Is there a way to set a schedule for a group of products (in my case four smart bulbs)?
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I have four smart bulbs that are in a group, and I would like to set a schedule for them all in one motion (rather than change each bulb's schedule individually). Is there a way to set a group schedule?
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No, at this time its not available, whether its being worked on or not I cannot say. I have and will again add it to the request list, however support does not decide which features are added or are not. Nor are we told which features are added or when they are implemented. There is a content drop added each month. So just keep an out for the new Kasa update and check the release notes in the app description.
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@Carl Is this feature available now? I would like to ping this request again if not.
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No not that we have seen or been informed. The best work around is to use the Scene and Smart Actions features. We will prepare a Tech Tip story for this subject this week. Baiscally create a scene for the bulbs you want to control together then use a smart action "schedule a scene" to set a schedule for that scene. You will need to make sure the bulbs all have the same settings as one of the presets or their current setup is the same in order for the color and brightness to be the same But this work around should work.
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Defining schedules for a group would solve a problem for me. I am doing a project where I need to turn off a bunch of WiFi access points at the same time, wait a minute, and then turn them all back on, but the KEY is that turning the access points off will also kill WiFi.
I have often recommended KASA smart plugs to people who want a specific WiFi access point to be turned off, say during the night. (I think they are nutso, but that's what they want.) KASA smart plugs are ideal because the schedule is kept on the plug, not in the "cloud". As long as the plug has electrical power, it will follow the schedule even if the WiFi signal or the internet connection are not present.
Even though it appears that TP-Link feels no urgency to match competitor features in the area of scheduling a group of devices, perhaps it would be useful to clarify the conditions under which the schedule is expected to be followed. i.e.
- The schedule will be followed even if the smartphone app is not currently active.
- The schedule will be followed even if the smart plug does not have internet access.
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Thanks for the workaround. I have actually solved my specific problem with KASA Smart Plugs by activating a second WiFi router.
My problem was that I wanted to plug four WiFi access points into KASA smart plugs so that I can turn them all off at the same time, and then turn them all back on at the same time. With all of the WiFi turned off, the smart plugs cannot be reached by the KASA app. So, how to get them back on again at the same time. I knew that a schedule is kept on the KASA device, so it does not need WiFi access to know when to turn back on. I wanted to make a group so that setting a test schedule would be easier than setting up the same schedule on four separate plugs.
The solution is to use a separate WiFi for these test plugs.
Each device added to a KASA app defines the specific WiFi network it will use. (i.e. plugs a,b,c may connect to "mywifi1" and plugs d,e,f may connect to "mywifi2", etc.)
As long as the KASA app is able to connect to a WiFi network, it is able to control:
- Any KASA device that is on the same local network, or
- If the smartphone has internet access, it can control any KASA device that also has internet access.
This is the capability that allows a user to control KASA devices at home when not connected to the home WiFi network.
I activated a second WiFi network, connected my smartphone to it, and used KASA to connect 4 smart plugs to this network. Put all four devices into a group. Once that was done, I can now control those smart plugs as a group no matter which WiFi network I am using.
So, the experiment is:
- Disconnect that secondary WiFi router from the internet.
- Connect the smartphone to this secondary WiFi. It has no internet access, but can control any KASA device that is also on the local network.
- When it is time to experiment, use the KASA app to turn off all four plugs at once.
- After the experiment, use the KASA app that is still connected to that independent WiFi network to turn the group back on.
Notice that at first I was attempting to form a group in order to make setting a schedule on 4 plug easier. That was the wrong approach for my specific task.
p.s. This analysis has led me to understand why TP-Link programmers are finding it so difficult to enable "group scheduling".
- Right now, the concept of "group" is kept on the KASA app on the smartphone. Schedules are also kept on the actual device. Nothing is kept in the cloud.
- Suppose the KASA app is being run on several smartphones.
- Phone one defines a group as being plugs a,b,c.
- Phone two defines a group as being plugs c,d,e.
- Plus c belongs to two groups. (oh, dear.)
- Either KASA app can turn plug c on (or off) as part of a group.
- But, if groups can have a 'schedule', where is that schedule kept?
- Ordinarily schedules are kept on the KASA app (smartphone) and the KASA device. Nothing is kept in the cloud.
- Each plug has to know what to do even if it is not connected to WiFi. How does it handle two different, and perhaps incompatible schedules?
Anyway.... I'm happy now.
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