Evohome IOS Roaming acces issues

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  • G4RHL
    Automated Home Legend
    • Jan 2015
    • 1580

    Evohome IOS Roaming acces issues

    I installed Evohome early in December 2014. Initially I could not access the system from my iPhone when in roaming mode. Just impossible, always rejected. Honeywell support suggested I had the wrong app installed as one needs the European one. They based this on the screen message I was getting telling me to visit www.mytotalconnectcomfort.com and suggesting this indicated it was not the Eurpoean app. There was no doubt I had the right app! I had double checked that long before.

    After several attempts at deleting the app, hard resetting the phone and reinstalling I found I could connect but not all the time. When I can't I get the same message as above telling me to try again or contact the web site mentioned. I have had other issues which are now resolved during which trying to connect whilst roaming was impossible. The other issues are resolved. Wireless connection using the app is fine, all works as it should.

    Using the app whilst away from home is very hit and miss. I'd say I cannot connect about 80% to 90% of the time. When I do it is vey slow. I have tried using my wife's iPhone 5S which is in O2, my iPhone 6 which is on EE, and a spare iPhone 5 which uses a PAYG Vodafone SIM card. All use IOS 8. Even when there is a strong signal and good 4G connection connecting to the server is hit and miss. Often it fails, I have to exit the app then try again. Sometimes several times. Mostly I give up. I don't think it can be a service supplier issue when three different networks have been tried. I have just tried now, signal strength is two dots out of a maximum of five which should not be an issue and a 4G connection. I cannot connect to my account.

    I would be interested to hear what other users' experiences are using the app whilst away from home.
  • Woody
    Automated Home Jr Member
    • Feb 2015
    • 32

    #2
    Hi,

    I use the Android app on a 4G network and there I do not encounter problems. It is slower outdoors, it always has the 'bezig met laden' (loading?) screen for a few seconds when I open it, but after the app starts I am able to use it normally, given I have connection.

    How are the other network apps behaving on your phone. Are things like browsing and reading / getting mail fast enough?

    I am not sure what IP port Honeywell uses to connect to the app, that maybe gets delayed by your telephone provider. What you could try is set up a VPN to your modem / other device in your network, like a NAS. Most of these devices nowadays come with OpenVPN installed. On your phone you install OpenVPN Connect. With the VPN active all the network traffic to and from your phone gets routed via the VPN to your home network connection and from there to the rest of the internet. Potentially a bit slower, but now all traffic seems to originate from your home connection, making it indistinguishable from you being in the house using the WiFi connection.

    Regards,

    Paul

    Comment

    • G4RHL
      Automated Home Legend
      • Jan 2015
      • 1580

      #3
      All network apps work well, no issues and work quickly. It is only the Evohome one I have problems with.

      I have tried logging in with VPN active and without it and it seems to make no difference. Sometimes if VPN is switched off when I try to log in the Evohome app switches it back on again!

      I don't think it is the telephone provider because operating wirelessly in the house there is no problem. I understand when you operate using wireless you are not connecting directly with the Gateway but the main server and that then communicates back to the Gateway. Thus it comes in via my telephone provider the same way as if I was roaming. Trying with three different mobile providers and getting similar reactions must point to server issues.

      Comment

      • Woody
        Automated Home Jr Member
        • Feb 2015
        • 32

        #4
        Hi,

        I think I may have misunderstood 'wireless'. I was under the assumption that you were able to use the app in your home, using your phone, via your local wireless access point (WiFi), and that this worked OK. Is that the case?

        About the connection of the gateway to the Honeywell server; my view is that the RFG100 gateway establishes contact with the Honeywell server. This server is not able to contact the gateway on its own, that would need me to open up my firewall and point a port to the gateway, and I never did that. So in the path from your Evohome controller to your smart phone there is the RF path from the Evohome to the gateway, the IP path from the gateway to the Honeywell server and the IP path from the Honeywell server to your smartphone, connected to the internet either over 2G/3G/4G or a WiFi access point.

        Regards,


        Paul

        Comment

        • G4RHL
          Automated Home Legend
          • Jan 2015
          • 1580

          #5
          Yes I can use the app if connected at home by WifI. No issue at all. It is only when in roaming mode, no wifi on, that I cannot always get access whether at home or elsewhere. I have not tried to use a wireless connection in somebody else's property.

          I have just tried again in roaming mode with my wife's iPhone 5S using O2 alongside my iPhone 6 using EE. I had a stronger signal on my phone but mine would not connect with the server whereas my wife's did and for a first did so quickly. I noticed mine kept wanting to use VPN whether switched on or off in Settings but my wife's phone did not. I know nothing about VPN and wonder whether that is the issue and with my phone?

          I am sure the server contacts the Gateway direct on its own when it needs to. This accounts for the more or less instant changes one sees when using the app. As the app communicates with the server the latter must then talk to the Gateway. There is not I understand a path from the Evohome controller to the phone. The controller can only talk to the Gateway and the devices in the house. Nor is there a path from the Gateway to the phone. I stand to be corrected but am sure this is this position.
          Last edited by G4RHL; 9 February 2015, 02:04 PM.

          Comment

          • zcapr17
            Automated Home Jr Member
            • Oct 2014
            • 20

            #6
            I have similar issues to the OP. I have an iPhone 4S running iOS 7.1.2 on O2 in the UK. The Honeywell Comfort app works fine (albeit slowly, 5-10secs to login and show room temps) when my phone is connected to my private wifi at home or another wifi connection, however, when trying to use the app over 3G it will take several minutes to connect (if I'm lucky), usually I give up.

            I used to think it was just a general problem with my 3G connection, recently however, whenever I've experienced problems with the Comfort app, I've tried using other apps such as Facebook to check the connection and usually find I can download plenty of photos etc. I've also found that if I forcibly close the Comfort app (http://support.apple.com/en-us/ht5137) then re-open it, it has a much better chance of connecting.

            In conclusion, I'm convinced the current version of the Honeywell Comfort app for iOS has a bug that causes this issue when 'roaming' (i.e. it doesn't work well over high-latency connections).

            I should also add, I've been experiencing this problem for roughly the last month, it wasn't an issue in Nov/Dec last year, though I hadn't thought to make any notes.
            Last edited by zcapr17; 9 February 2015, 03:32 PM. Reason: Additional information

            Comment

            • G4RHL
              Automated Home Legend
              • Jan 2015
              • 1580

              #7
              Originally posted by zcapr17 View Post
              I have similar issues to the OP. I have an iPhone 4S running iOS 7.1.2 on O2 in the UK. The Honeywell Comfort app works fine (albeit slowly, 5-10secs to login and show room temps) when my phone is connected to my private wifi at home or another wifi connection, however, when trying to use the app over 3G it will take several minutes to connect (if I'm lucky), usually I give up.

              I used to think it was just a general problem with my 3G connection, recently however, whenever I've experienced problems with the Comfort app, I've tried using other apps such as Facebook to check the connection and usually find I can download plenty of photos etc. I've also found that if I forcibly close the Comfort app (http://support.apple.com/en-us/ht5137) then re-open it, it has a much better chance of connecting.

              In conclusion, I'm convinced the current version of the Honeywell Comfort app for iOS has a bug that causes this issue when 'roaming' (i.e. it doesn't work well over high-latency connections).

              I should also add, I've been experiencing this problem for roughly the last month, it wasn't an issue in Nov/Dec last year, though I hadn't thought to make any notes.
              I certainly do not have problems with other apps using the Internet on the phone and all work well and quickly. The Evohome app is the one exception. Like you, I find that sometimes it is better to exit the app and start all over again. I do notice though that although VPN is switched off at present the app, when I try to make a roaming connection, switches it on again. Then when I exit the app it is off. Having said that there is no difference I can see whether I have VPN switched on in settings or not. On the occasions when the app does connect in roaming mode to the server it does take some time. Not though when I connect using wifi.

              Comment

              • orange
                Automated Home Guru
                • Dec 2014
                • 149

                #8
                I find the IOS app a little flakey (in addition to some specific issues I'm having) it's not very robust to slower or changing networks - and seems like it has a particularly rubbish way of handling any caching it does locally - check the app reviews on the App Store.

                The various issues may be 'normal' - I did have some open tickets with support for some CONFIRMED bugs but these still haven't been addressed and I suspect might not be.

                Comment

                • Rameses
                  Industry Expert
                  • Nov 2014
                  • 446

                  #9
                  R

                  This is easy to test - I will ring you and we can test your system on my phone. I will ring you tomorrow.
                  getconnected.honeywell.com | I work for Honeywell. Any posts I make are purely to help if I can. Any personal views expressed are my own

                  Comment

                  • G4RHL
                    Automated Home Legend
                    • Jan 2015
                    • 1580

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Rameses View Post
                    R

                    This is easy to test - I will ring you and we can test your system on my phone. I will ring you tomorrow.
                    Thanks Rameses. I see you tried to ring last night. I couldn't answer being in a meeting. However I did try to access the system on my phone where I was. I had maximum signal strength, 4G connection but no success. I exited the app and opening it again. Result is "Unable to get your account information. Please try again. If the problem persists visit www.mytotalconnectcomfort.com."

                    I then tried other apps and had no problems. One contacts the LightwaveRF server to control lighting. No issues, in quickly etc.

                    Have just tried again on my iPhone using roaming and got the above message. Then tried on my wife's phone which uses O2 and I gave up waiting for it to load. Got a screen saying "loading" and it was like that for an age. Even when I have success it takes quite some time to connect.

                    On wifi around the house there are no issues.

                    Cheers.

                    Comment

                    • Rameses
                      Industry Expert
                      • Nov 2014
                      • 446

                      #11
                      Originally posted by G4RHL View Post
                      Thanks Rameses. I see you tried to ring last night. I couldn't answer being in a meeting. However I did try to access the system on my phone where I was. I had maximum signal strength, 4G connection but no success. I exited the app and opening it again. Result is "Unable to get your account information. Please try again. If the problem persists visit www.mytotalconnectcomfort.com."

                      I then tried other apps and had no problems. One contacts the LightwaveRF server to control lighting. No issues, in quickly etc.

                      Have just tried again on my iPhone using roaming and got the above message. Then tried on my wife's phone which uses O2 and I gave up waiting for it to load. Got a screen saying "loading" and it was like that for an age. Even when I have success it takes quite some time to connect.

                      On wifi around the house there are no issues.

                      Cheers.
                      R

                      As discussed (this is for your details to help your fault finding) - as we both found worked well for me 4G, EE, (4 out of 5 bars) when I used your login.

                      A colleague overheard me and said the VPN thing is a common thing on iPhone - apparently it's 'sticky' and if the phone had a sniff of a VPN setting it will not totally be removed.

                      Also on iPhones there a 'true' indicator to signal strength which can be engaged by following the steps

                      Field Test Mode is a hidden feature on the iPhone which allows you to see technical details of the device, the most useful of which is the true cell signal strength displayed as a number rather tha…


                      Keep me updated.
                      getconnected.honeywell.com | I work for Honeywell. Any posts I make are purely to help if I can. Any personal views expressed are my own

                      Comment

                      • G4RHL
                        Automated Home Legend
                        • Jan 2015
                        • 1580

                        #12
                        Thanks Rameses. Yes, no doubt at all its not a Honeywell issue for you to get in and make changes rapidly. Must change my password now in case my bedroom gets too hot in the middle of the night - not as a result of physical activity I hasten to say.

                        It can't be a Honeywell issue but strange that I get it on three iPhones each on different networks. That points to a common setting in them that the app does not like. I thought VPN which is off on my wife's phone but seems to reappear on my from time to time. Indeed it can be off but opening the Honeywell app seems to switch it on again. Sometimes it doesn't. I lean toward that being the issue but would be pleased to hear from others here who may have more experience of VPN and its issues or may even have a similar problem to me. As I have some work to do I'll to a complete reset/reinstall of my phone to see if that clears the gremlin.

                        Once again thanks for your help.

                        Comment

                        • Rameses
                          Industry Expert
                          • Nov 2014
                          • 446

                          #13
                          We are still here - we are trying to source further tools which will help pinpoint extra help - so standby
                          getconnected.honeywell.com | I work for Honeywell. Any posts I make are purely to help if I can. Any personal views expressed are my own

                          Comment

                          • HenGus
                            Automated Home Legend
                            • May 2014
                            • 1001

                            #14
                            I occasionally have 3G roaming issues with this app ( IPhone 4S, 3G with 3). It seems to occur when signal strength is low and it gives the impression that Total Connect is offline. A retry usually clears the fault. I am not using VPN and I have no issues with the app on my IPhone or IPad Air 2 on wifi.

                            Comment

                            • G4RHL
                              Automated Home Legend
                              • Jan 2015
                              • 1580

                              #15
                              I think some success has been achieved. Before I did a full restore I looked to see what apps on the iPhone may be wanting to use VPN (Virtual Private Network). I could only find one and it was a Panasonic app that does a wireless transfer of pictures from my Lumix T60 camera. Even not running it seems it wants it left ready to access. It is possible that the Honeywell app kept triggering VPN even though it does not need it. I do not need the Panasonic app on my iPhone so I deleted it and then ensured VPN settings were deleted or off. I had partial success but a struggle to get in if in roaming mode. I then did a full restore of the iPhone. That seemed to remove all reference to an active VPN. I have tried several times to access my Honeywell account using roaming only and whilst there is a little delay before it gets in it does and once in it seems to stay in. The app works just as it should.

                              I do not know anything about VPN settings or when they are needed but am reasonably sure this was the cause.

                              Now to find out why I have problems on two other phones which do not have VPN. The issue with those is more likely to be a poor network connection where I am. I am reasonably certain that is the case and will try them when next away from home and there is a better signal.

                              So if any reader is having problems with the app when roaming worth a check to see if VPN is activated. It does not like it. Perhaps that as in issue for Honeywell to look at for the next update of the app - VPN conflicts. As I have said elsewhere, if we do not play we do not find out these things! Just think of the fun we will have once Apple releases HomeKit as well the Apple Watch. Am sure we will fill these pages with our problems!

                              Comment

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