I just bought Hubitat. Is there a way to use it without the cloud?
I got it because of the claims about less spying, then the instructions say to connect it to the internet and use a web app to search for it. Even the support form wants to know my MAC. Can I use this fully offline?
Yes, you can use it offline. But, first you need to know its local IP address. You could find that in your router setup if you know how. Or you can use the tool we provide, which is easier. Once you know your hub's local IP address, you can disconnect the internet if you want.
The internet connection to the hub can be useful: It allows you to use our mobile app to see and control devices in your home from anywhere. You can use the mobile app for notifications, and as a personal presence device. You don't have to use these features if you don't want them. If you want to update the hub's internal software to get the latest features, it needs to connect to the internet to do this. But, this is optional. Also, if you want to use Voice Assistants such as Alexa or Google Home, these require and internet connection. But if you don't want Amazon and Google listening, by all means don't worry about those.
We have many users with hubs not connected to the internet.
FYI - the MAC addresses is needed for support to identify your hub/purchase if you contact them for assistance during the warranty period. It isn't used for anything else.
If to solve an issue you have contacted support for, there is a reason for them to see the engineering logs on your hub, they will obtain your permission before doing so.
Thank you!
Yea my idea was to most use it as a single purpose bridge between one IoT device and others, but I suppose for voice I could use snowboy for custom offline hotword detection and the AIY voice kit style approach to offline speech recognition/ voice assistant.
On that note… I don’t suppose there’s an Python or REST API?
Awesomeeeee! Thank you!
Anytime
One more item that the Internet connection is used for - setting the date and time of the Hub. If you plan to have any Hubitat automations that rely on the Hub's Date/Time being kept accurate, an internet connection is very helpful. You can set the hub's date/time from a web browser on the same LAN, but the time will drift eventually. The hub does not have a battery-backed up real time clock chip, and thus uses NTP time servers to keep things on schedule.
If you're just using the hub as a bridge between other devices, perhaps an accurate date/time is not required? 
Good question (if it’s even needed) and thanks for letting me know. Time would be mainly for logging not that I care if it only curls datetime.
Maybe the easiest way is to setup a quantum circuit with Q Experience and leverage entanglement with photons on IBM’s server to fix the time drift.
There’s also a driver that functions like an NTP client so the hub time can be synced from a local NTP server on the LAN.
Or setup a local ntp server lol
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