Since it seems to be clear that we are beta testers and ihost will not be accessible from the ewelink app in the near future (nor fully synchronized), is it at least possible, since we are in 2024, to have a responsive theme for mobiles while accessing through Tailscale with our browser?
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It wonât, because it contradicts the concept of a local server. Responsive web interface is something else. When I still had iHost, using the phone screen on the local network was indeed tedious. They didnât come up with this idea in eWeLink, as they usually do.
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Just the fact that someone can have access through eWelink app with its interface it doesnât mean that is not local. Itâs just an interface like CAST.
Even the internal CAST is responsiveâŚ
If they donât want to support iHost anymore they should distribute an official OTA home assistant firmware and leave space to open source.
Itâs not. Itâs something different. Think.
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ihost will not support the eWeLink cloud platform and eWeLink app. Since the first firmware version shares the OTA mechanism of eWeLink platform, you need to bind an eWeLink account. After a later release, its OTA is no longer dependent on the eWeLink platform and eWeLink account now, so new users no longer need to tie it to the eWeLink account for firmware upgrades. ihost has no relationship with eWeLink Cloud and app ever since.
ihost was originally designed as an local system to replace the eWeLink cloud, allowing all applications to run locally and all data to be stored locally. In addition, there will be a major update next month, so that it can be compatible with more third-party devices of different types, which will cause it to be more incompatible and unable to cooperate with the eWeLink platform - because the device data needs to be transmitted to the eWeLink cloud with strict data format and authentication requirements (eWeLink cloud will not provide any cloud service for the third-party devices that have not been paid for cloud fee).
So in the future, ihost will go in a more and more local direction, can support and compatible with more and more different devices - but it will be further and further away from eWeLink cloud and app, all its data will not be transferred to the cloud, and even it will not be able to added to the eWeLink app.
Of course, if you wish to use it on your phone, control it remotely via the phone app - the way we offer it is the function of âMatter bridgeâ. You can add ihost to any matter hub that supports âmatter bridgeâ type device - like Google(Google home / Nest), Amazon(Echo), Samsung (Smartthings hub), and Apple(home pod or apple TV). In this way, you can remotely control the device through the app of these platforms.
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Also about the controls on the phone. It can be divided into 2 parts.
One part is that the phone can control the sub-devices connected to the ihost - such as turning off lights, viewing temperature and humidity information and receiving alarms from the PIR. This part can be used by adding ihost to different apps through their matter hub via matter bridge function. For example, you can do it from google home app, or you can do it from apple home app - these platforms allow you to control them remotely.
The other part is to want remote access to the eWeLink CUBE syste run on iHost, to see the web UI can config the CUBE system.Itâs just like if you wish to remotely access your home PC to use Windows system on it, in addition to using a VPN similar to Tailscale, you can of course have direct access via IP after configuring DZN with your router - this is an IT setup issue, not a feature provided by ihost hardware or eWeLink CUBE system. You can look up various ways to remotely access/login a linux PC in your home - ihost works a server /PC in your home.
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If one collects all the features and options to be added in the future⌠well, the list gets very long and impossible to meet. One has to assume that sooner iHost will wear out morally and be replaced by a newer device and/or newer technology. Both variations of iHost are based on the ARM Cortex-A7 32-bit. This 32-bit architecture in itself condemns the device to be trapped within the eWeLink platform. The CPU does have an NPU (Neural Processing Unit), which is useful for AI processing, but it is not currently used for anything. Just like WiFi or Bluetooth. It will be interesting to see how Sonoff will leverage these capabilities in the future. The word future is key, as many things are expected to be in iHost in the future. Only that users want it all here and nowIn addition, a marketing mistake was made in describing iHost as⌠well, as what? A server, a hub, a bridge, a universal something? In truth, it is an affordable computer to make your smart home locally controlled, running on a closed platform and without a coherent plan to support devices from its own ecosystem, not to mention devices from other manufacturers and from other ecosystems. Hence the disappointment for customers who were hoping for an âout of the boxâ solution and which, unlike Home Assistant, does not require basic knowledge and skills. Admittedly, they were given some add-ons to make integration easier but this did not happen with the launch of iHost. As you can only guess, the Node-RED add-on, a programming tool for wiring together hardware devices, APIs and online services, was supposed to be a Swiss Army knife. But for beginners, it is black magic and a difficulty they have neither the time nor the inclination to overcome. For those with a clue, given the limitations of the closed platform, it is a poor offering. Because everything that iHost now offers plus much more, and the backing of a huge community is offered by Home Assistant right here and right now. This is how ambition collided with reality.
In terms of openness and flexibility, nothing can beat Home Assistant.
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Can you show me how since I am not aware of this?
Than it should show under Matter every single device that is under iHost which is not the current case.
@Alexie⌠in any case, promises, promises, promisesâŚ
You donât know how much I feel cheated and how regretful I am for not having bought an HA box. Sonoff should give a 100 euro voucher to anyone who bought that senseless junk called iHost.
Controlling remotely via the phone app and using Matter may be not that easy, donât you think? Unless there is some sort of quasi magical solution involved?
What devices can be operated and what capabilities can be supported in each platform app is not determined by ihost - it is determined by the platform and app, the simplest example - a sensor with temperature and humidity, through ihost you can bridge into the Apple and see the temperature and humidity - but, After you put it through the matter bridge to the Alexa app, youâll find that it only has temperature! Yes - because the Alexa app doesnât do much to show humidity. Itâs not a matter of ihost, itâs not a matter of matter, itâs a matter of platform and app implementation.
As a CSA Alliance matter certified bridge device, we are sure that ihost can bridge most switches, lights, and sensors to standard matter networks, but within these networks - what capabilities their platforms and apps can achieve. We give no promises or guarantees, itâs out of our control.
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No, I have bridged multiple switches and lights in my home, including several sensors, to apple home through the matter bridge function of ihost. My parents use the apple Home app for remote control and data viewing. Very simple and convenient - the addition process is also very simple.
At present, the matter support for many platforms is limited to very standard switching, dimming class operations, and some complex special Settings are not supported - which is not good for geeks. But on the contrary, for older people like my parents, they really like it - they donât want to have any operational configuration other than an on/off button.
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I bridge by Matter all my Sonoff LAN devices (and zigbee if I had them) to my Smartthings phone app and control them there locally, using Smartthings automations. Set up virtual devices and integration is perfect. Presumably works same with Google, Alexa, even Aqara (and Sonoff?) now.
If you have updated to the latest version, you will find that there are no options for displaying or binding eWeLink accounts in your Settings page any more.
near version number you can directly click to query the latest version and download the firmware for update. Going back to the eWeLink app and removing the ihost device you previously tied to will not have any effect on this. Please do delete it because there wonât be any more support for ihost in eWeLink app.
If you want to add zigbee sub-devices to the eWeLink app for control and automation, please use Matter - yes, the eWeLink app also supports matter and the latest version supports the Matter bridge type, Meaning - if you have an eWeLink matter hub device on the same LAN as your ihost, you can add the ihost to the matter hub via matter. This allows you to birdge to zigbee devices via ihostâs matter bridge function in the eWeLink app. With this mode, you can also add ihost to multiple platforms and apps at the same time (yes, simultaneously), which is the benefit of multiple admin feature in the matter protocol.
In that case, for what purpose do we need the eWeLink platform?
If this is a brilliantly perfect solution, why so many disgruntled people on this forum? Are they all nutty geeks who canât get enough of on/off?
In that case, for what purpose do we need the eWeLink platform?
Your assumptions are false. It doesnât work the same with Google or Alexa.
I personally donât need it. Its a platform like any other, Smartlife, Aqara, you use it if you like it., pay your money and take your choice. iHost is another concept.
Donât know about Google but I see my Alexa âoffersâ to take it on as a bridge, like does with my Hue hub, just havenât tried it. What problems are there?
Try it and youâll see.
please optimize the display of the http://ihost.local/ websites on mobile devices.
At this point, control is not possible because the pages are not displayed correctly.
on small screens http://ihost.local/cast is also displayed incorrectly. the tile with device details is cut off.
Canât you tell us? It works perfectly with SmartthingsâŚ
ihost as matter bridge works great with smartthings. I am connected to Smartthings Station and have remote access via the Internet to all devices at home. 
this is the one feature that saved ihost from the trash bin.
I hope that they will launch Matter Hub in ihost soon, as they announced in 2023 in the road map.
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