Category Archives: WiFi

Surveillance, WiFi

Wyze introduces a new camera with 2K resolution

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Wyze Cam v3 Pro is a wired video camera for outdoor or indoor installation. The surveillance camera has a resolution of 2K and can process local images for quick recognition of people.

What’s new in the Wyze Cam v3 Pro

Wyze, a company specializing in smart home devices, has just released the next generation of its popular budget security camera. The new Wyze Cam v3 Pro, priced at $49.99, has a proprietary processor with built-in Edge AI to process the video stream faster and send alerts when objects are detected.

Wyze says that the Pro version of the camera now has a faster processor, an improved speaker, a microphone, and a better Wi-Fi connection thanks to dual antennas, although Wi-Fi still works only at 2.4 GHz.

Another new feature is called Smart Focus. It is part of the new Wyze camera app interface. Smart Focus adds a thumbnail image from the freeze frame, while the main view window focuses on the person detected by the camera, giving you more information about the subject you are watching.

Meet the brand new professional version of our bestseller. 2K resolution. Built-in spotlight. Built-in siren, Edge AI, IP65, two-way audio, microSD support, color night vision.

Wyze Cam V3 Pro is a camera with an IP65 waterproof rating. Like the previous generation, it connects to a USB cable but now has a new 5V2A power adapter. Wyze claims the new product provides video at 20 frames per second during the day or 15 fps at night. It uses a high-quality proprietary 4-megapixel Starlight sensor with full-color night vision and a built-in spotlight and siren speaker.

The camera has a micro SD card slot that supports up to 256 GB for round-the-clock recording. The lens has a viewing angle of 116 degrees and 8x digital zoom. All Wyze cameras integrate with Alexa and Google Assistant for voice control, and the new product is no exception. And with the help of its own Wyze app, it is possible to set up schedules or use automation rules.

Compared to the Wyze Cam v3, the reason to spend an extra $20 on the new Wyze Cam v3 is the higher camera resolution. The second reason may be the local processing of events when a person is detected on the video because the new product uses a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor with AI, which now makes calculations not in the cloud.

The camera is not compatible with Cam Plus Lite.

Since the camera uses local video processing, the notification of detected persons will be free. However, to view the recorded footage, you need to subscribe to the Wyze Cam Plus service for $1.99 per month or $20 per year. Please note that this camera will not be compatible with the Cam Plus Lite service. Cam Plus Lite is a free service that provides up to 12 seconds of recorded video from the cloud with a 5-minute break between recordings. That is, if you do not use an SD card to record video when the camera detects motion, you will not be able to get the video, only a thumbnail of this video.

Wyze Cam Plus service will provide unlimited video recording and add the function of detecting people, pets, parcels, and vehicles. In addition, you will be able to view the video from your Wyze cameras on the web portal.

Technical specifications

  • Dimensions: 52mm x 52mm x 58.5mm
  • Weight: 120 g
  • Power cable length: 1,8 m
  • Mounting method: magnetic, screw, tape
  • Power adapter: 110-240 V (AC/DC)
  • Power adapter output: 5 V/2000 mA (micro USB)
  • Processor: 1.2 GHz
  • Memory: 1 GB
  • Image sensor: CMOS 2560 x 1440 (2K), zoom – 8x, 116°
  • Night vision: 4 IR LEDs (850 nm) + 2 LEDs (5000K, 70 lumens)
  • Audio: Built-in speaker and microphone; 2-way audio with noise cancellation
  • Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n, 2.4 GHz (5 GHz Wi-Fi not supported)
  • Compatibility: iOS 14.0+, Android 7.0+ Operating Temperature: -4°F – 131°F (-20°C – 55°C)
  • Weather resistance: indoor and outdoor (IP65)
Sonoff, Switches, WiFi

Review of the first Matter device from Sonoff: Mini R4M

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Today, I want to show you a rather interesting and perspective device from a well-known Chinese brand. Should you buy it today? You can read this article to learn about its pros and cons.

SONOFF MINI Extreme Wi-Fi Smart Switch – or MiniR4M – is almost entirely a carbon copy of the MiniR4. Visually, it’s only distinguishable by the plating color on the contacts. It’s green here.

Disassembling the MiniR4M

The build of both devices is also almost identical, the only difference being the controller microcircuit. The previous device has Esp32-DOWD installed, but this one has Esp32-C3.

View from the relay’s side.

The PCB looks like this. The contacts are well-soldered, and the power tracks have a proficient cross-section. Note that the L In and S1 contacts used to connect the relay are interconnected. So, take safety precautions when connecting the device to a 220v network since the relay will have a high voltage.

How to add the MiniR4M to your smart home with eWeLink

Let’s start with the native app for Sonoff devices since you’ll only be able to upgrade its firmware and unlink the relay from the switch in said app.

In the image below, you can see the pros and cons of using the device with different smart home apps compared to eWeLink.

So, let’s hook the MiniR4M to the wires and connect it to the network. Here are multiple possible ways to connect it.

In my case, I connected the Shelly switch (actually a button) to the S1 and S2 connectors, the cable to L In and N, and the lamp to L Out and N.

After its first boot, after a few seconds, a pop-up to add the device to SmartThings has already appeared on my phone. Since I decided to add it to eWeLink first, I closed this pop-up.

So, after the device turns on, an LED will start blinking with a “2 short, 1 long” pattern, which means the device is in pairing mode. If that doesn’t happen, hold the button on the case for ten seconds. The phone should discover the new device. Also, connect your phone to a 2.4GHz network since the MiniR4M does not support 5GHz. One of the steps is entering the password to your Wi-Fi network. Just follow the steps on the screen.

After you add the device to the app, you can control and set it up. On the main screen, only the on/off setting is visible, but there’s way more in the app. From the settings, I’m highlighting “Switch Mode” – here, you can choose the switch type, which you will connect to the relay. In my case, it’s “Pulse Mode.” If you have a regular switch, select “Edge Mode.” In the settings, you can also disconnect the switch from the relay, change the device’s behavior during power loss, turn off the LED, etc.

This amount of features should be enough for the average user, but since Sonoff positions this device as a Matter device, it should work in multiple smart home apps. By default, just as I thought, MiniR4M is a cloud device. So, let’s try to add this device to other systems using the Matter protocol.

And here is where the fun begins…

Attempts to add the MiniR4M to Home Assistant

To clarify, when writing this review, the device received a 1.0.1 firmware update, and the eWeLink app got a 5.0.1 update. So, while reading this text, all the bugs may have already been fixed.

So, to add a Matter device to a compatible smart home system, you must have a QR code. It’s already there on MiniR4M’s case, and it’s also there on the box the device came in. But hypothetically, let’s imagine that the box was already thrown away, and the device was installed on a mounting box that’s inaccessible. Here, the stock app comes to our aid, which can generate the QR code required to pair the device to Home Assistant.

For that, in the app (in the device’s plugin), click the “Enable Pairing Mode” button. In response, we get a pop-up with the QR code and, take note, two underscores without numbers. Meanwhile, the device goes into pairing mode, followed by the LED (two short and one long flash).

For convenience, I printed the screenshot with the QR code and will now attempt to use it to add the MiniR4M to Home Assistant. On the phone, in the Home Assistant app, open “Settings” – “Devices & Services,” then click the “+” button below and select the first option – “Add Matter device.” After a few seconds, the camera app will open, and we must scan the QR code. After we do that, we get an error. The device refuses to connect.

But there’s more. After returning to the eWeLink app, the MiniR4M is offline. To work with it, reset the device to factory settings. For that, hold down the button on the case for 10 seconds. But, of course, you need physical access to the device.

Adding the device to Home Assistant while bypassing eWeLink

Since we already know how to add Matter devices, no additional problems should arise. Hold the button and eventually scan the QR code on the case or the box. The QR code that you printed before serves no use anymore. The device should connect without problems in two tries at most.

In Home Assistant’s Matter integration, the device will use a “Switch” entity by default. You can always change it to a different one, for example, Light. The next part is like always – use the device however you want in Home Assistant with nearly instantaneous response time.

Home Assistant’s Matter integration has a setback. We can’t, at least not in the current version of the Matter integration, “share” the device with a different smart home system. But how does Google Home combat this issue?

Adding the MiniR4M to Google Home

Just like before, put the device into pairing mode by holding the button on the case for 10 seconds. Of course, this will reset the device to factory settings. Theoretically, after that, your phone should “discover” the device and show the corresponding pop-up. All you have to do from there is click the “Add” button and scan the QR code.

If that doesn’t happen, open Google Home. In the second tab, click the “Add +” button, then select “New Device” – “Next.” In the window that opens, select “Matter-enabled device.” Scan the QR code and wait. All left to do is select the room and name the device.

From Google Home, you can turn the device on and off.

But the fun part is that from the app, you can generate a working QR or a pairing code to connect with other systems (or to save it for later). Apart from that, you can directly add the device to pre-installed smart home systems without opening the QR code scanner.

Conclusions

In my opinion, the first Matter device from Sonoff came out interesting and perspective. According to the retailer’s vision, there should be “an out-of-the-box cross-platform experience.” But, considering the device is still recent, it doesn’t work as well as the end user would think. Even in eWeLink, the relay can ignore commands for half a minute. Bugs with QR code generation only bring more inconveniences. Hopefully, firmware updates will make the “fever” go away.

Maybe someone is waiting to install a custom firmware, like ESPHome or Tasmota. Sorry to disappoint, but according to the regulations for Matter devices, the bootloader is locked, which means you can’t change the firmware other than through OTA updates.

So, I can’t recommend this device despite considering its low price, at least for now.

Components, News, WiFi

Synology introduced a premium class router – model RT6600ax.

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This router is not the company’s first router. Back in 2018, Synology released its MR2200ac Wi-Fi 5 Mesh router. Now, four years later, the world saw the RT6600ax. It is clear from the name that the router can provide a total data transfer speed over a wireless connection of up to 6.6 Gbps.

The router’s productivity and its software

As I said, the router can work at 6.6 Gbps, but this is only possible if the client supports tri-band Wi-Fi. Such indicators are thanks to the 4×4 Wi-Fi 6 formula. The device’s six external antennas help maintain a stable connection. The RT6600ax uses 80 and 160 MHz channels in the newly licensed 5.9 GHz spectrum to achieve higher bandwidth.

The enclosure features 2.5 GbE WAN and LAN ports that users can use to set up a Multi-gig connection for maximum performance when using NAS.

With the release of the RT6600ax, the company also updated Synology Router Manager (SRM) to v1.3, the latest version of the operating system on routers. With an easy-to-use user interface, SRM shows users what’s happening on the network and helps protect connected devices from potential threats.

Users will be able to create up to five separate networks. You can map each network to three wireless SSIDs, providing a higher degree of control for the user and the security control panel. If you have IoT equipment that rarely receives updates, you can configure a separate network for these devices or add separate firewall rules. That will increase the level of security of your network.

Synology RT6600AX makes it easy to split smart home traffic with up to 5 separate Wi-Fi networks.

The router also has advanced parental controls for rule-based network access.

Another cool feature is a full-fledged app store for the router. Synology has made some extensions to the functionality of the router optional. You can use the app store to download the ones you need. That is much better than most routers because they have slower updates. In addition, it allows Synology to update individual applications when security holes are discovered or to add even newer features.

Features of the Synology RT6600ax router

It is the world’s first router that supports the 5.9 GHz band. Wi-Fi 6e operates in the 6 GHz band, which significantly increases speed, but dramatically reduces the distance to clients. A frequency of 5.9 GHz and a channel width of 160 MHz allows maintaining balance between the transmission speed and the distance from the router to the consumer. But the list of devices that can work at 5.9 GHz is small now.

Smart Connect combines different frequencies into one SSID, but Smart Connect doesn’t support the 5.9 GHz frequency range.

The RT6600AX operates on three different Wi-Fi bands: one 2.4GHz and two separate 5GHz, one of the 5GHz radios being the one that can transmit on 5.9GHz. Most users should use the Smart Connect feature, which links the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands into one SSID and automatically switches between the frequencies. Even if your equipment does not use the 5.9 GHz band, Smart Connect will allow you to reach connection speeds of up to 4804 Mbps.

Main Hardware Specifications of Synology RT6600ax Router

  • Comes with updated Synology Router Manager 1.3
  • Quad-core processor Qualcomm 1.8 GHz
  • 1 GB DDR3 Memory
  • Tri-band Wi-Fi 6 with support for 6600 Mbps Bandwidth potential:
    • 2.4 GHz: up to 600 Mbps
    • 5 GHz-1: up to 4800 Mbps
    • 5 GHz-2: up to 1200 Mbps
  • Six adjustable antennas (4×4 MIMO)
  • Support of 5.9 GHz / 160 MHz channels
  • 4 IGbE (Gigabit Eithernet) ports (1x WAN 3x LAN)
  • 1 LAN/WAN 2,5 GbE port
  • Mesh support with future devices via 5GHz Backhaul
  • USB 3.2 Gen 1 port

Conclusion

The Synology RT6600ax is a very, VERY good router. As Wi-Fi 6 continues to grow in popularity and more 802.11ax-enabled client equipment appears, this device could be a great buy. That said, while the hardware of the RT6600ax is a leap from the previous RT2600ac, the software here is a little less ambitious. Considering that SRM 1.2 would probably be updated to 1.3 on already outdated devices, the Synology RT6600ax looks less attractive. After all, if it’s your first time using a Synology router, you can’t blame the software. Add to that the increased bandwidth potential of 5.9 GHz and greater support for 160 MHz, and you have an incredibly promising product.

However, if you already own an RT2600ac, you may find that the recent improvements in virtual networks and SSID generation are not it to justify the purchase. The RT6600ax is the most powerful router Synology has ever made, and it comes with great software to boot.

News, WiFi

Will Google revive their almost perfect device Chromecast Audio

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People don’t often mourn recently lost technology, but Chromecast Audio is one of the few examples when this technological idea was almost perfect. However, it was quickly buried in “Google’s hardware graveyard.” It’s been three years since then, but there are still no reliable alternatives to this small device to transfer audio from Google.

The Chromecast Audio’s launch wasn’t a flashy event since it was introduced alongside Chromecast (video) 2nd Gen in 2015. The thing that killed Chromecast Audio was the same price as a regular Chromecast with video support. That’s the reason why the production of devices stopped in 2019.

Google hasn’t given a reason why they killed Chromecast Audio, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure that out. There isn’t anything special about this USB device when the Google Nest Mini speaker exists for the same price. Since 2019, Google has focused on smart speakers. At the same time, the Nest speaker line was better positioned to promote its Google Assistant voice assistant. Of course, the two products catered to very different users, but it was clear that Google would push in the market with its smart speaker.

Then, Google had a patent dispute with Sonos over streaming patents. The patents have certainly impacted Google’s range, but Chromecast Audio had a huge influence particularly. In addition, the patent disputes have already been resolved, and if the rumors are true, it’s time for Chromecast Audio to make its return.

Smart speakers can’t compete in the world of high-definition streaming.

Smart speakers have a long life cycle. Combined with low prices and frequent sales, most users had already bought them. With the release of updated speakers, there are also no obvious benefits, so why should the user upgrade?

Music streaming is considered the best use case for smart speakers. High-resolution audio is becoming commonplace in music services. However, some brands imagine it differently.

Echo Studio from Amazon was made to service the audiophile market, but it’s far from the most popular product in the Alexa line. Apple also ditched the full-sized HomePod and replaced it with the Mini. Google Home Max was the leader in the high-quality audio segment, but it couldn’t gain popularity due to its high price.

There is one thing in common for these devices – the high price. Audiophiles understand the value of good speakers for high-quality sound, but to achieve that, it’s better to spend money on regular high-end speakers.

Chromecast Audio combines the convenience of streaming audio with the sound quality of your own speakers.

Chromecast Audio was and still is the perfect solution for users who want to combine the convenience of audio transfer with the quality of their high-end equipment. For the user, the device already offers optical output for connecting your high-quality DAC, but if Google wants to improve the device more, they could consider more modern formats such as MQA. This simple and cheap USB device is perfect for streaming Hi-Fi audio.

The Cast protocol is almost perfect for streaming

Apart from hardware, Chromecast Audio was also perfect thanks to the Cast protocol, which conveniently combines local media and streaming services. For audiophiles who have a massive music library, the protocol makes streaming to one or more speakers easy. It also nicely integrates with Android apps. Whether it’s your favorite podcast app or streaming radio service, most will have support for streaming.

The Google Cast protocol supports local and online content. Amazon and Apple can’t compete with that.

Alternatives like Alexa speakers just can’t do that. Instead, you need to enable “skills” for each service. Local music playback is also incredibly frustrating on the Echo speakers. And Homepod is not allowed to be used for anything outside the Apple ecosystem.

Once the patent lawsuit is settled, Chromecast Audio could be the perfect home audio product for those who want higher sound quality than smart speakers and the complete freedom to stream audio content from any source.

In my opinion, the updated Chromecast Audio will become the perfect solution for transferring sound across the home.

If people are ready to pay three times the original price to buy Chromecast Audio, then the market exists for it.

It’s been three years since Google stopped production of Chromecast Audio, but demand for the product hasn’t dropped. Resale prices have been steadily increasing and reached nearly $120 on eBay, which is three times the original price. Of course, you can’t take eBay prices as an indicator of demand, but it’s pretty clear that if people are willing to spend that much, there are reasons for Chromecast Audio to come back.

Home Assistant, Lights, Plugs-Outlets, Switches, WiFi

Introduction to a powerful single-channel WiFi relay Shelly1

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Today, I want to acquaint you with an intriguing device. It’s a Wi-Fi relay based on the ESP8266 controller, which is why it will be easy to add to your smart home. In the articles on the site, you have already come across devices from other companies that use ESP32\ESP8266 (for example, Sonoff.) (  1,   2,   3  )

Shelly is a pretty new yet powerful startup from Bulgaria. The company’s devices earn a lot of European and Americal quality certificates, as well as various awards in the smart home field. Shelly has a market on AliExpress and its internet shop with prices in Euros. It has cheap delivery almost worldwide.

Today, this company has a powerful production. Shelly produces a wide range of relays, lighting devices, meters, switches and sockets, wireless buttons, and all kinds of sensors for the smart home.

The hardware part of Shelly 1

You can use Shelly 1 for both remote controlling your outlets and lighting. The advantage here is that you can control the lighting remotely (using an app) and the usual switch simultaneously.

As you can see in the photo, the device is compact. The main task in its development was to make sure that the device fits into an outlet box with an outlet or switch body. Let’s look at how engineers succeeded in this task. Below, there are two outlet boxes for plasterboard, one being deeper.

As you can see, in the first photo with a smaller outlet box, the body of an outlet or a switch will protrude about three to four millimeters. Take this into account when buying electrical before repairs. Also, find a place for wires. I must say, I used a standard outlet. There are also those whose body is slightly distant from the plane of the wall.

If you use switches, pay attention to the flex switch I already wrote about, its interior is very compact, and the switch won’t “look” out of the outlet box.
We see a deeper outlet box in use in the second photo. When using a case of similar size, there shouldn’t be any problems with free space for Shelly 1. Besides, you can place Shelly 1 in a regular mounting box.

One of Shelly 1’s wiring diagrams can be like this:

When mounting, note that the relay of the device can take up to 16A. As you already understood, you don’t need the switch to control the relay. Terminals “0” and “I” are relay outputs, and such contacts are named “dry” sometimes. It is because they don’t connect to the main logic circuit of the device. In theory, you can connect devices with a low supply voltage to such contacts and control the supply of voltage to such devices using Shelly 1. The supply voltage on the Shelly 1 relay should apply to the terminals “L” and “N.”

The device’s power supply voltage range is extreme, from 110V to 240V alternating current or 24-60V direct current. You can also change the power mode using a jumper on the case, and then the power supply voltage will be 12V DC. The jumper is under the plug, and getting to it can be quite hard.

There is a connector nearby where you can download custom firmware for Shelly 1, but I don’t think there’s much point in doing that. The fact is that Shelly allows you to unpair your devices from your cloud and enable local management. Such actions make it possible to control Shelly 1 from alternative smart home management systems, such as Home Assistant. In addition, you can control the relay even from the browser.

Configuring and managing devices in the Shelly app

Firstly, download and install the official Shelly application on your smartphone. Then register your account, which allows you to manage Shelly devices from anywhere in the world where there is access to the network.

To set up and add the device to your home, connect the wires as shown in the photo below.

Once turned on, Shelly 1 will create its Wi-Fi hotspot, and you can now connect and configure your device. To do this, select the “Add device” item in the menu. Once detected, you will see it in the list. Then you can add it to the necessary room or change the picture of the device.

To go to Shelly 1’s settings, click on its image in the “room window.” As you can see, the list of possible parameters is big. We can use the timer and schedule of the device. Below, in the “Cloud” section, we can disconnect the device from the cloud. In the “Settings” section, you will find the settings of Shelly 1 regarding the device behavior after power loss. There are four options for the status after power-on: “on”, “off”. “save state after power consumption”, and “according to the state of the switch”. In my opinion, this is a unique and quite useful feature. In addition, in the settings, there is an opportunity to indicate which switch you will use, keyboard (button, flex), or regular.

It is also interesting that we can choose what our relay will control, for example, an outlet or lighting.

In the settings, we can also reboot the device, remove it or reset it to factory settings.

Shelly 1’s web interface

To access the web interface of Shelly 1, you need to know its IP address. To do this, you can look at the address in the router settings. But, to not do it every time, you should set a static IP address for the device. The interface of the page is a bit like the interface of the application, but in my opinion, a larger computer screen will be more comfortable.

There are even more settings here than in the mobile version. One of the more interesting points in the web interface is the ability to enable and configure MQTT. But you are warned that turning it on will disable the cloud connection, which is not a huge loss when the possibility of controlling the device in alternative smart home systems appears.

Shelly 1 and Home Assistant

As soon as the Shelly device appears on your local network, Home Assistant will immediately “see” it.

All you have to do is confirm the configuration settings and choose a room for the device. By the way, the device that “flies” into Home Assistant is the same device you selected in the Shelly app. Now you can control the device with Home Assistant and the response time is almost instantaneous.

News, WiFi

In the line of routers, Google Nest has introduced a new network router with Wi-Fi 6

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First introduced in 2016, Google Wi-Fi routers provide a fast and stable Internet connection at your home. The Internet connection is on a “web” network. Besides, Google made it as simple as possible to manage devices.

A bit of history

The original Google Wi-Fi, just like its second version, uses the same hardware as a regular home router that connects to your modem.
In 2019, the line included two different pieces of hardware – a router Nest and an access point Nest Wi-Fi. By the way, the access point uses double features, acting as a Google Assistant speaker.

Google plans to bring back the unified design of the original Google Wi-Fi. You can buy a new Nest Wi-Fi for 1, 2, or 3 pieces in a box, depending on your needs or the area coverage of your home. But for now, we can’t say that the new router, like its predecessor, will be equipped with a Google Assistant speaker.

Pros of Wi-Fi 6 in the updated router

Back in 2019, due to the official launch of the Wi-Fi 6 standard, the Nest Wi-Fi became obsolete in the eyes of some enthusiasts. Now Google has confirmed that the new devices will benefit from Wi-Fi 6 and possibly even Wi-Fi 6E.

Ideally, the Google Wi-Fi router with Wi-Fi 6 support will run at 9.6 Gbps, which is a significant improvement compared to 3.5 Gbps, the maximum value for Wi-Fi 5. When you upgrade individual network devices to those that support Wi-Fi 6, you will notice an improvement in network performance.

The new Wi-Fi 6E standard will also use the third 6 GHz spectrum to counteract potential interference.

Turn on and forget.

Although Wi-Fi 6E does not directly affect your maximum Internet speed, it should bring you closer to the “best case scenario” for your local network. Plus, you don’t need to know much about Wi-Fi 6 or 6E because Google Wi-Fi makes it easy.

There are rumors that the updated Google router will release in several colors. The new device will have a color palette that will complement existing devices released by Google this year.

Sonoff, Switches, WiFi

Sonoff POW Elite – power meter with relay, WiFi. Up to 20A

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Approximately a week ago, in the official internet shop of a Chinese company Sonoff two devices appeared, marked as POWR316D and POWR320D. It’s the same device, with two modifications that differ only in the maximum allowable current flowing through it. And these are 16 and 20 Amps. I will review the devices as one, and the user must know the difference between the models when ordering the device.

SONOFF POW Elite features

  • Model – POWR316D/POWR320D
  • Case material – PC V0
  • Dimensions – 98x54x31 mm (DIN Rail mountable)
  • Input/Output – 100-240 В 50/60 Hz, 16A/20A Max
  • Wi-Fi – IEEE 802.11 b/g/n 2,4 GHz
  • WiSoC – Espressif ESP32 240 MHz with connection to Wi-Fi 2,4 GHz and Bluetooth 4.2

From the specifications, it is clear that the “brain” of the device is already familiar to us ESP32. Theoretically, we can change its firmware to alternatives called Tasmota or ESPhome.
The power meter has the possibility of mounting on a standard DIN rail.
You can install several such devices in an electrical switchboard and control the supply voltage, for example, outlets in your home. In this case, you should ensure a stable Wi-Fi signal between your router and the power meter in the shield. After all, its metal body can shield the passage of radio waves between devices. I will also warn readers against such a power meter at the main entrance to the apartment or house since its allowable power will not be enough for all your appliances.

Terminals for connection for both input and voltage output wires are in the lower part of the housing. There are four terminals, and you clamp the wires with screws. To access the clamping screws, remove the cover on the bottom of the housing. On the case near screws, there are markings for the corresponding wires.

At the top of the case above the display are status indicators with a single button to control the relay. This button also performs a device reset function.

eWeLink app features

The program interface is the same for almost all switches. Here’s quick access to the relay state switch from the card and the main menu. Detailed information on power consumption is also displayed here. The following information will be available to users

  • Electricity consumption for today (kWh)
  • Electricity consumed yesterday (kWh)
  • Electricity consumed per month (kWh)
  • Current (A)
  • Voltage (V)
  • Power (W)

The settings section will show the power status, we can turn on local control, and we can add schedules, timers, and cycles. Other settings allow you to add notifications based on relay status or power consumption goals for the day or month.

The values on the display and in eWeLink are updated every 5 seconds.

Smart Controls

eWeLink is compatible with smart speakers from Alexa and Google Home.
There is a possibility of integration with SmartThings. But unfortunately, you can’t control anything but turning the relay on or off. It is not possible to obtain information on electricity consumption through such integrations. There will be alternative firmware for the device. It’s probably already made. Both Tasmota and ESPHome allow you to transfer power usage statistics to Home Assistant, and from there, you can send them to Alexa or SmartThings.

What’s inside

Usually, Sonoff devices come with everything needed to tinker with the firmware, and the Sonoff POW Elite is no different. The PCB contains contacts for ESP32 (TC, RX, GND, Vcc), and something tells me that the button links to GPIO00, which enables the firmware mode.

The antenna got printed to the PCB. Unfortunately, there is no connector for connecting an external antenna, which makes another argument against a weak Wi-Fi signal.

The display controller chip is on the same side as the ESP32, with several contacts next to it to connect to the display itself. By the way – the screen has no backlight, which can be inconvenient at night. On the other hand, few control electricity consumption in the middle of the night.
ЗOn the back of the PCB, we see the elements of the power supply system (small transformer, capacitors, and filters). The large item on this side of the board is the relay.

This relay exactly controls the supply of voltage to the output of the power meter. In my opinion, the manufacturer could install a more powerful relay because, as you can see in the photo, there is more than enough space on the board. Maybe in a while, we will see an updated model of this power meter from Sonoff, but already designed for more power. It would be interesting to install one at the entrance to your home to control the electricity consumption inside your home. Logically, such a power meter would cost more, but I think the price here would differ only due to the cost of a more powerful relay.

Lights, WiFi

Introduction to the Wiz smart lighting

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Today you will get to know the Wiz lighting devices, for example, the filamentous (retro-styled) ST64 E27 bulb. The full name is “ST64 E27 WIZ DW FA Q”.

History of Wiz

Wiz was founded in 2017 as a startup, and in 2019 it already became a part of Signify, the world leader in the lighting industry. Signify is also the owner of Philips Hue. Wiz is the IoT platform of solutions for smart lighting. The Wiz ecosystem includes not only software solutions but also cloud features and products. Together with partners, the company offers lighting, devices, and accessories under different brands. Wiz already connected millions of devices in the market.

Unlike Philips Hue, Wiz offers smart lighting based on Wi-Fi, which is then controlled by a very handy app that connects to existing Wi-Fi networks. You don’t need a hub to control the system. The Wiz ecosystem covers more than 60 countries around the world.

Short characteristics and the Wiz ST64 E27

The light bulb is made out of glass, pear-shaped and retro-styled. The filaments are made out of rows of LEDs, that visually copy the filaments of “Edison’s lamp”. The light from such filaments is a nice white warm light with a cool temperature of 2200K. You can control the brightness of the lamp in a branded app. The max brightness of the lamp is 550 lumen, which is the equivalent of a 45W incandescent lamp.

I must say, controlling the brightness of the lamp by third-party dimmers is impossible, I recommend controlling the brightness from the original app only.

The lamp that sells in European shops has a plinth E27 and a voltage of 220-240W. That means using the device in the countries of North America would be impossible. Just as the advertisement booklet is stating, the lamp life is 22 years on the condition of work for 3 hours a day. The device has an energy-saving tier of A+.

Controlling the lamp is possible thanks to the Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g/n wireless standard with a frequency of 2.4 GHz. It is also possible to control the lamp using voice assistants or alternative smart home control systems.

The Wiz app for light control

First of all, after launching, the app will warn you that all Wiz devices added to your smart home, will only work with 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi networks.

Then you will be offered to create a Wiz account. This will help control your device in the future. If necessary, you can log onto your account using Google or Facebook.

In the settings, you can turn on local device control. This will be required to control lighting using Home Assistant. On the same screen, there is a possibility to turn on third-party integration, for example with Google and Alexa voice assistants.

We can add or change rooms in our smart home and assign smart devices to them.

Adding the lamp isn’t hard, you can just press the correlating button in the menu and choose the way to connect the device. But before that, don’t forget to turn on the lamp. Next, you will need to enter the password to your network so that this way you will save it onto your device.

It can happen if after adding the new lamp in the Wiz app you won’t be able to control it from the app. I don’t know why it happens, but everything works as it should right after relaunching the Wiz app. I could be wrong, but this bug only happens the first time you turn on the lamp after adding. Maybe this is caused by changing the network in the process of adding the device to the Wiz smart home.

So, controlling works now, and you can change the brightness from within the app. In the same app, you can set up scenes and routines for the devices. And if you added voice assistant integration, you can control the lighting using either your voice or the Google Home app.

Making it possible to control Wiz in Home Assistant

In order to control Wiz devices in Home Assistant, you need to enable local communication (Allow Using Communication) in the Wiz app. Also, don’t forget to make the lamp’s IP static in the router settings. Now we’ll go to Home Assistant settings and add the Wiz integration.

Now specify the IP address of your lamp.

If needed, set a correct room for it.

The lamp will be added to Home Assistant, every light bulb in the integration will have three essences, but currently, some of them could be disabled or unavailable. This depends on the scene or the current lamp mode. Of course, the “light” essence must be always available.

For convenience, you can add a card and control lighting from there. And if you already have a working Wiz integration you can add new automatization rules with its participation.

That’s it for today. See you!