# Smart extension lead



## Tucker90 (18 May 2020)

Not sure this is where it belongs but has anyone got any experience with these? 






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## jaypeecee (18 May 2020)

Hi @Tucker90 

Please be aware that products like these may be an invasion of privacy. Do we really need voice-controlled extension leads? And just in case anyone thinks I'm a Luddite, my professional life was spent in the field of electronics. I just don't like electronics being used to listen in on people. 

Here's an article that may be of interest:

https://www.theguardian.com/technol...privacy-the-dark-side-of-our-voice-assistants

JPC


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## Tucker90 (18 May 2020)

jaypeecee said:


> Hi @Tucker90
> 
> Please be aware that products like these may be an invasion of privacy. Do we really need voice-controlled extension leads? And just in case anyone thinks I'm a Luddite, my professional life was spent in the field of electronics. I just don't like electronics being used to listen in on people.
> 
> ...



Thanks J, 

It was more to illuminate the use of timers on the existing extension lead! 

Not fussed about the voice side of things! 


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## jaypeecee (18 May 2020)

Tucker90 said:


> Not fussed about the voice side of things!



OK. I wasn't sure exactly what you were planning to use the extension lead for. But, I saw mention of 'voice assistant' and just felt the need to mention it.

JPC


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## dino21 (19 May 2020)

Have thought about using them , but the more you read about them  you soon find that  folk  say they are not that reliable and after any power glitch they might not return the the State they were in.
For your tank control surely you want something you can rely on ?

If you are lliterally looking for a visual indicator what about these illuminated switched plugs (amazon) ?


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## jameson_uk (19 May 2020)

I have used the TP Link Kasa smart plugs in my tanks for about three years (originally as a timer for lights). I now have about 10 of them across the house (particularly useful for Christmas lights)

I have recently replaced the four gang for my Betta tank with one of these https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B082LK6KPY/ and again this has been surprisingly reliable.

I expected them to be a bit rubbish and end up binning them but they have been rock solid. Now when feeding the fish I have Alexa turn off the filter and skimmer and then turn them back on after 30 minutes. Unlike some other devices these actually have a feedback mechanism so if you it only says the device is on when it actually is. It is also adjusts for daylight saving.

I think TP links data usage isn't the greatest but at the basic level they have your basic details, a number of named plugs and whether they are on or not. They don't listen. Connecting them up to Amazon / Google is another question.

I see that TP Link seem to have replaced the Kasa line up with a Tapo range which I have no experience of.


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## SRP3006 (19 May 2020)

Im using a WiFi one from amazon, it came up on a thread on here (can't remember which one sorry) and so far seems to be pretty good. Got all the standard things running off it, heater, lights co2 on timer etc. No probs at all and if the WiFi goes off it keeps its program. It's not the one in the link but very similar.


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## hypnogogia (19 May 2020)

jameson_uk said:


> I have used the TP Link Kasa smart plugs in my tanks for about three years (originally as a timer for lights). I now have about 10 of them across the house (particularly useful for Christmas lights)
> 
> I have recently replaced the four gang for my Betta tank with one of these https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B082LK6KPY/ and again this has been surprisingly reliable.
> 
> ...



like you I’m running a couple of those smart plugs and am very happy with them.  Was only looking at that strip last night.  Shame they only do a 3 gang rather than 4 gang.  You’d recommend them though?


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## jameson_uk (19 May 2020)

hypnogogia said:


> like you I’m running a couple of those smart plugs and am very happy with them. Was only looking at that strip last night. Shame they only do a 3 gang rather than 4 gang. You’d recommend them though?


The extension seems to work well but it has only been running a month or so and as with all these things it is reliability that is the most important thing. So far nothing to suggest it is any different to the plugs.

The Betta tank is in the front room so not having to have a timer / smart plug sticking out for the lights does mean it looks neater and is easier to hide wiring (brownie points ).

The first device I got was https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003JT088S/ which suffers from the things people complain about (devices are off after a power cut, the on switch doesn't always turn the device on...). I do still have this for the shrimp tank but largely because I am too lazy to move and unplug everything. I am running a filter, lights, heater and air pump in the shrimp tank so have the same issue with the Kasa device only having three sockets. If it had four I would have replaced it already


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## Ryan Thang To (19 May 2020)

hello mate.

mine work brilliant. can be control with your phone using wifi or 4g.

if home lose wifi connection it will still work base on your setting so don't about that.

i brought mine from ebay with 4 sockets £21

cheers


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## zozo (19 May 2020)

Almost all of them use the esp8266 wifi module, very small very cheap... But it comes with a few minor security flaws.

https://www.varonis.com/blog/hacking-wi-fi-with-the-esp8266/

I guess the main concern is for companies with rather sensitive data storage... But for home use, you must be extremely unlucky to have a naughty script kiddy living next door fooling around with your network for fun. It's quite a hassle to get in and fiddle around with someone's equipment. If the hacker doesn't live next door he has to do it from a car parked within the networks wifi range.

If there is nothing to gain it will be a waste of energy sit there all day, break-in and there nothing useful to find... They rather attack specific known targets.

But never the less the security flaws are there, probably always will be.. ANd its a good thing to have people keep searching for it, new ones if old ones are patched.


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## jameson_uk (19 May 2020)

zozo said:


> Almost all of them use the esp8266 wifi module, very small very cheap... But it comes with a few minor security flaws.


IOT and security is a whole thread on itself. I work with a lot of infosec bods and if you look too closely you will never use the internet again .

The TP Link plugs seem to use a Qualcomm WiFi chip (https://www.edn.com/teardown-a-wi-fi-smart-plug-for-home-automation/) and be mildly secure (https://www.softscheck.com/en/reverse-engineering-tp-link-hs110/) and a university student appears to have done some follow up (some light reading) https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/creativecomponents/392/

A lot of vulnerabilities require access to the device or your network and the risk of direct exploitation is often fairly low. When you add cheap ISP routers with default settings, smart TVs, printers etc. it does get a little scary but tbf TP Link has updated the firmware a few times to address vulnerabilities) which the generic ones invariably won't.


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## Susanna (22 May 2020)

Hi, I can understand peoples concerns with security and voice control systems 'listening' in to conversations however I find the amazon version quite useful. 

That having been said if you want to use a device such as the one illustrated It does not need to be connected to a smart speaker I have 2 of these 'gang' sockets one of which is connected to a set of display lights and two lamps which means I don't have to go crawling to turn these off, they are in a corner behind a sofa. 

The four socket one was bought specifically for my tank and this has never been connected to the assistant (who I get annoyed with sometimes') it is however connected to my smart phone so that I can control the pump and co2 by remote , again the socket is partially inaccessible but it does provide the ability to put a timer on the co2 

I am not sure how these devices will fair in the future but at the moment the 'smart' plugs seem to be a useful addition to the functionality of my home especially in less accessible places. As I have some responsibility for elderly and disabled people in my working life I can also see how properly setup devices like these can be a boon to their enjoyment of life , an example being if my elderly parents having to reach down to turn lights on and off when all they need to do is select the correct app on moms phone and press a button.

sorry if this seems like a ramble


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## jaypeecee (23 May 2020)

zozo said:


> But for home use, you must be extremely unlucky to have a naughty script kiddy living next door fooling around with your network for fun. It's quite a hassle to get in and fiddle around with someone's equipment.



Hi @zozo

That's fair enough but voice assistants are a different kettle of fish (pun intended). We're not talking about eavesdropping via WiFi and packet sniffing. No, this is audio via a microphone. And, if a voice assistant is connected to the internet, this provides two-way traffic, i.e. upload and download. So, data (digitized voice) can be sent over the internet to some remote location.

Anyway, enough said.

JPC


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## zozo (23 May 2020)

jaypeecee said:


> Hi @zozo
> 
> That's fair enough but voice assistants are a different kettle of fish (pun intended). We're not talking about eavesdropping via WiFi and packet sniffing. No, this is audio via a microphone. And, if a voice assistant is connected to the internet, this provides two-way traffic, i.e. upload and download. So, data (digitized voice) can be sent over the internet to some remote location.
> 
> ...



Don't forget your build in webcam...  Makes it even more digitally interesting... 



Just kidding, but the microphone is there in your PC or Phone wether you use it or not..


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