SSL Certificates - weak instructions!

[Tango]

First, I'm on an iMac. I haven't had to get into anything with my ISY in a while and I've been using MobiLincHD, but I saw that UD has an app and downloaded it...

...and promptly hit a brick wall. While MobiLinc lets me in without a fuss, I can't log in or set anything up with UD's app unless I have a certificate. (And I think it's a major pain in the rear that I can't opt out of that if I decide to. I'm in a remote location, out of wifi range of anyone else and have a good firewall. But thank you for taking the choice from me.

I've Googled and found this topic and another one or two, but Google didn't show me anything dated after 2015. And in that topic, there is this link to instructions. Okay, I tried to follow that, but from the start, when the first window opens with both my ISY devices listed, it craps out. I right click, as shown in the instructions, to get a menu so I can pick Admin Console or Dashboard. Guess what? No menu. No Dashboard. No way to get to it.

So I went to the documentation and see how to get the Admin Console - which I have. But Dashboard instructions? Nope. Nothing to download. Does the Dashboard still exist or was it rolled into the Admin console?

I keep looking and, under Help is, supposedly, information about certificates. I pick that menu item and nothing happens. Try again. Nothing. Nada. Zip. I downloaded and updated to the latest Admin Console version and that menu item still does nothing.

So it seems instructions for certificates are outdated and when I try to use the Help function, I get nothing. There are no recent posts on this topic, which leads me to wonder if things have been updated in many places, but that the whole issue of documentation on certificates was left out and is just OBE (Overcome By Events).

How do I get a certificate so I can check out the UD app and see if I prefer it over MobiLinc?

I might add that even though I have two buildings (we have a renovated barn), and I have a number of Z-Wave switches, dimmers, and fan controls in the barn, I've never set up my ISY down there. My wife is picky about what software goes on her laptop and I don't have a laptop, so it's been a big pain to try to go down and set everything up down there. I can't set it up through MobiLinc, so I've been SOL in adding devices in the barn. I'm hoping I can do that with the UD app, but at this point I'm also looking into Home Assistant and considering running that on a spare Raspberry Pi I have and disconnecting and selling my ISYs. I'm not saying this as a threat, but, at this point, just looking over the HA app and web control panel, it seems that, as an open source program, it's got a better design for the UI and that the Admin Console has always felt kludgy. I don't need flash and spritz on a UI, but I do want to be able to easily do what I want and this certificate issue and the problems with adding on devices in a 2nd building have been frustrating. One of them, alone, was not good, but both - that's what's got me looking elsewhere for a solution.

I'm not saying that to be mean or to try to use that point to wheedle help out of someone, but I think it's a point that UD admin needs to be aware of.

[dbuss]

You should be using the ISY Launcher to find your ISY. Here is the information on the ISY Launcher.

 

 

[MrBill]

5 hours ago, Tango said:

I saw that UD has an app and downloaded it...

...and promptly hit a brick wall.

Before you go too far... do you know what version of firmware is loaded onto your ISY?   Your first hurdle is likely to update the ISY.   UDI mobile only works with later 5.x firmware versions.

So first thing first try the launcher linked in the post above, but once you get into the admin console the first thing to do is Help > About to determine the ISY's firmware version.   I am only guessing by the way your post reads, but I suspect your ISY is still on Version 4.x in which case it's not compatible with the new mobile app until upgraded to a later edition of v5.x.  There are more questions along the way tho, for example if your ISY has a z-wave board, it will be a series 300 z-wave board, the latest firmware version that works in that case is 5.01.16c (and z-wave board upgrades are available.)  If you have no z-wave or already have 500 series board (unlikely but possible if I'm mis-guessing the age of your ISY) then you can load firware v5.3.4.... but HOLD off on that until you've researched more-- for example if you have ISY programs that use the feature "Adjust Scene" those programs will need manual repair after the upgrade.

 

[Tango]

13 hours ago, MrBill said:

So first thing first try the launcher linked in the post above, but once you get into the admin console the first thing to do is Help > About to determine the ISY's firmware version.   I am only guessing by the way your post reads, but I suspect your ISY is still on Version 4.x in which case it's not compatible with the new mobile app until upgraded to a later edition of v5.x.  There are more questions along the way tho, for example if your ISY has a z-wave board, it will be a series 300 z-wave board, the latest firmware version that works in that case is 5.01.16c (and z-wave board upgrades are available.)  If you have no z-wave or already have 500 series board (unlikely but possible if I'm mis-guessing the age of your ISY) then you can load firware v5.3.4.... but HOLD off on that until you've researched more-- for example if you have ISY programs that use the feature "Adjust Scene" those programs will need manual repair after the upgrade.

 

Not saying this to whine or to jump on anyone, but, well, first, thanks for all that and for clarifying it all. I'm guessing there's a good chance I'd have to upgrade and even the hardware is still old. Sounds like I'm better off going with Home Assistant at this point, since I can get a Z-Stick for under $50 and I can use two Pis (I have several extra right now) and two Z-sticks and it'll cost notably less than upgrading an ISY. I'll check on what I can find about my hardware, though, and see what I can go up to without upgrading hardware at this point.

[larryllix]

LIkely to upgrade your ISY, it will be less money than one Zwave dongle.
Check it out.

[Javi]

12 hours ago, Tango said:

Not saying this to whine or to jump on anyone, but, well, first, thanks for all that and for clarifying it all. I'm guessing there's a good chance I'd have to upgrade and even the hardware is still old. Sounds like I'm better off going with Home Assistant at this point, since I can get a Z-Stick for under $50 and I can use two Pis (I have several extra right now) and two Z-sticks and it'll cost notably less than upgrading an ISY. I'll check on what I can find about my hardware, though, and see what I can go up to without upgrading hardware at this point.

Hi @Tango,

First thanks for trying UD Mobile.   UD Mobile is still in development and does not yet have all features of our Desktop Admin Console, but we hope to have most of the same features available in the future.   

Our firmware upgrades have no monetary cost.  There are hardware dependencies for some Z-Wave firmware versions, for which we sell an upgrade module.   UD Mobile will work with both the older 300 series (firmware 5.0.16) and newer 500 series  (latest firmware) Z-Wave modules.

The SSL Certificate (or SSL Portal) requirement is only for remote connections and is due to Apple's and Google's push for security.  Some third party developers can offer options to bypass SSL with exceptions from Apple/Google. However because we control firmware and the ISY is updatable we do not qualify for these exceptions (see link below for Apple's exception requirements). If we bypass this without the proper exemptions from Apple/Google it may lead to removal from their app stores.  

For more information on local and remote connections, including all remote options, please see the following link.

https://wiki.universal-devices.com/index.php?title=UD_Mobile

[Tango]

@Javi: I get the firmware upgrades are free, but this unit is from 2017. From the chart I saw (on costs for the Z board upgrade), it looks like I can pretty much assume my board is outdated and needs replacing.

Oh, with the new webstart file, I will say that the interface looks much better than the old admin panel that is so kludgy!

[MrBill]

51 minutes ago, Techman said:

@Javi, could you expand on this. i.e. what Zwave firmware/devices are you referring to and where can I find more information on the "upgrade module"

To upgrade the 300 series z-wave board to a 500 Series there are discounts applied based on the age of your ISY.  I can't find the base price tho, only the discounts.

The 300 series firmware board reports Z-Wave version 4.55.00 from the Z-wave menu of the admin console, it also has a Blue LED close to port A on the back of the ISY (if it's not lit you need to shine a flashlight to understand that its a blue LED, otherwise it looks like a black circle).  The ISY can only be upgraded to version 5.0.16C with a 300 series board installed.

The 500 series firmware board reports Z-Wave version 6.81.00 from the Z-wave menu of the admin console, and does not have an LED.

[Javi]

20 hours ago, Tango said:

@Javi: I get the firmware upgrades are free, but this unit is from 2017. From the chart I saw (on costs for the Z board upgrade), it looks like I can pretty much assume my board is outdated and needs replacing.

Oh, with the new webstart file, I will say that the interface looks much better than the old admin panel that is so kludgy!

Hi @Tango,

An ISY from 2017 with the first gen 300 series board is compatible with firmware 5.0.16c. For context my production ISY from 2012 with added first gen 300 series board had been running 5.0.16 for the past year, although I have recently upgraded to the 500 series Z-Wave module to run the latest firmware.  Some new Z-Wave devices require a new hardware controller for full functionality,  but most are backward compatible.

Our new and more powerful  Polisy hardware will soon be available as an ISY replacement, so if all of your current Z-Wave devices are functioning with the 300 series board there is no reason to upgrade hardware at this time, only firmware update is needed to use UD Mobile.  The ISY994 hardware has been around for about 10 years and is still very capable and has outlasted many competitors. When you decide to upgrade your Home Automation hardware we hope you consider our Polisy controller, if our product history is any indication it will be around for many years with both hardware and software upgrade support.

Notes: Z-Wave module was in stock yesterday, but now appears to be out of stock, please check back at a later date.