@Kevin_Z 

Hello, @JimT1000 

I was having the same problem with 6 smart plugs I bought from Amazon (model HS103P3).

PROBLEM:

They didn't work remotely when I set them up in my desk at work with my office's WiFi network.

I tried all 6 of them, reseting some of them multiple times. They only worked for a couple minutes and then showed "Local Only" in the Kasa app and could not be controlled via Alexa or if my phone was disconnected from that WiFi network.

SOLUTION:

I took them to my house and configured them to my home's WiFi network and they started working as they should, including remote control and Alexa. I took some of them to my friend's house for a couple days: they worked fine as well. They have been working fine for weeks.

CONCLUSION:

I'm not a networking expert, but I know the network in my office has some advanced settings, perhaps restrictions. For example, if you connect a new computer to the network, you would have to manually assign an IP address, gateway, DNS, and such. So I think it is safe to assume that these TP-Link Smart Plugs don't work properly in this environment. I specifically mention the brand because in the same office I have an Amazon Echo and Amazon Smart Plug and they work well (the Amazon plug turns itself off when the connection interrupts, but that's another issue some people are having).

Perhaps adjusting your network settings (maybe DHCP?) will help resolve this issuue until TP-Link comes up with a fix.

Hope this was helpful,

Cheers.

@mfmf  they have worked fine for about 2 years without fault, infact I recommended then to everyone. Then just all of a sudden the problem starts randomly. Nothing on network changed and all other smart tech works fine. If it was just me that suddenly had these problems I may believe it was my network. But other are in exactly the same boat.

@JimT1000 

i no longer have a remote switch shown in device settings for my lights, plugs, switches. i do have local control however. i have about 60 devices, can somebody help me.

Thank You

November 29 2019.

I bought four HS200 switches about a week ago.

This now notorious "local only" and disconnect error started immediatly after I set up each switch.

So, thinking it must be my network I spent countless hours going over every switch, cable, and node on my network. I set and reset my router over and over. I updated firmwares til the cows came home. I deleted the app over and over and over again. I used four different Android devices and two different Apple devices. I removed and reloaded software for each switch many many times. Nothing works.

I have three other brands of smart switches (17 total) and two Google Minis, Philips Hue and a Harmony Hub. They all work flawlessly. Why the problem only with TP Link?

So as a last resort I found this forum.

I am horrified to find this is a know fault that has gone unresolved since 2017!

Still no fix? Just lame lip service is the response.

My conclusion? These sorry excuses from Tp Link are total and complete trash.

@BinderDundat  I was one of tplink biggest fans but now have given up on tplink moving all my plugs over to teckin. They have worked flawlessly so far

@MikeP  I get what your saying. But cant be using unreliable plugs which tplink has become. I had 8 tplink now down to 3 and still getting the local issue. Especially when using it with a echo

@MikeP Thanks for your input, but you are wrong.

Smart Life / Tuya devices do have a very responsive local mode.  I own several smart light switches and smart dimmers and they have been quick and responsive in LAN / local mode when my internet is down. I also own many TP-Link smart plugs and the work fine in my home, but sadly they don't work in some networks, getting limited to local-only. This, for me, is unacceptable.

If you compare the products side to side, a Smart Life / Tuya device will give you basically all the features of a TP-Link one at a fraction of the cost and won't give you that local-only issue.

Don't get me wrong, I like TP-Link smart plugs in many ways and I don't have a problem paying extra for better design (elegant physical product, pretty app / interface), reliability and functionality. But this problem renders them useless for many users who all they want is to control their smart plugs / switches by voice.

What's more frustrating for me is that there are many users that have complained for long in different forums and TP-Link doesn't listen. I believe this is a software issue that could be adressed with a firmware upgrade, but TP-Link hasn't released one in a while and so the problem persists.