Ihome plugs keep losing connection

@Brad_ST
Ever since the big outage from ihome in January this year, my ips5 devices have all been acting up in Smartthings. They still function perfectly with homekit and with the ihome app, but they appear to lose connection with Smartthings. Sometimes Smartthings will say it is connected, but I can’t control them, or it will say “Your Plug seems to be disconnected.” Either way, when they are not functioning with Smartthings, if I unplug them for a few seconds and plug them back in, they function again……but only for a short while. They keep becoming disconnected.

If I look at the Recently section of these items, they all show they are losing connection and sometimes reestablishing connection. At times though, even when it says connected, it will not work.

If I recall a similar issue happened sometime last year. Can someone look into this again?

Thank you.

My iHome plug and ST have the same issue…

Same here.

Same here, it’s like a rerun of the last time.

I don’t see anything in the backend that is indicative of the issue. I set up an iSP5 at my desk and will monitor it.

When the plug isn’t controllable in ST is it marked as offline? Does anything show up in live logging? Are you able to control the device in the iHome app even when disconnected from Wi-Fi (i.e connected via mobile data/LTE)?

@Brad_ST When the plug isn’t controllable in ST is it marked as offline?

Sometimes. Sometimes it says connected but it won’t turn on or off. In Smartthings. My routines are not running either.

Does anything show up in live logging? Are you able to control the device in the iHome app even when disconnected from Wi-Fi (i.e connected via mobile data/LTE)?

Not sure about live logging…what that is. Yes, I can control them through the ihome app while on data/no wifi.


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Same… unplug devices… then replug and they work okay for a little bit then show offline. However they work in the iHome app and in Apple Homekit. They are also offline on Alexa and Google Home I believe

It’s acting like this again: Ihome isp5 Smart Plugs No longer working properly...keeps getting disconnected from ST

Further testing. If I am off WiFi I can’t get all the plugs to work in ihome, only the ones that have had a recent power cycle.

Still have the same issues. Keeps getting disconnected from SmartThings.

All my IPS-5 sockets all failed after the outage. Got them to work for a week until the next one. I called support, and they were still under warranty by just days. I sent them in on my dime, and iHome replaced them with IPS-6 units. I don’t if they are new or refurbished, but I think new as they don’t have a mark on them. Now one paired perfectly, in seconds, the other two paired, but never connected to iHome cloud. It took a full reset on both and they connected. I made an error in the setup, which says to reset the outlets before install, and I was cocky and ignored that. But all three, plus my ISP-8 all working for NOW I don’t expect much. My ISP-8 never gave me a problem.

I guess I will call them Monday. Mine should still be under warranty, hopefully they can tell on their end. I did just replace two of them with new z wave plugs. I didn’t want to sell out additional funds to replace theses as they should be working. Frustrating.

These were my favorite plugs when I first started getting smart home stuff. They worked with everything. Really disappointed this has happened.

Thanks for the post, maybe iHome can help out with mine as well.

Tell them to check when first installed when they ask for proof of warranty.

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Well, just called and I was told there was a behind the scenes update to the 5’s last night so I should see some improvement. Really…?

I let the rep know that I have been having issues since January and I keep having to unplug and plug these back in every few days. I also did a factory reset on all of them and that didn’t seem to help.

I was then told that things are getting better. Lol. Well…It was a confusing and somewhat uncomfortable call.

OK, now that they did this update, try and see if any better, if not call them back. Be a pain in their butts, if necessary.

Well… They are showing disconnected with Smartthings again.

Contact support by phone, and if they give you a problem, ask for a supervisor. My plugs were all replaced, and working now.

Mine work with everything but ST. I have to imagine its something related to ST. iHome App, Apple Home, etc. I get 24-36 hours after every power cycle of the device having access via ST.

@Brad_ST Have you seen anything on your end? From my experience and others here, these are all working correctly at home and away through the ihome app and homekit, but they keep getting disconnected from Smartthings.

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The one at my desk is working fine still. I don’t see an increase in iHome devices offline across the platform either.

If you can work in realtime with customer support via phone or live chat, that may be best to help track the issue as it is happening.