Reprogramming a $13 consumer wifi-enabled outlet • Hacker News Board

Re: Reprogramming a $13 consumer wifi-enabled outlet

#41

Post by detaro » Sun, Nov 26, 2017, 5:29 PM UTC

amelius wrote: post #39

detaro wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, that's a quite common design. It might be forbidden if you expose that outside the device, but in electronics internal to the device you can do that no problem.

It sounds to me like the ground level is exposed outside the device in this case.

Unless I'm missing something I don't think so. The case has mains voltage in and switched mains voltage out only, to touch the low-voltage bits with the weird ground level you have to crack open the case. Which is kind of encouraged by open design that's easily hackable, but something that falls under "well, if you do that you're supposed to know what you are doing".

Re: Reprogramming a $13 consumer wifi-enabled outlet

#42

Post by gumby » Sun, Nov 26, 2017, 6:02 PM UTC

I like the explanation of the "journey" rather than just the description of "how you can do this too."

Re: Reprogramming a $13 consumer wifi-enabled outlet

#43

Post by peteforde » Tue, Nov 28, 2017, 7:46 PM UTC

glitch003 wrote: post #29

peteforde wrote: post #10

I really enjoyed reading this, but it wasn't entirely clear to me what the author planned to reprogram the unit to actually do. So from my perspective, the article ended abruptly when the author declared success even though I was looking forward to a description of the conclusion. The story is important and often overlooked in these moments. It's what justifies spending a hundred hours and $200 to achieve something y…

If you read the entire article it's clear why he's reprogramming them. You have to fully read the first two paragraphs. But essentially, he reprograms the smart plugs to respond to a simple HTTP GET request to turn the lights on, and then turn the lights off after 11 seconds, and the 11 second countdown can be reset by hitting that HTTP endpoint again. He has a "sensor" board that has a light sensor, and when he turn…

I did, for the record, read the whole article. Perhaps you were more willing to assume that his stated goal was the same as his initial hack solution. Seems you were likely correct.

Question: once you turn the lights on, how would you turn them off given that there's still light in the room?

Re: Reprogramming a $13 consumer wifi-enabled outlet

#44

Post by z3t4 » Thu, Nov 30, 2017, 11:47 AM UTC

luma wrote: post #12

z3t4 wrote: post #8

wifi seems overkill to send on off signals. i would use 433mzh

Given the ESP8266 brings a WiFi radio and 32bit microcontroller for < $2 on your BOM I think this sort of overkill is warranted. 433mhz provides no mechanism for link-layer security which seems irresponsible in this day and age.

You are better off with insecure/obscure radio then insecure wifi (no password or wep), and might exposit the device to the Internet which opens the attack range from your neighbors to the whole world. At least you do not have to worry about your 433mzh device becoming part of a bot net.