Inkbird Wifi Smart Temperature Controller, Up to 50% off ($32.5)

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MadMechanic said:
I only have the one router, there are some homes around me but their signals are very weak. I will access the admin section and see if it shows there as connecting. Obviously since my network is password protected I'm not sure how it's supposed to link anyway.
Click to expand...

The app on your Iphone will ask for the password to your network.
 
Is there a certain type of network security setup that doesn't work with this controller? (Ex: WPA)

Edit: Let me ask this a different way. What security settings do work?
 
If there is anyone else that isn't happy with theirs, I will pay the price you paid plus shipping to myself to have buy it from you as well. I am interested in it for the higher wattage.
 
MadMechanic said:
A complete piece of junk, totally unable to link with wifi, unable to control manually. Unlike there other products this one sucks and it totally useless and complete waste of money.
Click to expand...
In all fairness I did find away to control the unit manually and after contacting their customer service I have been told they are currently attempting to correct the wifi issue with an updated app due in a few weeks. I have been informed that if the new app does not fix the issues they with refund my money. So I will wait and see what happens.
 
Dear friends,


Many thanks for your feedbacks, your advice keeps us improving.
Here we would like to share some improved functions of C919:
Wi-Fi Controller improved:

1. Wi-Fi link distance
Wi-Fi module inside has been improved to enhance the signal. And now it is performing much better than the original version in our lad.
2. Device Configuration
The programs have been updated which will be faster and easier in configuration with the strong Wi-Fi signal. And now the average time of configuration is 15S instead of 45S.

But there are more users we need to test the controller and get more feedbacks. Thanks again for all of helps from HBT members.

App improved:
Android App has released, please find the link to use:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nextapp.inkbirdsmartcontroller

IOS App is being improved to ensure that it is easier to configure and the new version will be released soon.
Also we will setup database and users can review the history data.
Thank you again for your help and patient patience.

FAQ:
1. The format of E-mail is wrong
If you get this note, please delete and re-enter again to make sure the email address is correct.

2. Device Configuration
Wi-Fi Configuration is related to the router, distance and phone. Before connecting, please ensure:

2.1 The router you have should be 2.4G.
2.2 The quantity of device connected to the routers is within its limited range.
Different model will connect the different quantity of the device, but more devices connected, more difficult will it be successful configuration.
2.3 The closer range between the controller and the router.
It will be better to configure by putting the controller beside the router, when configuration finished, then using by taking it to the farther range (please check and confirm there is Wi-Fi icon of the controller)
There is Wi-Fi network connected to your phone.

If failing to connect by several times, please freely contact [email protected]



Other Promises
To all of the users who failed to connect the controller, if you could wait patiently, please retry to connect the controller when there is new updated version of IOS App released in 2-3 weeks.
If failing to connect it again, you would be able to get full refund or get a replacement of the new version to try again.

We really appreciate your support and feedback and we keep trying our best to improve this product all the time.
Wish you could give us more patience and believe that we will bring you the satisfied product.
Any technological questions or problems, please freely contact [email protected]

INKBIRD TECH. C.L.
 
Mine connected within 10-15 seconds - downstairs from the router. Was easily able to set up heating and cooling modes. Haven't used it on a beer yet, but so far so good.
 
The 1800w, 15A claim seems suspicious for such a small device. That's the same specs as my electric smoker controller, yet that thing is probably 5 times the size of this or more, and puts off a ton of heat.
 
indolent said:
The 1800w, 15A claim seems suspicious for such a small device. That's the same specs as my electric smoker controller, yet that thing is probably 5 times the size of this or more, and puts off a ton of heat.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing it's because there's no wires with this, it's essentially an outlet on a switch that plugs directly into an outlet with no cables. Once wires get into the mix, you have to worry about resistance, gauge of wire, and distance. Thats probably why they get higher wattage with this than the ITC-310 for example.
 
Ok, here are my reactions so far from this device. Let me start by listing my equipment:
Nexus 6P 6.0.1 Security patch May 1, 2016.

So connecting was flawless once I switch to the 2.4ghz. Held down the wifi button on the device until it flashed, and it connected to the app within 5 seconds. Kudos, this worked perfectly. Once connected I verified that the device was indeed on my wifi network, which it is showing as 192.168.0.98. I then switched my phone back to 5ghz, since it should communicate over the wifi the band at that point should not matter. Well it no longer sees the inkbird. So I switched back to 2.4ghz thinking maybe it only sees things on it's own band, so be it no big deal there, but even back on 2.4ghz the app is not able to connect back to the device, it shows offline. Now I went back into my router and verified it is indeed still connected and it responds to ping on 192.168.0.98 still. I tried unplugging it and letting it reconnect to wifi to see if that was the issue... no dice. Just in case the switching to 5ghz confused my ip stack or something, I rebooted my phone, once again still does not reconnect.

So as it stands this device won't work too awesome if I cannot connect to it. I have suggestions, no reason to just provide feedback without some suggestions.

#1. Allow static ip address to be set after initial config. Once connected the first time allow us to go through the app and set a static ip for the device.
#2. Allow us to add the controllers via IP address to the app. I would say let us use both ip(or domain names) and a port # so users can connect their devices up and be able to access them externally. Perhaps have a external address and internal address field
Internal ip: 192.168.0.98
External ip: boboki.com:3456 (which would route to 192.168.0.98)
#3. Allow us to force a reconnect within the app, so it actually tries to connect not just a refresh.
#4. Open up the APIs to the zigbee connectors.

All-in-all I like where you are going with this device, and this is a great first (beta) step in my opinion. I see MASSIVE potential in this product and as a beta product I see this as standard issues that we will see in beta. I am happy to provide more feedback, or test more beta app changes (ANDROID ONLY) for this for you, I can really see this being amazing and being used by many in their raspberry pi setups and other configs. Please open it up completely and let the public start to integrate it into their own products, that will be your biggest claim to fame. Great beta guys, it is shaping up really well!
 
inkbird said:
the email address you printed is valid?
Click to expand...

Hello. I was thinking about building such a device, using Arduino, and integrating it into my SmartThings home Automation until I saw your unit.

I would rather work with the ST community to integrate it into my HA, so then I can trigger thermostat to control my environmentals during the fermentation process.

Would you be kind enough to extend your discount so I can try this unit to verify if works via Zigbee? :mug:

Thank you!
 
The controller I received still will not connect when following all of your instructions. Can we get the "fixed" or upgraded replacement you have mentioned? I would rather have a working version of the product you promised than a refund. But I will need one of these very soon.

I understand that volunteering to be the first ones to use a new product can mean trading a discount for a few small problems, but it really seems that this product is not working at all for many of the users and should have been much better than this before taking money/ orders from consumers.

I have been very happy with my other inkbird products in the past. Very surprised and disappointed at how poorly this product is being managed.

Looking forward to you making it right.
 
jmrybak said:
The controller I received still will not connect when following all of your instructions. Can we get the "fixed" or upgraded replacement you have mentioned? I would rather have a working version of the product you promised than a refund. But I will need one of these very soon.

I understand that volunteering to be the first ones to use a new product can mean trading a discount for a few small problems, but it really seems that this product is not working at all for many of the users and should have been much better than this before taking money/ orders from consumers.

I have been very happy with my other inkbird products in the past. Very surprised and disappointed at how poorly this product is being managed.

Looking forward to you making it right.
Click to expand...

I have the same issue. Got tired of messing around with it. I sent Inkbird a PM and they are sending me a new version. Send them a PM and I'm sure they will accommodate.
 
My current router doesn't let clients connect to each other through WiFi, so I am going to have to switch routers. I wish we can get APIs for the units because I would just have them run off of a Raspberry Pi.. As the router and everything.
 
At the moment, I have it hooked up to my keezer in progress (no collar installed just yet - but that is built) I can only check the device within range of my home WiFi router. I will go through the instructions again to see if I run the app away from home. I am not an IT guy, so I am taking baby steps on using and learning the device. Right now, it is running and I do not want to mess that up.

Basic setup was a snap and I was running before I realized I was done setting it up.

So far, the temperature controller is working within acceptable parameters. The keezer is staying within the set points and the compressor does not cycle heavily. With regard to that, so far, it is perfect. At this point, I am very happy with the unit.

Will try to see what else it can do later on.
 
Took mine out of the box today and gave it a try. A few days ago I received an email from Inkbird saying that what I bought will work for Android devices using their new Google Play app. I gave that a try first, but it didn't didn't like my wifi password , so I downloaded the iOS app and was able to get it connected that way. The adapter temp shows Celcius, and the app shows the temps in Fahrenheit. It would be great if both were in Fahrenheit.
 
AF1HomeBrew said:
Took mine out of the box today and gave it a try. A few days ago I received an email from Inkbird saying that what I bought will work for Android devices using their new Google Play app. I gave that a try first, but it didn't didn't like my wifi password , so I downloaded the iOS app and was able to get it connected that way. The adapter temp shows Celcius, and the app shows the temps in Fahrenheit. It would be great if both were in Fahrenheit.
Click to expand...

did you download it from here?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...martcontroller

BTW, which type of phone you used?
 
I just recently bought a kegerator to use as a fermentation chamber. While researching what kind of temperature controller I should get for it I came across this thread. Is it still possible to order one of these wifi controllers? I checked the Inkbird website but didn't see any option to order one.

Thanks.
 
So.. I'm geeking here, but I saw this elsewhere and I suspect this is what is buried in that Inkbird wifi unit... ESP8266 which started off as a WiFi to "AT" command set chip that then went to another processor internally via serial.

This has been expanded to using the capability of the ARM process or on the chip to do direct Arduino skteches (and other platforms).

The way that chip works seems exactly like how the controller and the app work. Look up ESP8266, Wimos D1, NodeMCU and read a little.. if this is the case they might be using a variant of the ESP8266 "WiFi Manager" to connect it to the router. What is odd is that you can put the device into access point mode, which for this use seems like it would make more sense.. I suppose if you wanted to spurt data out to the internet it wouldn't.

I wonder if anyone has confirmed or could confirm my suspicion. I need to get it up and running, I haven't because I need to change access points in my household to a different router because the one I use by design won't let WiFi clients talk to other clients.
 
Well, anyone interested in buying my C919? I put a router in that I know will let devices talk to each other on the WiFi, and used the Android app on my phone to attempt a connection. Get a great helpful diagnosis of Failed when trying to connect. Too little information to diagnose and I already wasted more of my life on it than I should have. I do have an iPad mini that I won, but I hate it, so really I don't want to try to resurrect or just to run the Inkbird. Building something like this from scratch wouldn't be that much more difficult or expensive so maybe that is what I will do. That way I don't have to log on to a server in China, give them my WiFi password, and a whole shload of permissions that they don't need to even be able to use the controller for anything. Massive fail, IMHO. My tablets are only KitKat and the play store claims they not compatible. Either Inkbird is going to have to give us more information on how this all works or it will be useless for many.
 
Well, okay.. I managed to get it working after another 35 minutes of fiddling with it. I suspect that the fact that my connection to Inkbird seems intermittent is the issue. I have been having problems all day with connecting to servers in China. Still think that design is a bad idea. I can still only use it on my phone. Dunno.. Pretty picky for its intended use. I don't fully retract my first two comments as they still apply. We will see now that I have coaxed the thing into working if it will remain stable.
 
UndeadFred said:
Well, okay.. I managed to get it working after another 35 minutes of fiddling with it. I suspect that the fact that my connection to Inkbird seems intermittent is the issue. I have been having problems all day with connecting to servers in China. Still think that design is a bad idea. I can still only use it on my phone. Dunno.. Pretty picky for its intended use. I don't fully retract my first two comments as they still apply. We will see now that I have coaxed the thing into working if it will remain stable.
Click to expand...

I had the same issues.... after about 20 minutes trying to get it to work with my Samsung tablet, then another 30 minutes of dinking with it on my iPhone 5S, I unplugged it and put it back in the box.
 
Well, in the 10 minutes I got it to work after fiddling with it for an hour and a half it was-- okay.. the app interface is a tad bit clunky. But since then, though it always gets a solid "WiFi" icon on the unit on a power cycle-- and it does it quickly-- I see Status: Offline on the Inkbird site.

The good news, I suppose is that if you press and hold the middle button on the unit it at least works as a cool (or heat) only controller that you can actually set by using the middle and right buttons. So it's not a brick when it doesn't work with WiFi. It also has the most accurate temperature of any controller right out of the box. I wonder is the sensor isn't the NTC thermistor that is used on the other units.. maybe it's a DS1820 or another sensor.

I'm amazed by reports of it actually working for people. Have they run it for days or hours on end?

I might try re-pairing it one more time, but it took 4 tries and like 35 minutes both times I got it working and then both times it ran about 10 minutes before losing connection.

One comment I should state is that either the short antenna (which I think has a temperature sensor in it too) or the long temp probe has to be plugged in to the unit for the WiFi to work at all. That threw me about the time of my first post.

I hope it works for you. There isn't much else I can do with it, knowing little to nothing on how the App works.. I am tempted to use Wireshark to look at the access point, but that's a lot of work, really. I suspect the device really is an ESP8266 device, it sure seems to work like some of the ones out there...

I suspect if I were at their lab in China the thing would work beautifully.. but from a rural DSL line in America it is too dicey to work reliably the way it is architected.
 
UndeadFred said:
Well, in the 10 minutes I got it to work after fiddling with it for an hour and a half it was-- okay.. the app interface is a tad bit clunky. But since then, though it always gets a solid "WiFi" icon on the unit on a power cycle-- and it does it quickly-- I see Status: Offline on the Inkbird site.

The good news, I suppose is that if you press and hold the middle button on the unit it at least works as a cool (or heat) only controller that you can actually set by using the middle and right buttons. So it's not a brick when it doesn't work with WiFi. It also has the most accurate temperature of any controller right out of the box. I wonder is the sensor isn't the NTC thermistor that is used on the other units.. maybe it's a DS1820 or another sensor.

I'm amazed by reports of it actually working for people. Have they run it for days or hours on end?

I might try re-pairing it one more time, but it took 4 tries and like 35 minutes both times I got it working and then both times it ran about 10 minutes before losing connection.

One comment I should state is that either the short antenna (which I think has a temperature sensor in it too) or the long temp probe has to be plugged in to the unit for the WiFi to work at all. That threw me about the time of my first post.

I hope it works for you. There isn't much else I can do with it, knowing little to nothing on how the App works.. I am tempted to use Wireshark to look at the access point, but that's a lot of work, really. I suspect the device really is an ESP8266 device, it sure seems to work like some of the ones out there...

I suspect if I were at their lab in China the thing would work beautifully.. but from a rural DSL line in America it is too dicey to work reliably the way it is architected.
Click to expand...

Mine has been going solid now for a month of two, the only hiccup being when we had a power outage and I had to go through the PITA of reconnecting the wifi. It did hold the temp settings through the power outage.
 
Got mine today. Android did not work (LG-V480 tablet) but iOS (iPhone 5S) did.

With Android I got "Failed" when trying to enter the router/password.

Edit:
Made an unboxing video when it arrived (I just happened to be getting the GoPro camera ready for the MTB ride today):
https://youtu.be/N7ufGjg2wl4
 
m1k3 said:
Got mine today. Android did not work (LG-V480 tablet) but iOS (iPhone 5S) did.

With Android I got "Failed" when trying to enter the router/password.
Click to expand...

Well that just shows which OS is better.....
 
I reluctantly resurrected my iPad Mini and sure as $hit the Apple app works. But I couldn't log into the same email address as on the Android. The smart arsed comment above irrespective, this proves that an API and technical documentation needs to be released, unless Inkbird want to make their money by selling software and not the hardware. If the design was GPLed there would be interfaces for BrewPis by now. With more information I could probably diagnose the Android apps problem. The trick part of getting the SSID and password works, what doesn't is the app to their server. The fact I couldn't log out in the Android app and that my password appears to be different from device to device is pretty indicative...
 
UndeadFred said:
I reluctantly resurrected my iPad Mini and sure as $hit the Apple app works. But I couldn't log into the same email address as on the Android. The smart arsed comment above irrespective, this proves that an API and technical documentation needs to be released, unless Inkbird want to make their money by selling software and not the hardware. If the design was GPLed there would be interfaces for BrewPis by now. With more information I could probably diagnose the Android apps problem. The trick part of getting the SSID and password works, what doesn't is the app to their server. The fact I couldn't log out in the Android app and that my password appears to be different from device to device is pretty indicative...
Click to expand...

Better to be a smart arse then a dumb arse.
 
Even on the Apple App, working is relative. It is fairly buggy as well. The graph stops working after a short bit. And I suppose later on the App will set up profiles like you would have with a STC-1000+.. But right now having the same settings that the controller has plus displaying only on an iOS device of the temperature, since the graph crashes, doesn't really make the app all that value added. I think a local Web interface would be better, it would work on any device and would allow that data to be accessed and used for something. Again.. Opening the API up would make this useful. The controller itself seems solid, including network access.. But the design of the UI doesn't even make sense.
 
UndeadFred said:
Even on the Apple App, working is relative. It is fairly buggy as well. The graph stops working after a short bit. And I suppose later on the App will set up profiles like you would have with a STC-1000+.. But right now having the same settings that the controller has plus displaying only on an iOS device of the temperature, since the graph crashes, doesn't really make the app all that value added. I think a local Web interface would be better, it would work on any device and would allow that data to be accessed and used for something. Again.. Opening the API up would make this useful. The controller itself seems solid, including network access.. But the design of the UI doesn't even make sense.
Click to expand...

Totally agree, the app is almost useless. At least you can see the temp and change it from the app.
 
I could never get mine to connect. A new one arrived today so will try and mess with it over the weekend. If it doesn't connect, then will send back for a refund. Don't need another controller that isn't WIFI capable.
 
Here is the thing with that device--- And I'm guessing because the technology is hidden and I don't want to pop into it to see the parts and void my warranty on it (yet). If I saw a ESP8266EX chip or module in it that would confirm it... This is my theory on what is going on with these...

I believe it comes up as a (hidden SSID) access point when you hold the WiFi button down. On Android it needs multicast and network access point changing privileges (it likely does on Apple but it's not as neatly spelled out on that side).

Once the phone/tablet/app connects, it programs the router SSID and Password to the controller, probably the Inkbird username and password and address of the Inkbird server (if they did it right), and it connects to the internet and the WiFi indicator goes solid, probably when the link to the router is connected. Alternatively the solid indication might be when it connects to Inkbird's server, which is probably also sent to the controller through the app (I hope it isn't hard coded).

Then the App simply talks to the server at Inkbird which relays commands to the controller. It just so happens that on apparently most if not all Android devices that the App itself only gets usually as far as setting the controller's info without errors (which crash pieces of the app like logging out!) and then it doesn't work after that. But the pairing to the internet of the device works and that is why I claim it is solid. If you have the solid wifi symbol, the device is hooked to your router.. if you go into the router control panel you can verify this easily.

I am guessing on the device being a hidden Access Point on startup but that is typically how those Internet of Thing chips are set up, usually not hidden though. I am also guessing on the connection going through Inkbird's server but that seems likely as on my one router that blocks wifi clients from talking to each other internally it still seems to work on the Apple device, but I've not run it for any length of time to 100% verify that.

So.. if you are getting the solid WiFi indication, the controller is connecting to the internet, I'm 99% sure of that. If it doesn't work from there, then it's just that the App is really broken. You could hold out in the hopes that either Inkbird fixes the apps or provides technical info to the rest of us so we can BrewPi the buggers, or whatever.
 

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