Cannot control Smart Plugs using "Home" when away from my house (when not connected to wifi).

[MalagLagoon]

I bought a Smart Plug. It works. I can turn lights on and off with my iPhone's Home app - but only when my iPhone is connected to my WiFi in my house. When I leave my house I'm not able to connect to my Smart Plugs because I'm using cellar data.

So, the first question is: Can I use Apple's iPhone Home app to control lights when I am miles away from my house?

The second question is: Do I need to purchase hardware to access Smart Plugs while I'm away from home?

 

[BigBlur]

You need an Apple TV or HomePod and set it up as a hub.

Set up your HomePod, HomePod mini, or Apple TV as a home hub - Apple Support

Set up a home hub to control your smart home accessories while you're away from home, share control of your accessories with others, and automate your accessories to do what you want, when you want.

support.apple.com

 

[BrianBaughn]

I can't think of any reason you wouldn't be able to control the plugs if you were connected to a simple VPN server set up in your home. Does your router's firmware have a VPN feature?

 

[MalagLagoon]

You need an Apple TV or HomePod and set it up as a hub.

Set up your HomePod, HomePod mini, or Apple TV as a home hub - Apple Support

Set up a home hub to control your smart home accessories while you're away from home, share control of your accessories with others, and automate your accessories to do what you want, when you want.

support.apple.com

I don't watch TV (never watched TV actually). I don't know what a HomePod is - but I probably don't want that either. Are these the only two options? I suppose it isn't that critical that I can turn my lights on and off miles way from my home - but, it's supper annoying HomeKit doesn't work out of the box in that capacity.

 

[MalagLagoon]

I can't think of any reason you wouldn't be able to control the plugs if you were connected to a simple VPN server set up in your home. Does your router's firmware have a VPN feature?

Are you saying you can set the Home app to work on a VPN server? Like, if I dig into settings I can add whatever server I'd like Home to use?

When I'm miles from my house I'd be connecting (Home app would be connecting) through a cellar network. It seems you can only control the lights plugged into a Smart Plug if your iPhone is connected to the same WiFi that the Smart Plugs are using. Or, as @BrianBaughn points out I can buy an Apple TV or HomePod to connect remotely miles from my house.

 

[BrianBaughn]

@BigBlur suggested the Apple TV or HomePod.

Are you saying you can set the Home app to work on a VPN server? Like, if I dig into settings I can add whatever server I'd like Home to use?

If you have a VPN server set up on your home router you can connect to it from anywhere. You'd use something like Wireguard to connect the phone to the VPN. Your phone will think it's at home, network-wise, so the Home app should work as if you're home.

My Asus router has a built-in VPN server app…and I could be using that. However, I purchased it after I had already set up a VPN on a GL.inet router connected to my home router.

It would take a take a bit of learning to set up the VPN. Pretty easy, though.

 

[BigBlur]

Are these the only two options?

Yeah, unfortunately...at least they're the easiest options. We used to be able to use an iPad as a hub, but Apple removed that functionality.

If you don't want an Apple TV or HomePod/HomePod mini, you would probably need a Wi-Fi smart plug that can be controlled through the manufacturer's app instead, rather than something that integrates with HomeKit, Alexa, or Google.

I can't think of any reason you wouldn't be able to control the plugs if you were connected to a simple VPN server set up in your home. Does your router's firmware have a VPN feature?

A VPN typically won't work. HomeKit uses mDNS or Bonjour to communicate with its devices, which VPNs have poor support for. You'd need some sort of mDNS repeater. Also, if it's a HomeKit Smart Plug that operates via Bluetooth, then it definitely wouldn't work.

 

[chown33]

I think the thing you need is called a HomeKit Hub.

Set up your HomePod, HomePod mini, or Apple TV as a home hub - Apple Support

Set up a home hub to control your smart home accessories while you're away from home, share control of your accessories with others, and automate your accessories to do what you want, when you want.

support.apple.com

Doing a search, it appears other manufacturers make them, or devices like them, but I don't know how well they work.

Our forum for discussing HomeKit is here:

HomePod, HomeKit, CarPlay, Home & Auto Technology

Home automation, in-vehicle systems, Internet of Things, etc.

forums.macrumors.com

You might get better replies if your thread is moved there. If you want that, simply Report the 1st post in this thread and ask to move it. A moderator will move it for you. Please do this rather than starting a new thread in the HomeKit forum.