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Homelink internet connect

Discussion in 'Gen 5 Prius Audio, Electronics and Infotainment' started by CruisnGrrl, Jun 16, 2024.

  1. CruisnGrrl

    CruisnGrrl Active Member

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    I've got one of the homelink buttons connected with my parents garage door, but I don't have a garage at home, never mind an automatic door. is there a way to control my lights in the house with the homelink buttons? Unless I'm mistaken the homelink mirror isn't bluetooth.
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    it looks like it:

    faq
     
  3. CruisnGrrl

    CruisnGrrl Active Member

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    To use it you need the bluetooth homelink connect mirror, the 2023 Prius prime doesn't appear to have that, just the regular homelink
     
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  4. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    I looked into something like this myself.

    It would appear that the Homelink people are doing everything they can to avoid filling this niche.

    They've concentrated their future development on a smartphone app, so now they want you to get a Bluetooth-enabled mirror to be able to send commands from your mirror into your phone, which then forwards it to their cloud server which forwards the instructions to a device in your home, assuming both internet links are working.

    The whole reason I was interested in it was to be able to send a radio signal from the mirror to a device inside the home to control a light or something- bypassing all of the phone/cloud business.

    There are a couple of devices out there on the home automation market that pretend to be garage door openers, but they're really just generic receivers. These receivers can be combined with other home automation gadgets to do exactly what you want. But I have yet to find a simple "one box" solution, and stacking a couple of things together can get kludgy and expensive.

    Good luck!
     
  5. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Many old school ways. One is a motion detector outside or inside the garage to operate light. I use one inside the garage. Some of those can use x10 powerline signaling to control other lights anywhere in the house with no Bluetooth or network required.

    I also use an x10 module that transmits when our gate opens that directly turns on selected house lights.

    Of course almost all garage door openers have lights.

    Extremely simple timers can be added to any plug in light.

    More elaborate $10-$15 WiFi timers also make timing and remote control easy. I use Sonoff timers and the ewelink app on a few things.
     

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    #5 rjparker, Jun 16, 2024
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2024
  6. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    I think OP is trying to gain control of a lamp in a home that hasn't got a garage at all.
     
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  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    my old craftsman garage door opener worked with plug in modules you could plug a lamp or whatever into.
    life has become so complicated
     
  8. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    That is what I was talking about. X10 power line communication modules. Easy.

    But today $10 gets you remote control from your phone and scheduled timers without much thinking or geofencing for automatic control with a little effort.

    The module below just plugs in and directly uses your WiFi for world wide control.
    IMG_5409.jpeg IMG_5406.jpeg
     
  9. NullDev

    NullDev Member

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    As a bonus, that module can be reprogrammed with Tasmota and used by Home Assistant making everything local and removing the need for the cloud.
     
  10. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    True.

    Some have trained a vehicle’s Homelink button to emulate a rf transmitter which are common in low cost rf light switches used in homes.
     
    #10 rjparker, Jun 17, 2024
    Last edited: Jun 18, 2024
  11. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    I cloned a Homelink button with a 433mhz remote. I temporarily wired its rf relay to control garage fluorescents which are separate from the opener,

    https://share.icloud.com/photos/0b8oMVBmkpXYnfA_rIXc7eryg
    Click link, then thumbnail

    I would use a better rf wall switch for a permanent installation if I wanted house lights controlled by Homelink in the car.

    IMG_5440.jpeg



    IMG_5441.jpeg

    In reality, an app controlled WiFi switch with timers (perhaps dusk to 11pm) works for me as described in post 8 above.


    However a better rf wall switch without app or WiFi requirements might be
    https://amzn.to/3KNqQbs
     
    #11 rjparker, Jun 19, 2024
    Last edited: Jun 19, 2024