Insteon (the company) is dead... can the hub be redirected?

Add-ons Bindings
42

Here’s a complete example with a config files instead of the UI. It shows a lamp and a 3-way switches for the kitchen table dimmer.

insteon.things file:

Bridge insteon:network:home       "Insteon Network" [port="/dev/ttyUSB0"] {
  Thing device 21F504             "Kitchen Lamp"    [address="21.F5.04", productKey="F00.00.13"]
  Thing device 239F26             "Kitchen Table 2" [address="23.9F.26", productKey="F00.00.11"] {
    Channels:
      Type dimmer : dimmer                          [related="23.9F.D0"]
  }
  Thing device 239FD0             "Kitchen Table"   [address="23.9F.D0", productKey="F00.00.11"] {
    Channels:
      Type dimmer : dimmer                          [related="23.9F.26"]
  }
}

insteon.items:

Dimmer mKitchenTable  "Kitchen Table"   (mKitchen) ["WallSwitch"]  {channel="insteon:device:home:239FD0:dimmer", ga="Light"}
Dimmer mKitchenTable2 "Kitchen Table 2"                            {channel="insteon:device:home:239F26:dimmer"}
Dimmer mKitchenSink   "Kitchen Sink"    (mKitchen) ["WallSwitch"]  {channel="insteon:device:home:239E43:dimmer", ga="Light"}
43

Wow - that totally unprofessional… Seems they could have had some good will and drawn some customer base with a little innovation… I am very suprised they have just turned off the lights…
Not the guy I want running my company, leaving all that good will on the table.
:frowning:

44

Rob –

I am using the GUI interface, not the command line/file based interface. Once I have a Thing, Channel & Item defined, where do I go to actually control the device?

I have tried using the OpenHAB phone app for my Samsung and it will not authenticate with the server. Not sure why. I have reset the username & password at the server and at the phone app but no luck. Is the phone app the only way to remotely control devices?

Thanks so much for your help,

Wayne

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45

I use a sitemap but there are other pages you can use as well. I have my openHAB instance exposed to the internet with nginx for both the browser and app. An easier option is to use openHAB Cloud Connector

Going forward, unless the issue is specific to the insteon binding, it would be better to create a new topic to ask for help with general openHAB issues.

46

Just in case someone finds it useful. Here is a link to someone modifying the older insteon hub to act as a serial plm

1 Like
47

Is there a way to use echo hub instead of Insteon?

48

Unfortunately, Insteon uses a proprietary protocol which Amazon Echo devices don’t support.

49

Rob-I’ve been learning openHAB to setup a Model for my Insteon devices. I think I’ve gotten everything setup, ie. the House, the rooms, and the equipment. The Insteon devices are either wall on/off switches for lights, or wall on/off switch modules. So pretty simple. But I can’t figure out how to turn them on/off manually. I’ll deal with scheduling later. I still have the Insteon Hub plugged in with the red light showing. Does the Hub need to be added as a Thing? I’ve added it, but don’t have it associated with anything yet. Can you help me with how I"m suppose to control these devices for on and off? Thanks. Stephen

50

See Rob’s earlier instructions

1 Like
51

Rob-I had already configured the Insteon Network using the proper port configuration for my Hub, and this Thing, and all the others, show as being Online. I’m trying to figure out how to turn them on and off. How do I do that?

52

Assuming that the Thing is correctly configured, link their Channels to the Items that you previously created for your Model.

Go to the Channels tab of your Thing, click on a Channel, then choose Add Link to Item.

53

I’ve linked the Things to the proper Channels. As an example, I have an Insteon on/off Module (2635-222 product key) as a Thing that turns a light on/off. Under Channels for this Thing, it shows 4 items with one of them being a Switch. I have linked that Channel to the Thing. The light is turned off at the module. The Channel shows “Off”. If I go to the module and physically turn the module to the on position, then the Channel shows “On” and the light is in fact On, So it appears to be linked properly. What I’m trying to figure out is how to turn that light module on or off from openHAB vs. having to walk over to the module and physically turn it on or off. How do I do that?

54

None of what you have written suggests that you have done the above, although you may have. Things are not linked to Channels; Channels are linked to Items.

Perhaps share a screenshot with us?

55

Start here: Pages - Introduction | openHAB This part of the getting started docs with take you through the UI options and further pages with show you the customization possibilities.

1 Like
56

Here’s a screenshot of the Space Sofa Lights Thing

Screen Shot 2022-04-22 at 11.38.47 AM
Screen Shot 2022-04-22 at 11.38.47 AM1920×1200 83.9 KB

57

Insteon has finally admitted that they’ve shut down due to insolvency.

https://www.insteon.com/news2022

58

Great! You have Items linked to Channels! Now I’d follow @JustinG advice on continuing to learn the concepts within openHAB.

59

So it looks correct what I’ve done?

60

Yep, if SpaceSofaLights_Switch state is changing from ON to OFF when you’re physically flicking the switch, then you seem to have the Things and Items setup correctly.

61

I’ve quickly read through the article referred to, but I don’t see anything that discusses what would seem to to me to be a basic and simple function of turning a switch on/off. What can I be missing with this software? It should be obvious how to control a function like that.