Remote linking Insteon devices through plugin rather than button pressing

[JimG]

Hi, Mark,

Longtime Insteon user (ISY994i) but new to, and now investigating, HomeSeer for another control option. Apologies if this has been answered, but couldn't easily find it.

Is the Insteon plugin for HomeSeer capable of "linking" two Insteon devices remotely? In other words, can I use your plugin with HomeSeer to avoid the "button dance" or what I call the "button run" where I have to press-and-hold the set button on the PLM, followed by a press-and-hold of the set button on the device, and then the whole thing again in reverse? Many of my devices are a long way from the PLM in a large home. Some of my outdoor floodlights run with the Insteon "Micro Module" (no longer available) so pressing the set button is just not practical.

Not that I'm against walking and exercise, but sometimes it would be more convenient to do this from the chair, especially when linking many devices or setting up Insteon controller-less "scenes."

TIA for the info.

Jim G.

[Airey001]

Yes the plugin can pair devices with out pushing the button. Except if its a battery devices they way they are designed you have to put them in mode. These are like the door sensor, motion sensors, water etc.

Some times there could be issues depending on your setup. Like i still have v1 protocol devices and they give me a hard time and sometimes other devices can cause interference. I had a bad light bulb I got off amazon once that while it was turn on insteon signals around it didn't work.

[mnsandler]

Welcome Jim,
Let us know if you have other questions about the plugin.

[JimG]

Airey001 and mnsandler: Thank you both for the information -- sounds encouraging!

[mnsandler]

Jim,
just curious, are you saying the ISY doesn't allow you to create links remotely?

[JimG]

Hi, Mark,

No, not saying that. The ISY controllers (I have three) definitely do allow me to create the links remotely. That's why I love them.

If it weren't for the unavailability of the 2413S PLM -- discontinued and the only Insteon PLM that the ISY controllers use -- and a device which seems prone to eventual capacitor failure (many threads elsewhere) -- I wouldn't be looking at other controllers and systems.

One system that I'm investigating and trying is called "OpenHAB" which works with, among others, the 2413U PLM. That PLM is still available. For now at least. However, using OpenHAB with the 2413U PLM requires manual linking of Insteon devices via button pressing. Otherwise, OpenHAB seems appealing because it supports so many things, including the Lutron Caseta line of devices (switches and dimmers mainly). Although not as feature-rich as Insteon, Lutron seems a solid brand with a future as opposed to what SmartHome has done, and is doing, to Insteon. So I'm trying out some Caseta devices as well.

I'm going to try the HomeSeer HomeTroller Plus controller (on order) with your Insteon plugin and the 2413U PLM, and also with the Lutron Caseta plugin with Lutron's Smart Bridge Pro, and see where all this takes me.

As much as I have invested in Insteon devices over the years, I'm trying to see if there's a path to non-dependence on a discontinued product (the 2413S PLM) while retaining some Insteon capability for a while longer.

Here's some interesting reading:
https://forum.universal-devices.com/...-discontinued/
https://forum.universal-devices.com/...-to-smarthome/

Jim

[JimSpy]

Welcome to the forum.

In exchange for your links, may I present this and perhaps even this.

I'm in the same boat, I show 365 total devices, 99% of them Insteon (but of course that figure includes children). As you can see from the above threads, I've been hopping mad about this for some time. If they drop any more of my "mission-critical" products, I will be investigating Z-wave and Lutron. By the way, there is a Lutron Caseta Plug-In for Homeseer.

Best of luck, and let's keep each other posted.

[JimG]

Jim S,

Thanks for the note and the welcome.

I had previously seen one of the threads you mentioned; thanks for the other one.

I'm not holding my breath for Nokia to save the day.

Two bits of good news along these lines. First, regarding Lutron Caseta, I bought a handful of devices with which to learn their system, along with their bridge. As mentioned, I was also giving OpenHAB a spin. Yesterday, I got an Insteon 6-button keypad scene button to control a Caseta light. I've also got it working the other way around, from a Caseta Pico button to Insteon lights. Cross-platform integration is a big deal. It wasn't easy to learn, but it worked.

Second bit, my HomeSeer HomeTroller arrived in the mail this afternoon. Going to dig in and give that a good test drive with both the Insteon PLM and the Caseta bridge. Mark's Insteon plugin was on the order and will get a workout.

Jim G

[JimSpy]

Jim S,

Thanks for the note and the welcome.

I had previously seen one of the threads you mentioned; thanks for the other one.

I'm not holding my breath for Nokia to save the day.

Two bits of good news along these lines. First, regarding Lutron Caseta, I bought a handful of devices with which to learn their system, along with their bridge. As mentioned, I was also giving OpenHAB a spin. Yesterday, I got an Insteon 6-button keypad scene button to control a Caseta light. I've also got it working the other way around, from a Caseta Pico button to Insteon lights. Cross-platform integration is a big deal. It wasn't easy to learn, but it worked.

Second bit, my HomeSeer HomeTroller arrived in the mail this afternoon. Going to dig in and give that a good test drive with both the Insteon PLM and the Caseta bridge. Mark's Insteon plugin was on the order and will get a workout.

Jim G

Mark's product and service are excellent. As to cross-platform, I did not know such a thing was possible. It's certainly not advertised....is it? I've never worked with hubs or bridges, always using software like HomeSeer and a basic PLM. Do some of these other technologies like Lutron require a bridge or hub? Or can I keep my present topology?

[JimG]

Hi, Jim S,

A bridge or hub is pretty much analogous to the Insteon PLM for the ISY994i, in the sense that the PLM creates the bridge between the device and the controller system. In the case of HomeSeer (or other controller system) with Lutron, the "SmartBridge Pro" serves that function. It talks to the devices (the dimmers and switches) via RF, and it talks to HomeSeer by a telnet connection over the network (LAN). The Lutron plugin gets the IP address of the "SmartBridge Pro" (during setup) and then HomeSeer, via the plug in, can control the Lutron devices by talking to the "SmartBridge Pro."

So yes, you can keep your present topology, just add the Lutron Caseta Plugin to HomeSeer (software) and a Lutron Caseta "SmartBridge Pro" (hardware)(must be the "Pro" version) and you'll add Lutron Caseta control to your HomeSeer. Or at least you should -- this is only my second day with HomeSeer.

Hope that helps.

Jim G

[silverton38]

Hi, Mark,

No, not saying that. The ISY controllers (I have three) definitely do allow me to create the links remotely. That's why I love them.

If it weren't for the unavailability of the 2413S PLM -- discontinued and the only Insteon PLM that the ISY controllers use -- and a device which seems prone to eventual capacitor failure (many threads elsewhere) -- I wouldn't be looking at other controllers and systems.

One system that I'm investigating and trying is called "OpenHAB" which works with, among others, the 2413U PLM. That PLM is still available. For now at least. However, using OpenHAB with the 2413U PLM requires manual linking of Insteon devices via button pressing. Otherwise, OpenHAB seems appealing because it supports so many things, including the Lutron Caseta line of devices (switches and dimmers mainly). Although not as feature-rich as Insteon, Lutron seems a solid brand with a future as opposed to what SmartHome has done, and is doing, to Insteon. So I'm trying out some Caseta devices as well.

I'm going to try the HomeSeer HomeTroller Plus controller (on order) with your Insteon plugin and the 2413U PLM, and also with the Lutron Caseta plugin with Lutron's Smart Bridge Pro, and see where all this takes me.

As much as I have invested in Insteon devices over the years, I'm trying to see if there's a path to non-dependence on a discontinued product (the 2413S PLM) while retaining some Insteon capability for a while longer.

Here's some interesting reading:
https://forum.universal-devices.com/...-discontinued/
https://forum.universal-devices.com/...-to-smarthome/

Jim

I have contacted Smartlabs and they have not discontinued the serial PLM but have put it on back order due to the chip shortage. It should be back in stock in a few months....hopefully.

[silverton38]

Jim get the Z-wave/Zigbee stick with your Hometroller Plus. That way you will have Insteon, Caseta, Z-wave and Zigbee capabilities. Assuming you purchase the Lutron Hub pro and the plugin as well as the USB PLM (with this Insteon Plugin).

[JimG]

Silverton38: Hopefully what Smartlabs said will turn out to be the case, and that will be good for all of us with big investments in Insteon devices.

Meanwhile, I have HomeSeer working with the USB PLM (2413U), connected to the HomeTroller Plus, which works with Mark Sandler's Insteon plugin for HomesSeer. And yes, I do have the Lutron Caseta SmartBridge Pro, and that works with Donmor's HomeSeer plugin for the Caseta system. Good news: yesterday, via a HomeSeer "event," I got a Lutron Pico controller to control a "scene" with both Insteon and Lutron devices. And I also got an Insteon 6-button keypad scene button to control a "scene" with both Insteon and Lutron devices, also via a HomeSeer "event." I thought this would be harder.

I do have a Z-wave stick for my HomeTroller Plus, and I have some Z-wave switched plug-in receptacles around here somewhere, but I have not yet gotten to learning about how to live with Z-wave. From what I've read, it seems more complex than the Lutron Caseta system, toward which I'm leaning because it's so simple and just seems to work.

Jim G

[silverton38]

Silverton38: Hopefully what Smartlabs said will turn out to be the case, and that will be good for all of us with big investments in Insteon devices.

Meanwhile, I have HomeSeer working with the USB PLM (2413U), connected to the HomeTroller Plus, which works with Mark Sandler's Insteon plugin for HomesSeer. And yes, I do have the Lutron Caseta SmartBridge Pro, and that works with Donmor's HomeSeer plugin for the Caseta system. Good news: yesterday, via a HomeSeer "event," I got a Lutron Pico controller to control a "scene" with both Insteon and Lutron devices. And I also got an Insteon 6-button keypad scene button to control a "scene" with both Insteon and Lutron devices, also via a HomeSeer "event." I thought this would be harder.

I do have a Z-wave stick for my HomeTroller Plus, and I have some Z-wave switched plug-in receptacles around here somewhere, but I have not yet gotten to learning about how to live with Z-wave. From what I've read, it seems more complex than the Lutron Caseta system, toward which I'm leaning because it's so simple and just seems to work.

Jim G

I do like the Caseta system. It is the most reliable system out there. It is great that you got a Pico working with an Insteon scene. This is a great Plugin and Homeseer is an amazing platform. It is nice to see you joining us. I am also an ISY guy with multiple ISYs so I feel your pain on the Serial PLM.

As far as Z-wave is concerned. I would suggest that you buy one device and play with it.