Home app slow to respond with apple watch to turn on lights

Question

Home app slow to respond with apple watch to turn on lights

I bought an Apple Watch SE to turn smart bulbs off and on and had to buy a new iPhone 12 to connect to it. For months it worked to turn LifeX bulbs in and off effortlessly. There was a scheduled update one night, I went to bed at nine and an hour later tried to turn lights on. It told me this:

Did the same on the phone but it worked again after I restarted it. I am definitely on the same Wi-Fi on phone, iPad and watch.

The watch says that and if I ask again, it connects and turns the light on. When I click Home I see this:

It starts with the ! Then the bulb shows up and the connection works. It seems like it doesn’t stay connected to the phone, but once asked to, says no, when asked again it does. I can’t figure out why it connects and disconnects, or why it was fine, then an update stopped it working. The phone was on iOS 16 when I bought it and had been updated to 16.6 since. I have removed and reconnected the watch fresh, I have disconnected them reconnected all bulbs to the new Fios router. It worked after that was installed, so it doesn’t seem to be the problem.

I have had five calls to Apple support, each time suggestions are made, it seems to work and within an hour after getting off the phone it’s tops again. The only reason I bought the watch was to control the lights. This is driving me nuts, and since it has to interact with my home system, I can’t ever take it to the store to have them work on it.

i’m posting here, where I found references to slowed response after updating to 16, which didn’t seem to be a problem, and wonder if something in a subsequent update caused this. Any information from anyone who’s also had this problem would be appreciated, and a solution would be great. I have also wiped. Network settings, and have spent hours reconnecting everything that was on the old extender I disconnected.

Any ideas for anything I haven’t tried? I have also deleted and reinstalled Home, and a web page said that version 16 removed the use iPad as a hub option. I do NOT want to buy a hub as I don’t need remote access to my lights, and am not sure even that will fix it. They insist it should work, but can’t find the reason it doesn’t.

Grrr… HELP!!!

Apple Watch SE

Posted on Aug 14, 2023 08:59 PM

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Answer 1

Aug 15, 2023 12:32 AM in response to Terencefromny

Terencefromny wrote:

i’m posting here, where I found references to slowed response after updating to 16, which didn’t seem to be a problem, and wonder if something in a subsequent update caused this. Any information from anyone who’s also had this problem would be appreciated, and a solution would be great. I have also wiped. Network settings, and have spent hours reconnecting everything that was on the old extender I disconnected.

Updating iOS on your iPhone should typically not alter the fundamental functionality of the device. It's possible that there were underlying issues before this update, which you might not have been aware of previously or might not have noticed.

In general, iOS updates are designed to enhance the user experience, improve security, and fix bugs, rather than introducing major disruptions to core features. The reported issue of the screen flickering and displaying a white screen after an update is likely caused by factors that are not explicitly mentioned in your post.

iOS updates primarily focus on improving system performance, introducing new features, fixing bugs, and enhancing security. They are designed to preserve your personal data, settings, and information intact.

During an iOS update, your device's operating system is upgraded, but your personal data, such as contacts, photos, messages, and other information, should remain unchanged. However, it's always a good practice to perform a backup of your device before any major update to ensure that your data is safely stored.

It's important to note that while an iOS update itself should not alter personal details, it's possible that certain features or settings may be adjusted or improved with the update. In such cases, you may need to review and adjust specific settings to match your preferences after the update.

Always make sure to read and understand the update details provided by Apple before proceeding with an iOS update, and follow best practices such as backing up your device to minimize any potential risks or complications.

Connecting to Wi-Fi is the initial step, followed by establishing an internet connection.

However, it's important to note that connecting to Wi-Fi does not automatically guarantee an internet connection. In the event that you are unable to connect to Wi-Fi, the issue may stem from settings on your iPhone or the router/modem.

On the other hand, if you are unable to establish an internet connection despite being connected to Wi-Fi, the problem is likely related to the settings on your router/modem. In such cases, it is advisable to promptly contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) for assistance.

Check your WiFi Router / Modem for --> Recommended settings for Wi-Fi routers and access points ...

For your Internet connection.

Over Cellular: contact your Carrier (Cellular Service Provider). The agency that issued the SIM to you
Over WiFI: Contact your ISP (Internet Service Provider), the agency that provided the Internet Service on your Modem/Router to you

However --> Connect iPhone to the Internet - Apple Support

Pair Watch and iPhone again.

Erase your Apple Watch.
Set up your new iPhone and sign in to iCloud. ...
Open the Apple Watch app on your new iPhone, then pair your watch with your new iPhone.
Try to restore from a backup. ...
Follow the onscreen steps to finish setting up.
Start using your Apple Watch with your new iPhone.

How to pair your Apple Watch with a new iPhone

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Answer 2

Aug 15, 2023 10:34 AM in response to SravanKrA

The issue is that it was working fine, then started not seeing the connection until asked again. Unless this one issue could be caused by a hardware issue getting another phone would fix, none of what you say solves or explains anything. The connection works fine with the phone and I have disconnected and reconnected the watch multiple times, restoring old settings - which are presumably corrupt if that is the issue — and as a new watch. The problem persists.

The router worked fine before, both the old and the new, on the laptops and phone. The watch losing the connection until asked a second time is the problem. You telling me that ”connecting to Wi-Fi does not automatically guarantee an internet connection. In the event that you are unable to connect to Wi-Fi, the issue may stem from settings on your iPhone or the router/modem.” Is frustrating, as there obviously is a connection. The question is why is is intermittent now when it wasn’t before.

And if “Updating iOS on your iPhone should typically not alter the fundamental functionality of the device” there wouldn’t be so many complaints here about just that, and patches released after problems by Apple to fix the functionality problems updates have caused. The phone connects to the Wi-Fi, the watch connects to the Wi-Fi, for everything else. Please explain what the white ! Means when it appears, why the two don’t link, and why it takes a second or two for it to turn to the bulb icon that show it’s connected.

Thanks for responding. I need the above addressed, not pages of the manual I know fed back to me. Has no one encountered this problem but me? And if not, would.a new watch fix it?

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Home app slow to respond with apple watch to turn on lights

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