Wemo Accounts - opinions?

[Diane]

We’ve had Wemos for a long time and don’t have any Homekit gear. I’ve been considering a Wemo hub. However, I noticed that they have started need ing an account. If account fatigue is a thing, count me in.
On Wemo’s account faq, I see the following:
“Wemo Accounts works using the Wemo Remote Cloud Server. When controlling your Wemo devices, your App will communicate with the Wemo Remote Cloud Server which relays commands from your App to your Wemo Devices. With Wemo Accounts, only users who you share your login credentials with will be able to access and control your Wemo devices.”

So now instead of working within my home network, all commands to Wemo devices will go through a Wemo cloud on the internet. I can’t believe this will result in better performance, and am concerned about my home’s Wemo devices having anything to do with an external cloud service.

Any other Wemo users out there? Please share opinions or experience with the new account.

[hmurchison]

THe minute I setup a WEMO account one of my mini outlets went haywire. Probably going to replace them all (only 3). My outlook on WEMO has dimmed (no pun intended)

[rob]

I did not create a WeMo account, but can no longer use the App until I do…

BTW: I only use the App to update firmware, because I use Homebridge to control my switches.

Can anyone who already migrated let me know whether Homebridge still works? (I’m afraid it won’t)

Customer Support does not answer my questions (in any meaningful way). I’m seriously considering throwing away these switches and buying IKEA ones (with native HomeKit support) instead.

[rob]

@SpivR

Note: Ikea switches are garbage. They use Zigbee so you must have an Ikea bridge but worse, Ikea uses a non-standard version of Zigbee and requires a “Steering device” to setup each of their other devices.

I was aware of the bridge requirement, but I’m not sure what a “steering device” is…

I’d prefer the Philips Hue smart plugs, but Signify made the stupid decision to threat them as lights. This means that if I have an automation that does something with all lights in a room, it will affect the smart plug in that room as well… (turning on or off the outlet…)

[rob]

@SpivR

In HomeKit or Amazon Alexa you can change a device type from lights to switch or other. Haven’t played with it in a while, but that used to solve the problem you describe.

Unfortunately the automation I referred to is within the Hue App itself.

@SpivR

Also, I often create a room called “family room lights” along with just “family room” and put, wait for it, only lights in that room. Then the voice command “family room lights on” is intuitive but foolproof.

Creating an additional will probably work, but somehow that does not feel right…

[Diane]

I had to set up a Wemo account because the app stopped communicating with the Wemos. Most of them are working, looks like a couple of them need to be rebooted.

[Marty]

I resisted, but it was futile. I’ve been assimilated.