Smart Power Plugs

OzAz

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Following discussions on chat, here's some more links to "Smart Plugs".
These can be operated via WiFi (usually via a mobile App) and/or via Google Home or Amazon Alexa smart home type devices.
They can be a handy way to remotely power up/down your controllers and power supplies. Some have a scheduling function so you can just schedule your show equipment to power up before show time, then power down after.

D-Link They were purchasable from Officeworks but only via click-and-collect, about $80 for 2.
Brilliant Bunnings $19.95
TP-Link From Officeworks $28
Mirabella genio Kmart $29

Disclaimer:
Just examples, not endorsements
 

David_AVD

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Some of those units *may* be able to be reflashed with the Tasmota firmware. It has some nice scheduling functions that can take sunset and sunrise into account.
 

Cranzy

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Some of those units *may* be able to be reflashed with the Tasmota firmware. It has some nice scheduling functions that can take sunset and sunrise into account.
The Brilliant smart plug from bunnings you can flash Tasmota on it over the air. So that is nice. The TpLink one (hs110) has power monitoring - so you can tell if something is on.. for example, a washing machine (as you can monitor the consumption)
 

daunce

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Always check Ozbargain for deals. There's a few for HS-100. $22.75 at Officeworks with 'Price beat' against Bunnings. These don't do power monitoring, so they're a bit cheaper. I've got a couple, and used them on the indoor Christmas tree lights. https://www.ozbargain.com.au/product/tp-link-hs100

[Edit. These do require an internet connection to set up (Initially for DNS and NTP). You can register them using the Kasa mobile app, or if the plugs are on the same layer 2 network as the mobile app, you can use them without registering them]
 
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Cranzy

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Always check Ozbargain for deals. There's a few for HS-100. $22.75 at Officeworks with 'Price beat' against Bunnings. These don't do power monitoring, so they're a bit cheaper. I've got a couple, and used them on the indoor Christmas tree lights. https://www.ozbargain.com.au/product/tp-link-hs100
Agreed to find the bargains. For $20 i would go with plug and flash tasmota on it so it doesnt require a connection to the internet and being on local network (security wise)
 

bpratt

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tasmota ? ... sounds interesting..... I've got an unused tp-link HS100 sitting here doing nothing at the moment... would be nice to use it to turn on my psu's.
 

Giles1

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I've been using the Sonoff Smart Switches for a while now and have found them to be both cheap to buy and easy to operate. I've also installed a Power monitoring Smart Switch on my main Pixel controller, so I can see how much power I'm using. You can get the Sonoff switchers from lots of places, but please see below a link to them on eBay.
My house is full of them. :)

https://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?...0.H0.XSonoff.TRS0&_nkw=sonoff+switch&_sacat=0
 

daunce

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damo1271

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Please be aware that these smart plugs are notoriously insecure!
That is, they can be hacked - in some cases giving access to your home network. The risk is probably low since they need WiFi access to the plug directly so the attacker needs to be within a few hundred meters.
However for a remote attacker, they could also provide an attack vector if your network is compromised. Depending on the type of plug and its hardware/OS, you may be providing an unauthenticated Linux server running root(administrator) privileges on your network. That is generally bad.
Also, because the plugs don't authenticate the device that is connecting to them, nor do they have encrypted packets (it is generally only encoded), the plugs can be switched on/off by anyone who connects to it. A DoS (Denial of Service) attack for your Xmas display!!
 

OzAz

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With the number of smart devices in my home it must be like a leaky sieve Wi-Fi wise. I'm sure many other homes are these days.
That said, I'm not too worried as I estimate the risk is fairly low, surely there's not that many people wardriving suburbs these days?

If I see someone with a pringles tin sticking out the car window, I'll turn my modem off. :D

PS. what type of car do you drive @damo1271 :laugh:
 

damo1271

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With the number of smart devices in my home it must be like a leaky sieve Wi-Fi wise. I'm sure many other homes are these days.
That said, I'm not too worried as I estimate the risk is fairly low, surely there's not that many people wardriving suburbs these days?

If I see someone with a pringles tin sticking out the car window, I'll turn my modem off. :D

PS. what type of car do you drive @damo1271 :laugh:
:laugh: Im not planning a trip to newcastle anytime soon. :laugh:
 

richardd

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Wardriving Wow did some of that for a paper in my Master in Digital Forensics course. Reading that word brings back memory of driving at 5-10 KPH up and down all the streets in my city.
 

jollyzee

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Home automation is a subject like what kind of food or ice-cream do you like. So many flavors - besides WiFi you also have Z-Wave, Zigbee, Bluetooth etc. Find something are comfortable with> I went the VearPlus controller way that does multiples

Later ...
 
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