Hi there! I use the AT&T Netgear MR1100 as a hotspot in my camper. That allows me to control all of my smart switches and smart lights. However, a lot of times we camp in remote locations with ZERO internet service and when we loose internet obviously none of the smart devices work. I purchased the C8 and new zigbee switches/bulbs in hopes of keeping everything on a "local" network that did not rely on internet. I went through the out of the box C8 setup process. I have the MR1100 on and it is providing an internet signal. I have the cat5 cable connected to the MR1100 and the C8. Everything works great. However, when I disconnect the cat5 cable (trying to simulate not having internet) nothing works. I am not a network guy and don't know much about this topic. Can anyone tell me how to set-up a local network that DOES NOT require an internet connection using the MR1100 and the C8? I understand the clock will be wrong, etc. Not worried about that. Thanks for any help and information!
The C-8 needs to be connected to your local LAN by WiFi or Ethernet to be accessed by a browser or the mobile app.
This connection is not needed if your needs are purely event/sensor-driven automation, assuming the event is not LAN-dependent.
And FWIW, disconnecting the hub from the router does not approximate a loss of internet connectivity. It approximates a loss of LAN connectivity, which the hub needs for conventional use.
Thanks for the reply, aaiyar! So that said, how can I turn on/off a zigbee bulb in my camper without a browser or mobile app? For example, we are in the middle of nowhere without internet service or cell phone service. I open the camper door and want to turn on a zigbee light bulb. How can I do that? Do I need to buy a special zigbee on/off switch, etc?
A contact sensor on the door or a motion sensor would both work to turn on the light. So would a zigbee button.
I'm not a "network guy," but i would consider adding a cheap wireless router to your rv and seeing if you could use your hotspot as a separate "gateway" device. Then you could have an "always on" LAN (withi or without internet access) for using the Hubitat app or browser based web UI.
You might also be able to add a local, gps-based, timeclock of you were so inclined.
And maybe your MR1100 can already do all of this without a separate router...
So to keep it simple, I have a Netgear 1100MR, Hubitat C8, a zigbee light bulb and an Android table. But I have NO INTERNET service. How can I turn that bulb on an off without manually turning it off on the lamp? Does that make sense?
That would be automation. That said if you want to be able to use your phone, you would need a router. That router does not need to be hooked up to the internet, it simply is used to connect your phone (or pc) to the hubitat. You can do this for programming stuff or the occasion use of a dashboard but in your case you want almost everything automated. So set and forget is the way to go
You have so many options:
- Connect your android tablet to the MR1100 (this does not require the MR1100 to have internet access), and then control your bulb using a Dashboard or the Android app.
- Connect a zigbee button to your C-8, and then setup automations to control the bulb using events from the button (i.e. button presses).
- Setup a motion sensor and pair it to the C-8, and then setup automations to control the bulb using motion events from the sensor (motion active/inactive). Or do this with a contact sensor.
You're not limited to using the app, although you could still use the app without the MR1100 being connected to the internet. What does matter for this to work is for the C-8 to be connected to the MR1100.
You all have been super helpful! Thank you!!
Just to add, some Wi-Fi smart devices are capable of the same local (LAN only) non-internet dependent capabilities using your Hubitat hub.
Kasa and Shelly to name a couple.
Check the forum for integrations for your devices.
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