Access Hubitat through internet

No, you would use a Hubitat Dashboard to handle those tasks.

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I'm new to Hubitat, like 2 days new. How do I do that?

https://docs.hubitat.com/index.php?title=Hubitat™_Dashboard

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Sweet. Thank you.

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You can also use Google Home/Alexa app or Sharptools as alternatives

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Also, a new, updated version of Hubitat Dashboard is in the works which should address many of the current shortcomings, like lack of a dedicated thermostat tile.

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My recipe for exposing the Hubitat admin interface on the internet uses Dataplicity, a Raspberry Pi, and the Nginx web server acting as a proxy. This scheme has the advantage (or the security risk, depending on who you ask) that the admin interface is accessible like a normal web site on the internet without requiring a vpn client.

Here is the recipe:

  1. Connect a Raspberry Pi (or comparable linux machine) to the same local network that the Hubitat is connected to.
  2. On the Raspberry Pi, install Dataplicity (run the python bootstrapping installer from the url provided on the Dataplicity setup page).
  3. On the Raspberry Pi, install Nginx (sudo apt-get install nginx).
  4. Enable the Dataplicity wormhole mode (this is done on the Dataplicity device page).
  5. Modify the nginx config file (/etc/nginx/sites-enabled/default) to look like this:
server {
    listen 80 default_server;
    listen [::]:80 default_server;
    root /var/www/html;
    index index.html index.htm index.nginx-debian.html;
    server_name _;
    location / {
        #------------------------------------------------------------------
        #|  The below configuration assumes that the hubitat hub's web 
        #|  interface is reachable on the local network at 
        #|  "http(s)://hubitat" . Your configuration might vary. For 
        #|  instance, if you have configured your hubitat hub to have a 
        #|  static ip address and are not relying on dns, then you could 
        #|  replace "hubitat" below with the ip address of your hubitat 
        #|  hub. 
        #------------------------------------------------------------------
        proxy_pass http://hubitat:80;
        proxy_redirect default;
        proxy_redirect http://hubitat/ /;
        proxy_redirect https://hubitat/ /;
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
        proxy_set_header Connection "Upgrade";
    }
} 

Once this is done, the Hubitat's admin interface should be accessible on the web at the wormhole URL provided by Dataplicity.

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Is there an easy way with detailed steps for non-experts to use a vpn for accesing the hub from the internet? I see some suggestions but no firm steps. Sorry I am new at hubitat just rcvd my hub some days ago and discovering everything about it and just found that I have to create rules connected to the hub locally but normally I want to create my automations at any time when I have free time including when I am not at home

The answers vary according to what you have that will respond to a VPN.

Your home router may support a VPN product, perhaps even OpenVPN. In many ways that's ideal because it's probably well documented.

If not though, take a look at openVPN to see if you do have something it can run on... a device that's always on. Raspberry PI's are often used, but they can be underpowered once you discover all you can do. Trying to run multiple video streams from you house full of cams would be taxing.

Once we know what YOU have, we might be in a better position to advise.

I do not have a raspberry but I have an android samsung s3 phone that is always powered on and at home. Can this be used?
How to know if my router supports VPN?

What Router do you have? Make and Model number?

I'm just installing a VPN server at a client's house. He has an Asus AC68U.
I'm installing openvpn, and using the instructions from this youtube. It's relatively easy:

It is a Tenda model N150, it was a cheap one, not sure if would support VPN

It doesn't support OpenVPN natively. I'd recommend getting an RPi3 (or some other SBC) and running OpenVPNd on it. There are openvpn clients available for just about every platform you can think of.

sorry if I make stupid questions but I am totally new on this things. Can this be ran in a Samsung S3 mobile (that I have on hand) instead of a RPi3?

No

@JasonJoel answered this. So I'm linking to a simple way to get an openvpn server running. All the instructions you need are either on that page or linked to on that site.

ok, will take a look and try, thanks a lot

I use port forwarding on my router (ASUS) and a VERY strong username/password for my Hubitat local access. That way I have access to the device through Internet as if I were on the same local network.

Works great.

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Port forwarding is not safe these days.

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It's perfectly safe...

You know, unless there is any exploitable bug in the underlying web server on the hub, someone brute forces the account, someone thinks it's fun to DoS the web server just because they can see it, etc.

Oh wait... Maybe you are right. :wink:

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