How do I get access to my isy994i when I am away?

[ingeborgdot]

I got a new router the other day.  It is the new AT&T router.  It is the 5268AC.  I can't remember what to do in the router.  It has been a couple of years since I had to do anything like this and have just forgotten how and what I need to do and am not really familiar with this new router.  Can anyone show me the way?  Thanks.

[stusviews]

There are several methods depending on your expertise and level of security required. The easiest and least secure is to forward a port and use your WAN address. Or you can purchase the portal and log in from anywhere. That method is easy and secure. At $49/2 yr subscription it's not too costly.

 

You could follow the instructions in this guide. Others methods include a DNS service (some are free, some are not) or your router may include a free service.

[ingeborgdot]

I have just done the easiest method in the past and forward a port.  Just not familiar with my new router. So I just have to figure out how to do it again to this router.  I don't do it for several years and I forget how. 

[stusviews]

https://portforward.com/

[ingeborgdot]

When I go to portforward it says I need to set up a static address.  Do I really need to do that? 

[larryllix]

When I go to portforward it says I need to set up a static address.  Do I really need to do that?

 

The IP address needs to be static.

This can be done in ISY but a better idea is to let your router mangae it.

 

In your router, look for a DHCP reservation table twhere you assign a permanent/same IP address to be issued everytime it gets asked by a crtain MAC address. Then you router knows what it is and never issues the same IP to anybody else, causing a conflict.

[paulbates]

When I go to portforward it says I need to set up a static address.  Do I really need to do that? 

 

Yes. To add to Larry's answer, port forwarding is based on sending internet access for a specific port to a specific local client's IP address on your LAN. If that client gets address via DHCP, the address can/will change, making the rule invalid.

 

Paul

[ingeborgdot]

I setup a static ip but I just can't seem to get it to go.  Do they still remote in and help stupid people like me?

[stusviews]

You need to browse to your WAN address plus the port that you dedicated to the LAN address. Your WAN address is listed in your router. The format is WAN_address:port_number.

[larryllix]

Let say for demo purposes.

-Your ISP IP address issued to you is 123.4.5.6 (issued to your router by your ISP DHCP server)

-Your ISY address is perma1nently set to 92.168.0.99 (by router DHCP or staticly set in ISY)

-Your ISP port is set to 443 (secure and now you must use https...note "s") (you set in in ISY)

 

You set up your port forward in your router to convert incoming data on port 443 to

outgoing on your LAN to your ISY to 192.168.0.99:443

 

Note all data coming in to your router from the Internet will be on the IP address your ISP issued to your router so port numbers are used to identify sources and destinations.

 

Outside app attempting to connect would then use https://123.4.5.6:443 to get forwarded through to your ISY.

 

Again, note the "s" in https for secure, required for higher port numbers.

[paulbates]

This may help with the steps to setting up the port forwarding with the router (They call it pinhole)

 

https://portforward.com/pace-plc/5268ac/

 

The application definition is TCP, from 443 to 443

 

To Larry's point above, only use port 443 so that your communication with the ISY is secure.

 

To stu's point in post 2, you'll need to create a certificate for your ISY so that communications with it through the internet are secure

 

Paul

[apostolakisl]

Yes to all above.

 

1) Get a Dynamic DNS company so you can give your home a name and have it forward to whatever your current IP is.  I use no-ip.com.  I pay like $20 every couple years for like 25 and I have dynamic dns setup for my office, my home, my parents, my inlaws, my church, etc.  Reasons are 2: 1) Your home Ip address can change, this tracks it.  2) It is easier to remember something like jo-blo.no-ip.biz than some random set of numbers that might change at any random time.

2) Setup your ISY with a self signed certificate.  Instructions on the wiki

3) Setup router with a reserved address for your ISY.  This way you leave your ISY on DHCP mode and your router always gives it the same address.  Keeps you from accidentally having two things on the same LAN IP and also helps you if you forget the address since you can look it up on your router.

4) Port forward 443 external to port 443 internal at the ip address you chose for your ISY in step 3.

 

When you first log into your ISY using the secure port, you will get an java error telling you that the certificate is invalid.  This is because it is self signed.  You need to go into the JAVA exceptions and give your ISY an exception.  Self Signed are still encrypted, the difference is that you have to trust that person at the other end is who they say they are.  Since the person at the other end is you, you can probably trust yourself.  I suppose someone could setup some elaborate spoofing scheme to trick you into thinking you have accessed your own ISY when in fact you have accessed their server, but that is a seriously complicated thing to do to get control of someone's ISY.

[stusviews]

For less than $25 a year, the portal will give you secure access with nothing to set-up (except the portal). The portal will also allow IFTTT recipes and the ability for voice control using an Amazon Echo or Echo Dot.

[apostolakisl]

For less than $25 a year, the portal will give you secure access with nothing to set-up (except the portal). The portal will also allow IFTTT recipes and the ability for voice control using an Amazon Echo or Echo Dot.

The portal is easy.  But realize that IFTTT works directly using REST commands to your ISY without the portal.  Not sure how you do the setup with the portal but I have played around using IFTTT to turn lights on off.  IFTTT has a "that" command where you can send GET commands.  So far I just tested by sending emails to my IFTTT account that turn lights on/off.  It surprisingly responds in just a few seconds, presumably that is the email server.  Ordered an Amazon echo yesterday so when I get that things will get going in full.

[paulbates]

The portal is easy.  But realize that IFTTT works directly using REST commands to your ISY without the portal.  Not sure how you do the setup with the portal but I have played around using IFTTT to turn lights on off.  IFTTT has a "that" command where you can send GET commands.  So far I just tested by sending emails to my IFTTT account that turn lights on/off.  It surprisingly responds in just a few seconds, presumably that is the email server.  Ordered an Amazon echo yesterday so when I get that things will get going in full.

 

You can use IFTTT to command the portal. You use the IFTTT Maker channel, and portal gives you the rest strings to copy and paste to call it from IFTTT. It allows you to keep ports closed on your router.

 

My tests of it were fairly fast, comparable to Alexa turning things on and off.

[apostolakisl]

You can use IFTTT to command the portal. You use the IFTTT Maker channel, and portal gives you the rest strings to copy and paste to call it from IFTTT. It allows you to keep ports closed on your router.

 

My tests of it were fairly fast, comparable to Alexa turning things on and off.

So it sounds the same, only that the portal spoon feeds you the REST string rather than going to the wiki and looking it up.  I wasn't sure if the IFTTT had dedicated ISY portal applets ready to go.

[paulbates]

So it sounds the same, only that the portal spoon feeds you the REST string rather than going to the wiki and looking it up.  I wasn't sure if the IFTTT had dedicated ISY portal applets ready to go.

Yes, same software architecture. The rest call goes from IFTTT to the portal, and then the portal calls Devices, Scenes or Programs.

 

There is not a dedicated channel per se, it uses the Maker channel, a IFTTT 'swiss army knife' for this kind application.

 

Paul