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Ethernet port a requirement, when add?

#1

Your sprinklers offers powerful capabilities, but I hope you produce a wired ethernet port Rachio.
Until there is that feature I must pass on this, despite my strong desire to get one, unfortunately must pass.

Range and Interference issues are the most obvious.
Setup problems could occur (Wi-Fi adds complexity to connection).
Access to my sprinkler location is easy, would take me about 10 minutes to toss a line to my switch (and cost less than a repeater)

Security is the biggest issue I have and one people should be aware of. Any Wi-Fi device is a door for exploitation, even a sprinkler controller. Criminals use equipment to listen to a device for a few minuets, then spoof the Wi-Fi station into thinking a malicious cracker computer is a sprinkler.

In my house I have an 8 point router for all fixed devices (like cameras, security), with Wi-Fi station on a completely different branch and firewalled for safety.

When the Rachio includes Ethernet, I would like to see a physical switch for the Wifi.
I have seen some devices automatically turn on WiFi after power issues, which is not safe.

Thank you for reading my concern and with.

All best.

#2

I agree that having a hard-wired Ethernet connection option for the Rachio 3 would be a valuable improvement. After having problems with the WiFi signal strength in my garage when I first installed the Rachio 3, I found that I had to install a WiFi extender pod in the garage to get it to work. My house is hard-wired with Ethernet cables, and I would have much preferred to use an Ethernet connection in the garage rather than installing a WiFi booster pod. I agree that security is a concern with a WiFi connection, but because there if no other option, I have decided to accept the small possibility of getting a security breach with the WiFi system to obtain the benefits of having the Rachio 3 smart sprinkler system.

I have only had the Rachio 3 for a very short period of time, but so far I’m satisfied with this decision. I have never experienced any major WiFi signal interference problems with the WiFi system that I have had installed in my house for several years. However, if Rachio 3 eventually comes out with a newer version that has a Ethernet connection option, I will probably upgrade to get it mainly for the improved security of having the Ethernet connection.

#3

Your request is not realistic; you won’t be seeing smart sockets, light bulbs, thermostats, etc. with Ethernet connections. The boogeyman is not out to get you. Most prosumer APs (Ubiquiti, Mikrotik, high-end TP-Link, etc.) support multiple SSIDs on separate VLANs. Set up a network just for your IoT devices; if it gets hacked into the intruders will have no access to your valuable data.

#4

I’m a network engineer, you should be far more worried about your WAN port than your wifi. Wifi has a range of what, a dozen nearby homes? There are billions of devices trying to hack you from the WAN side and unless you have a real router you don’t even see it happening.

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#5

I can find wired sprinkler systems, wired cameras, wired security, wired thermostats, all of that exists so you are wrong.
Not hard to make some devices with RasberryPi either, if one had time to tinker.

Why did bother posting that nonsense?

#6

Then you should know perfectly well POE vulnerabilities.
Granted an sniffer attack is unlikely, but not nil. Additional layers of complexity in structure to deal with.

IOW, KISS.

Next?

#7

Good luck to you Joe. Be sure to stock up on tinfoil in these hard times. :slight_smile:

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#8

If I need them (I won’t), I will get my stock from you.
After all, no need for EM protection when one is not blasted from multiple nodes.

Leave the WiFi for mobile devices. :trophy:

#9

I would happily pay to Beta test a wired version of system.
I beta test software and know the NDA and legal requirements of doing this.

#10

Please stop requesting this. You are wasting your time, as well that that of the community and Rachio.

There is essentially no demand for such a product. Anyone concerned about security issues would simply put their untrusted IoT devices on a separate VLAN, with access to the cloud but isolated from valuable local assets.

While I agree that a wired interface would somewhat improve reliability, it would still fall far short of e.g. what a fire extinguishing application would require. I suppose for growing cannabis you might pay a premium for a more reliable controller, but such uses are far from the market Rachio is addressing.

#11

Stewart, are you an employee of Rachio? You are speaking as one.

GeoWoz also voiced support for Ethernet, how many others would get one if it had Ethernet?

Sprinkler stations are some of the most distant devices on a property, some locations easily accessible by cable. 200ft of Ethernet cable is <$20, a Repeater is >$30 (not all with work with competing brands).
New builds are adding connections everywhere too.

$5 in parts would be small price to make more attractive device.

#12

Example of WiFi connection problems, on both units one customer had.

The Android Developer and Rachio Co-founder was involved in solving this problem. Eventually yet another unit (third unit) had to be sent over to successfully connect.

This issue apparently was the firmware was not connecting with customers devices, and the only way to update firmware was at factory.

I applaud the excellent customer support by Rachio to solve this, but obviously it is also a tremendous effort to fix the issue for a few customers.
A built in Ethernet would give customers and Rachio options in solving such issues. A firmware update could be sent via Ethernet, then switch to WiFi once update successful.