(As you read this I don't mean to come off as a smart ass... well maybe a little
We can't? ...because VPN's don't get hacked? Tell that to the Millions of businesses running on Office365, Google Apps, AWS, Azure, etc etc... Security and data privacy laws create compliancy standards that require businesses to protect and secure our data. IDS/IPS systems coupled with AES encryption and 2048 bit cyphers add just as much security if not more than a VPN solution, only this model has an infinitely larger ease of use paradigm shift. Are you actually trying to tell me your home router is more secure than a cloud provider that is required to meet government standards? Tell me you're not suggesting that. Now, I know the retort is going to be, "hack a cloud provider and gain access to all customers, but to hack me you would have to hack just me. Find me first". And that's a solid retort, really but you can still rely on the security and privacy of cloud only providers. The risk is extremely small, and the rewards far outweigh the risks. This is of course my opinion and you don't have to agree. This is the same argument for using cash vs a credit card. Do you only use cash too?
yes, but my options are limited and this platform promised some extreme customization. but with out a cloud at all and being local only, that is going to kill this. As I see it, this is going to remain a hobbyist platform until ease of use and connectibility increases. I hope it does well, I really do, but from licensing apps to system design, I can see the main selling point are going to be its demise. Personal home automation is a nice to have. My model I'm looking for is a requirement. Both are home automation, both have similar requirements.
I think if you like what Hubitat has to offer for local control without the cloud restrictions, but it doesn't work for Door Locks you could always get a Smarthings hub and pair the door lock to the Smarthings hub and use Hublink to link the two. I have not tried this myself but I think it should work. It is of course an added cost to the setup however.
If you don't see the value of a VPN especially in 2020 I think you have missed the point. I don't have to be individually hacked to be concerned about my safety. I have been around a while and it doesn't matter how much someone says they care, there is no one who cares about me and my family more than me.
Having used cloud based services for my home automation platform in the past, I much prefer the control I get form having those services run local. If what you need isn't served by having control based locally, then you may be looking at the wrong platform.
I think the only thing that would work as you are describing is the user app Rental Locker created for SmartThings. But even at that, the app and platform aren't commercial grade and I don't know if I would trust it to run without a hitch. And even if it did, you're going to be hampered by the frequent cloud outages that smarthings experiences that will result in you not being able to access your AirBnBs at all. At least with a VPN option you wouldn't be affected by cloud outages.
I don't even own an AirBnB but the thought of automating one like you describe gets me excited!
So, I have been using Wink hub 2 and manually setting codes on a property on the other side of the country. Never unable to access it. But now that I'm doing multiple AirBNBs I need a more automated solution. I thought that with local processing, local things like light switches would just be local, but the Hubitat would still of course talk to a cloud where the Hubitat app would sync up, therefore allowing me to do many different things, but alas, no. I'm a senior network and systems engineer with an emphasis on security. I work in Hybrid Cloud Operations, and I guess it just baffles me that there is no cloud at all. I hear VPN with DynDNS and I know what those services are like. I need more stability than that. I literally feel like the Hubitat solution is akin to just running a desktop computer. Very old fashioned. However, I have decided to return the Hubitat for this very reason, just got the SmartThings Hub and rBoy's apps (including the rental one) Going to pair the lock this Friday and integrate with my calendar. It sounds promising. We'll see what we get. Also going to see if I can integrate it with Wink somehow so I have a backdoor (no pun intended) in case of SmartThings access issues as described above. Wink Hub 2 has been rock solid but I understand their company is dead now? Interesting. I will say the Hubitat community is fantastic.
Thanks SmartHomePrimer. Those solutions are for multiunit apartments. They're proprietary and quite expensive. They are enterprise class though, but they don't have what I need. It was a great recommendation though. Thank you.
I am going to add to the list of voices who would find the ability to remotely set codes on locks EASILY very helpful. Yes, VPNs are OK but I can't give full admin access to the network/hub to a person that is responsible for managing the bookings! The code setting function should be exposed remotely via some additional layer of security IMHO in a dashboard!
I think we as a community could bring significantly more revenue to HE if this becomes an option - even if it's paid "upgraded".
And for those who praise a full device VPN - the posters above are right, VPN is dead in 2020! For most secure apps a tunnel is created just for that application and launched without the user having to do anything. Only that app has access to that tunnel, no other app or OS can use it. Of course it's paired up with device posture check i.e. Zero Trust and it's usually configured via MDM - way outside of the scope here. But we are all smart and could come up with some interesting ideas.
IMHO moving the remote code set from an admin function to a more privileged user function i.e. additional security in form of a separate password (Wink, ST) or even Google authenticator would be very innovative and would bring more interest/$ to HE.
Thanks, I seen that and I sent him a message. For me, that's still in the "useful" hack category but close. For example, entering the date in a specific format - I would like to see a calendar picker.
I am working on adding another user who will have access to a dashboard, where this would be the only tile and failing (I would say my fault as I only switched last week and setup the first 2 locations).
Notifications /reporting of what has been set to other users so they don't overwrite each other is another thing I think is missing.
Not sure why @aaiyar you think this is solved. Don't see you see the opportunity to expand the user base significantly with all of the Wink Airbnb owners searching for a good solution? Right at this moment...
Frankly, @damon.dinsmore's approach is as simple as it will get without major changes to Dashboard. And from everything we've seen that is not the highest priority on Hubitat's list.
There are commercial solutions available that are targeted for this specific purpose. I would encourage you to explore them.
I'll just say the same thing I say on all of these threads -
I would recommend you submit a feature request to Hubitat.
End users debating the worth, or lack of, on a feature request doesn't mean anything in the end. If you want a new in-box feature, Hubitat staff are the only ones that can do that.
No need to defend your position in the forum - you are entitled to make a feature request for whatever has value to you.
Eddie, do you have an email address or can you talk to me about what you did in the end? It sounds like you're after the exact same solution as myself for an Airbnb.
Absolutely. And yes, I found the solution. At this time of writing this initial post last year I was setting up my second AirBNB. Now I have 12 of them all using this solution, some with multiple doors with individual calendars, HVAC controls, lighting controls etc. There are rarely any issues that occur. It's been a pretty solid solution thus far. Eddie@BNBCookbook.com
