-cycling may result in other smart switches becoming inaccessible. Here is a work around to flipping circuit breakers.
What do WeMo Blinking Lights mean? Follow the link.
If a lot of switches are down use this table to track the issues.
Step 1. Reboot Switch
Hold power bar for 2-3 seconds (blinks white), then wait 1 minute for device to re-establish Wi-Fi connection
If this works, then you might be done.
If it doesn't work, then on a smartphone, go to Settings and try and connect to WeMo SSID.
If able to connect, then go to WeMo app and refresh the device page
If the device appears, and Alexa can control it, then stop
Step 2. Reset Switch
If it is not possible to hold down the reset button, then remove the face plate. Use a flat head screwdriver and gently pry off the face plate
If Step 1 didn't work, then hold down hold power bar in until blinks red, wait 2 minutes, blinks white, open wemo app
On smartphone, go to Settings and try and connect to WeMo SSID.
If able to connect, then go to WeMo app and refresh the device page
If the device appears, and Alexa can control it, then stop
Step 3. Toggle circuit breaker with switch
Turn the circuit breaker off. Ensure the lights on the switch are off.
Turn the circuit breaker back on.
Ask Alexa to turn the light or fan on or off.
If it works, then stop
Step 4. Update Alexa App
Amazon Alexa App should be using latest version
Go to App Store, Today, Profile Icon and update Alexa App
Check version in More, Settings, About
Google: latest version of Amazon Alexa App for iPhone
Step 5. Echo not responding to voice commands
Echo stopped responding to voice commands - the blue light came on, then seemed to stay on long enough to respond, but no sound
In the Alexa App, turning whisper mode off and then on, or just turn whisper mode off, which cleared up this issue
Step 6: Alexa App shows: Communications, network error, tap retry
When setting up Echo, Amazon App error for Echo: Communications, network error, tap to retry
Sign out of Alexa App on smart phone and sign back in