I am moving the alexa control from one home to another (hub in each). I've removed the app from the initial hub, added it to the 2nd hub. When trying to link the hubitat skill (in alexa app) to the new hub (both show during the linking process) I get "Unable to link accounts. Your Alexa app needs an update". The app is up to date and I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling with same results.
Any ideas ?
My wife uses alexa control all the time for lights and other devices and she is not happy
I would Disable the Hubitat Skill from within the Amazon Alexa app on your phone or tablet. Next, REMOVE the Amazon Echo Skill app on your Hubitat hub(s). Reboot your Hubitat hub for good measure, as this helps to make sure your hub is actually connected to the Hubitat Cloud servers.
Delete all “Hubitat Devices” from within your Alexa mobile phone app’s Smart Home section.
After you hub is back up and running, ENABLE the Hubitat Skill from within your Alexa mobile app on your phone or tablet. This should require you to log into your Hubitat Cloud account to choose your hub. Doing so will automagically install the “Amazon Echo Skill” app on your Hubitat hub, which will then allow you to select some Hubitat devices. Try just a few and make sure to click DONE. Check to see if these devices appear within the Alexa mobile app on your phone.
I followed your suggestions - disabled in alexa, removed any hubitat devices, removed from both hubs, rebooted. When I enabled the skill in alexa the app did show in the hub automagically - I did see a list of devices, selected just one and tapped authorize, next I saw "Unable to link accounts. Your Alexa app needs an update".
I saw from a previous post that the hub(s) associated with my email were not correct, but mine are.
I just noticed after a few attempts that the device I select/authorize in the alexa app IS selected in the echo skill app on the hub - so that part is working. IF I could get the hubitat skill enabled in alexa I'm sure it would work...
I'm here in the US (state of KY). I DO use Starlink for my internet connection and I was thinking that maybe has something to do with it. I left the default DNS on the Starlink router and I'll try changing that to Google DNS.
I'll also try using my wife's phone - I do have a tablet but it does not have the Alexa app, that's another thing to try...
Here is something you may want to try. On your smart phone, temporarily disable WiFi. This will force the phone to use your cellular data provider's network, instead of Starlink. Since the Hubitat Alexa Skill relies on the Hubitat Cloud and the Amazon Alexa Cloud, perhaps not having your phone on Starlink will help to simplify things?
If that does not solve it, I wonder if your home network may be configured for double-NAT? I am not very familiar with Starlink. Do they provide you with a device that performs as your home's Router? If so, do you have another Router plugged into the one from Starlink? Please describe how your home network is wired/configured. It would be best to not create a double NAT situation (i.e. one router behind another router) if possible. Also, I am guessing that Starlink uses something called CG-NAT. I wonder if that could be part of the problem as well? Just aguess.
No the starlink router will work fine. Just set the hubitat to dhcp mode.
However since starlink uses cgnat it may be adventagous to put the starlink router in passthru mode to use your own router with features such as an always up outgoing openvpn tunnel if u want remote access to the router. As for helping with other issues i do not have a hub yet at that seasonal location. So cannot be much help. All i can say is cgnat is a pain in the â– â– â– .
Just remember with cgnat... its not a true public ip so any automation such as alexa sending a request to turn on a device for instance may not work unless the alexa hub initiates the request or keeps a constant connection open to the mothership.
I tried turning off WIFI and using cell connection - same result.
Tried my wife's phone and alexa app - same result.
I did go back to having my hub on DHCP (had moved to static to see if that helped).
I'll keep trying...
Thanks so much for your help!
You can apparently now pay extra (quite a bit) to starlink to get a priority connection and a true public ip. If i remember correctly like 400 vs 90-110 dollars and it has a limited data cap. Too rich for my blood. I think the email came out regarding this just this week.
Another test would be to get something like an att access pt which does have a true public ip and put the hub on that wifi connection. I use them as backup nets in my houses and it only costs 20 extra per month on my acct. Too limited for steaming but good for wifi switches to reboot stuff and would be fine for a hub.
maybe the hubitat devlopers can chime in on how the skill works but i just looked at this
and this approach may NOT work behind cgnat as there is no continually open socket.. so if the implementation is similar it will not work...
i know things that open the connection behind cgnat like my wyze cameras and the echos themselvees work, and i can assume the echo keeps a connectoin open as i have gotten voice responses on the echos in the cottage behind cgnat that initiated on one of my hubs in another location (i can hear them on the cameras).. also the echowitt weather station works there and it sends out updates from itself ..
@bobbyD does the hubitat keep a continually open connection from hub to your servers for cloud requestss? If so any.cloud requsts should work.
Have you tried setting up Maker api and send a request to control a device. If that works the above question is answered.
Not sure about cgnat - but I DO use echo devices and Wyze cameras on the internal starlink network with no issues. Hubitat it self works fine - including my remote admin access (hubitat subscription).
It may help if you could describe your home network configuration. Is Starlink acting as your home's router? Have you added your own network switches, WiFi access points, or additional router devices?
Have you always used Starlink? Did the Alexa Skill only stop working correctly after switching to Starlink?
Standard Starlink setup - Starlink is router and wireless access point (and DHCP and DNS). I've got the Starlink ethernet adapter plugged into a small 8 port switch with hubitat hub and a few other wired ethernet devices.
I have (had) 2 homes - each with a hubitat hub and alexa skill used at one location. That location used comcast for internet, I'm now downsizing to one home and trying to move the alexa skill to the other location. Alexa worked fine at the other home - this is the first time I tried using the alexa control at the home with StarLink.
I wonder if it is possible that Hubitat or Alexa keeps track of which hub is linked to the Alexa under your Hubitat account and maybe they have to re-authorize the account somehow since you switched to another Hubitat Hub. I was linked originally until I unlinked while trying to get my hub to connect to the cloud and had to change my pass-word. I am starting to wonder if it has something to do with the change to the account credentials associated with the link. Maybe the Alexa or Hubitat not liking the change?
I finally got my linked as well. Since I moved I also changed phone carriers, and got a new phone, fresh install of alexa and the skill linked to my hubitat account.
Thanks for all the info and help!
