In the modern world of smart homes, having a seamless and fast connection to your devices is crucial. Homey Pro users can now enjoy an improved connection experience with the option to use port forwarding. This method is not only faster but also more reliable than using cloud services. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up port forwarding for your Homey Pro device.
What is Port Forwarding?
Port forwarding is a network configuration that allows you to direct internet traffic to specific devices on your network, bypassing the need for cloud relays. This is particularly useful for accessing your Homey Pro remotely, ensuring a quicker and more secure connection.
Step 1: Assign a Static IP Address to Homey Pro
- Access Your Router Settings:
Log into your Wi-Fi router’s administration page. This is usually accessed through a web browser via an IP address like 192.168.1.1. - Locate Homey Pro:
In your router’s interface, find the list of connected devices and locate Homey Pro. - Set a Static IP:
Assign a static IP address to Homey Pro to ensure it doesn’t change. A common static IP example is 192.168.1.100.
Step 2: Forward a Port to Homey Pro
- Choose an External Port:
While still logged into your router, select an external port to forward. For Homey Pro, the recommended external port is 4859. - Set the Forwarding Rules:
Forward the chosen external port to the static IP address you assigned to Homey Pro. Ensure the forwarding is set for TCP to port 443 of Homey Pro. For instance, in a UniFi router, you would create a port forwarding rule that directs external port 4859 to internal port 443 at the IP address 192.168.1.100.
Step 3: Enable Port Forwarding in the Homey App
- Open the Homey App:
On your iOS or Android device, open the Homey app. - Navigate to Settings:
Tap on ‘More’, go to ‘Settings’, then ‘General’, and finally select ‘Port Forwarding’. - Configure and Save:
Toggle ‘Enable Port Forwarding’ to on, enter your chosen external port (in this example, 4859), and then tap ‘Save’. Homey Pro will verify if the port is correctly forwarded.
Finalizing and Troubleshooting
Once these settings are configured, the Homey app for iOS, Android, and Web will prefer using port forwarding when you are not at home. If there are any disruptions or if port forwarding fails, the app will automatically revert to using the cloud relay as a backup.
By following these steps, you can enhance your control over Homey Pro’s connectivity, making your smart home interactions faster and more reliable. Enjoy the improved performance and peace of mind with your newly configured settings!
Source: https://homey.app/en-us/news/port-forwarding-is-now-live/
