Need some Help with Sofabaton X2 Remote App

[Wayne Hutchinson]

Hi All,

I recently ordered and received a Sofabaton X2 Remote to replace my aging Harmony and so far can't get the app to see X2 Hub during setup. It detects and see's the Hub during initial setup but after defining Devices and Activities, which work at this point app searches for Hub again and does not detect it. When contacting their support all I get from them it is a network problem.

I have AXE-16000 with latest Merlin firmware, don't have any AP's and have Guest Network turned Off, no VPN, and my tablet, phone, when used and iPad are on the same 2.4g network.

On starting Sofabaton App it first scans for the X2 Hub, which it finds. I provide valid password to join.
Then have to define Devices and then Activities during which defined Activities can be checked for proper operation, All work as expected.
Next it scans again looking once again for the X2 Hub. This is where setup fails as it does not find the X2 Hub.

When I check the Asus Network client list it show that the X2 Hub has an valid IP on the 2.4g network and it is active.

I have went back and forth with their TS and they keep hammering this is the network problem.

So far have not found any problem with Asus network setup.

Really need some Help!
Is there anything I am missing is Asus setup that could cause this problem?

Thanks for any Help

 

[degrub]

Under wifi, do you have client isolation ON ? i forget what ASUS calls it, but this prevents wifi clients from talking to each other.

Does the app require your phone/tablet to be connected to their internet server or is this a local connection over wifi ?

Or is all communication over a local bluetooth link ?

 

[Wayne Hutchinson]

I think this is Under "Wireless Professional" -Set AP Isolated, this is set to "No".
Is this the correct location?

Must be signed in to their servers but think connecting to X2 Hub is local.

 

[KevTech]

Maybe you have already seen this.

Hub Connection Issues and Solution Summary – Sofabaton Universal Remote

www.sofabaton.com

 

[Wayne Hutchinson]

Thanks, been working with this chart. So far everything is Correct on my end yet problems

 

[degrub]

Can you ping the device from your LAN ?

Does your account on their servers show the device as "live" ?

Does the initial setup occur using your phone+app, perhaps over bluetooth ? and when the device tries to switch to wifi to phone home, it fails ?

What are your wifi 2.4 GHz band settings ? 20 MHz channel width, WPA only or WPA2 , simple password (no special characters, spaces, etc )

What do the wifi logs show regarding this device ? It may help if you post the log portion.

 

[Wayne Hutchinson]

1. Yes, I can ping the device
2. I don't have access to this info
3. It appears to be wifi
4. 20/40 mhz, WPA2, simple password
5. searching logs show Hub mac address being authorized successfully

 

[degrub]

Is it using UDP ?

 

[Wayne Hutchinson]

Not sure. How to find out?

 

[degrub]

Try enabling UDP if it is disabled. Don't leave it enabled if you don't need it though. Maybe ask tech support what the device assumes for the network in the home.

Is the APP on your phone supposed to work across the cell network ? If so, turn off wifi on the phone and when out of range of bluetooth, try the APP.

What wifi BSID signal strength number ( -xxdB) is the router reporting for that client ? Not sure where that is in Merlin or if you have to invoke a script or SSH into the router and run a cmd.

Maybe try to do everything closer to the router/direct line of sight ?

 

[KevTech]

20/40 mhz, WPA2, simple password

Change it to 20 only.

 

[Wayne Hutchinson]

Thanks, changed it 20 only, app still not detecting hub on exiting Devices & Activities.

 

[KevTech]

Take it off auto channel and set a channel to either 1, 6 or 11.

 

[Wayne Hutchinson]

Thanks, Changed to channel 1 and still not working.

 

[Seth Harman]

Try enabling UDP if it is disabled.

Did you mean UPnP?

 

[Wayne Hutchinson]

No, but after check for UPnP on router, it is on

 

[KevTech]

Thanks, Changed to channel 1 and still not working.

What about 6 or 11.
Not many devices like channel 1.
Also is the hub in pairing mode?
Light blinking

No, but after check for UPnP on router, it is on

What about your NAT passthrough settings?

These are the default on stock firmware.

 

[Wayne Hutchinson]

What about 6 or 11.
Not many devices like channel 1.
Also is the hub in pairing mode?
Light blinking



What about your NAT passthrough settings?

These are the default on stock firmware.

View attachment 70865

This appears to be the default passthough and mine is the same.
I tried change several of these channels with - no change.

I should state again the following:
X2 hub is found in initial at the start of setup but after setting up Devices and Activities app sans again for Hub but does not find it.
That is why I think something is wrong with how app scans for the Hub at the end of setup. Although their TS insist that is a my network error but so far can't find one.

 

[Wayne Hutchinson]

Got an answer as to how the setup process works:


When you add a device during setup, the hub connects to the cloud server over Wi-Fi and downloads the necessary control codes to the local hub. This ensures that the hub has the correct protocol to control your device.

Meanwhile, during the setup process, your phone and the hub communicate directly over your local network using UDP.

As for Bluetooth, it is only active when the remote is being used as a Bluetooth remote—for example, when controlling a Bluetooth‑compatible device. Bluetooth does not play a role in the cloud‑to‑hub or phone‑to‑hub communication during setup.

Seems the UDP communications may be the issue. Asus calls this "Quality of Service (QoS)" on the router.

Not sure how to optimize UDP, any good ideas?

 

[KevTech]

Seems the UDP communications may be the issue. Asus calls this "Quality of Service (QoS)" on the router.

I think it would actually be about the firewall.
Maybe this will help you.

home-assistant-sofabaton-x1s/docs/networking.md at main · m3tac0de/home-assistant-sofabaton-x1s

Home Assistant integration for complete local control of the Sofabaton X1, X1S and X2 hub and remote. - m3tac0de/home-assistant-sofabaton-x1s

github.com