So I found out that the hue bridge will work offline with the Phillips hue app so that must mean it functions fine offline, so how do I disallow the bridge to access the internet while still allowing it local communication? Can I disable this in my router somehow? Seems like I must be able to right?
For anyone with a tplink router. To disable outside access just use access control to make a rule to block port 80 for the hue 24/7 IMG_20191017_000111|666x500
You can do this in all routers I suppose. Not just TP-LInk.
Ya but you can't use the firewall to drop traffic on a tplink router because it's not configurable like pfsense or whatever.
Here's my TP-Link Deco M5 parental controls. I simply added the MAC address of my Xiaomi Aqara hub to a profile and paused internet. Stops it from phoning home. They don't like that (nosy as they are) and it stops the doorbell functionality every once in a while. I then just unpause it and re-bind the hub to the app. The doorbell starts working again, and I then pause the devices internet access again.
Side note: Xaiomi is a very nosy company. It is impossible to setup connection to WiFI with their Mi Home and Aqara Home apps, even with their app location set to Europe (HomeKit Only) with the Aqara Hub HomeKit version. Once you enable internet access, it will setup your connection to WiFi and you can then disable their outside access again. But it's telling that they are demanding that you be connected to the internet just to setup a WiFi connection. Guess they want everyone's WiFi password, but for what reason is unclear.
I've read somewhere (don't know where anymore) that the Chinese government demands a backdoor in all network driven devices (dahua and hikvision camera's also). That could be the reason for this, and xiaomi is nothing better then Samsung, Huawei or any of those other big Data collecting companies. 
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