eWeLink-Smart Hom‪e‬ 4+

Last update made the app very unreliable for me. I open the app and I see all my devices but when I tap on them they just don’t respond. Force closing the app sometimes gets them to work. I have Siri shortcuts set through ifttt. They work reliably. I also have voice commands through google home mini that work reliably. It’s just the eWeLink app that gives me trouble now. Devices have been fantastic otherwise. Just wish the app was reliable.

I figured out the reliability problem for me is related to newer Lan Mode feature. Found the setting to turn it off for each switch and now everything works fine. That’s a shame though. My internet has gone out and left me unable to
Control switches remotely. Be great to have this feature working reliably.

The eWeLink app makes setup & configuration of smart devices very easy. I used the app with a Sonoff 4ch Pro. Within 10 minutes out of the box i had the Sonoff 4ch Pro working properly. This time includes installing & registering the eWeLink app, connecting the Sonoff 4ch Pro to wireless, updating the firmware and even adding the skill to Alexa.

The eWeLink app is great, you can change the inching (momentary) settings for each switch, including the duration. There are a lot of other settings for the Sonoff 4ch Pro that can be adjusted through the app.

*Keep in mind, during initial configuration the eWeLink app will connect the smart device to the wireless network that your mobile device is using. After configuration your mobile device will be able to control the smart device through the eWeLink app from any network.

I bought six Sonoff devices to automate some lights and heaters and such in my home. The devices are inexpensive and, so far, work fine. The app is adequate though they really should get some native English speakers to correct issues in app and documentation that make it unclear.

The problem, it seems, is the servers you must use to make the switches work with Google Home, Alexa, and other devices. The company is not putting enough money and effort to upgrade these servers to support the larger customer base that comes with success. They should have anticipated it better. After all, they know how many units they’ve made and sold and can anticipate the increased usage.

Finally, their customer service is awful. Messages go unanswered for weeks, if answered at all and their website and Facebook page rarely provide status information. When they do post something, it’s just a message saying they are working on it and upgrading without any details.

I’m now researching ways to use the devices and bypass their servers, or any servers outside of my home.