This is probably an amateur question but I couldn’t figure it out from a fair amount of googling.
Is there a “smart” network switch where one can wirelessly disable internet access to certain things plugged into it? And that works with smartthings?
Maybe…
When you say “works with SmartThings,” do you mean you want to turn it on and off from a ST routine?
And when you say “things plugged into it” do you mean all of the devices are using an ethernet connection? So they are physically plugged into it? It’s not a Wi-Fi connection?
If it’s a Wi-Fi connection, do these devices always stay in one place? They aren’t mobile like a tablet or a phone?
And… Will there be anyone like a teenager or housemate actively trying to get around the restriction?
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When I say works with smartthings, yes I’d like a routine to turn on/off (connect/disconnect from internet).
No wifi connection, no kids use case.
For example, I was considering for the smartthings hub itself - If things run locally after all these changes, then disconnect from internet at certain times, reconnect at others. And I could imagine things like that for other devices plugged in to Ethernet directly.
To my knowledge there is not a consumer, plug and play, product of this kind. What you are looking for is a managed Layer 2 switch or router that has port availability management.
That said, the ST hub is not meant to be air gapped. While drivers will be fully local after the migration, accessing your hub via the app and other features still require an internet connection.
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Could you connect the items you want to disable to a small powered switch, then use a smart plug to turn the switch on/off?
Eero mesh routers allow internet access to be paused on individual devices or groups of devices. That feature can be controlled through Alexa routines. Alexa routines can be triggered by a ST virtual sensor.
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You may be able to do this with virtual switches and Alexa Routines. Alexa-enabled routers exist where you can use voice commands to say “Alexa, pause the wi-fi for XYZ device”. So you could have a virtual contact triggered in SmartThings that when closed or opened runs an Alexa routine with custom action that says “Alexa, pause the wi-fi for XYZ device”.
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This is something I search for on occasion. Mainly because I would like to have a controllable/switchable failover (switch to alternate/backup WAN). Router firmware failover is sometimes buggy.
Not exactly your use case, but the ability to switch (or disable, I suppose) LAN/WAN sources is essentially what I’m seeking to do.
found nothing so far, but I believe there is a market for this:
I had thought about DIY’ing one with something like this, but I don’t know what kind of signal issues might arise… I may give it a shot anyway sometime.
OK.
I understand that the suggested Alexa options don’t exactly fit with your use case since those require getting a new router. And a bunch of the other parental control options only work with WiFi, not Ethernet.
this paragraph updated after @Automated_House ’s correction below.
COMMERCIAL SOLUTIONS
As @jody.albritton mentioned, controlling Ethernet connections IS a common use case for commercial/industrial applications, where it’s usually called an ELB (Ethernet line breaker). But these are likely to be several thousand dollars, and likely not in budget. I include the following link just as an example of an industrial product so you’ll see these exist.
RESIDENTIAL SOLUTIONS FOR AN ELB
So…what’s available for a smaller budget that would be suitable for residential use?
I don’t know of anything prepackaged for this market, but if you don’t have to worry about someone intentionally trying to get around it, it’s fairly easy to put together.
ETHERNET KILL SWITCH WITH CLOUD-BASED PHYSICAL BUTTON PUSHER
- get an Ethernet kill switch with a physical button OR a line selector with a physical button. These should cost under $25, maybe under $15.
Now decide how you want to press that button.
If you’re ok with cloud control for that step, you can use a SwitchBot. This is like a robot finger that will press a button. You need one for each button. This brand already has SmartThings integration. I use these in my own home to retrofit dumb devices, like a one button mini blender, the eject button on the DVD player, etc.
You need their minihub for ST access if you don’t already have it. So about $35 for the hub, about $25 for each button if you get them in a bundle or on one of their frequent sales. They run a lot of sales, bundles, and flash sales so prices do vary all the time.
ETHERNET KILL SWITCH WITH LOCAL PROCESSING
if you want local processing for the button pusher, you’ll have to build your own with a small actuator. It’s doable, but that would be a whole other discussion. Some people have done a similar project to open a home theater projector door, for example.
If you’re interested in those, say so, and I’ll find a link.
I DON’T WANT A PHYSICAL BUTTONPUSHER
Yeah, I get it. But I don’t personally know of anything below commercial grade/budget that has that. If someone does, hopefully they’ll post.
In which case…you may want to reconsider the WiFi options. Because there are a bunch of parental control products for that configuration. Or even getting a new router.
As far as using anything to cut the SmartThings/Aeotec hub’s own internet access: as @jody.albritton already said, that’s not a configuration ST is designed for. It’s still a cloudbased system even if they’re pushing more processing local for speed reasons.
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So the ST app will not have the ability to directly connect to a hub on the same network, without internet? That should certainly be a fallback. Especially with all of this effort toward local drivers and apps.
They could have designed it that way (that’s how the Apple Home and IKEA apps work for example), but they didn’t. Here’s the official graphic for the new architecture. See the app in the upper right?
Thanks everyone for all the helpful suggestions.
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That makes sense. I had envisioned if things were humming a long there could be long stretches where I wouldn’t go into the app. Anyway all theoretical at present.
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tp-link exposes LAN devices to Alexa, too. My Hue bridge shows in Alexa as able to turn on/off, but I haven’t tested it.
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My eero also exposes my ethernet connected devices. Quick test shows it cuts access to the internet but not to other devices on my LAN. So my Envisalink card continues to talk to the ST hub over the LAN, but my TV stops being able to stream Netflix.
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