BroadLink Wi-Fi Smart Remote Hub with Sensor Cable, IR RF All in One Automation Learning Universal Remote Control, With a Mini Smart Plug, Compatible with Alexa, Google Home, IFTTT （RM4proS+SP4M)

This is the only option in the market and it works, makes any applices with remote smart for cheap. Interface is very straight forward. I very like it, i bought it twice.

What I liked: Easy to integrate into Home Assistant. Easy to make it learn ir codes using HA. Small, no LED while operating. What I didnt like: Difficult to set up. Mostly because it only operates on 2.4. Modern wifi routers run on 2.4 and 5, but its not always possible to turn off 5. So, I used an old phone as a hotspot, gave it the same SSID and PW as my network, got the device to connect, then it connected to my main network. But it took about 10 attempts to get this to work which tested my patience. Something was rattling around inside the device when I got it. No idea if some important bit inside was broke off. It would not accept the signal from my RF controlled ceiling fan remote, no matter how I tried. FWIW my fan is a Ashby Park 52 in from The Home Depot. A very common and popular fan. Conclusion: I ended up returning the device as it could not perform the main task that I bought it for.

Note first if your doing home automation and use a dual band router like my Asus router use the guest network option that is specifically for Alexa and ifttt. This worked great I have the device controlling my hunter ceiling fans that came with a rf remotes. Had to do it custom but worked great also have it setup for most my hoMe entertainment center. Have not got it to work with direct tv yet but I will get it there. I also bought the cable with temp and humidity reading which is very cool.

Wanted to have it control my bed frame and ceiling fan, which both appear to be RF devices. Since it didn’t respond to the IR learning. Both appliances I don’t have manual for anymore, and both was able to detect the frequency and claimed it learned, but couldn’t actually control after. Tried many times over, couldn’t get it to work. Thought it was defective until I tried it with a tower fan and TV. Those worked just fine. However, the tower fan control lacked Alexa swivel and speed control. Only on/off, which a cheap plug variant would have handled…. Only on/off makes it pretty useless with Alexa.

Does not keep its settings and loses connection constantly to WiFi. using the app youll notice it takes a while for the device to ping back to life in which time it will show disconnected. Waiting to turn you lights or fan on for minutes is unacceptable. SoNoff and Shelly was the way i decided to go after the hassle

Update 27-Oct-20: Changing from 2 stars to 4 as the vendor has really spent time effort and communication with me showing real interest to increase compatibility and correct issues. Ive also learned a bit more about IR remote control - there are a lot of different protocols/techniques used and there is no standard. So its very challenging - probably impossible - to be 100% compatible with every IR device. Fortunately, one of the main things I want to be able to control with this looks like they will be able to get working! Update 19-Oct-20: Changing from 1 to 2 stars as the vendor has replied - so far not any fix. Read updates at bottom. Have wasted lot of time with this poorly engineered product, and the bottom line is: It WILL NOT connect to my TP-Link Archer A7 router (2.4ghz wireless). I have tried lots of things, including even disabling wireless security, changing the support for A/B/G/N, etc. The same thing happens every single time: this Broadlink device makes attempt to connect to the router, but it fails. I can see the Broadlink mac address as it connects to the router with 100% signal quality, and it shows in the wireless devices for a second or two, disappears, and will keep repeating the unsuccessful connection attempt. I have a spare older Netgear router, and in my troubleshooting set it up. This Broadlink will connect to it - but its not the router I want to use. So, is the problem the TP-Link or this Broadlink? I would have to say its the Broadlink because I have never had a problem connecting any wifi device to the TP-Link, including Amazon echo devices, Google home devices, smart plugs, smart thermostats, phones, notebook computers, etc., etc., etc. Extremely disappointed, but not entirely surprised as I look at other reviews. As I see it, theres something funky about the wifi setup/firmware on this device and it will work with some 2.4ghz routers, but definitely not all. So, even if it works for you, would you want a device that may not work in the future if you change/upgrade your router? UPDATE 1: Was ready to request RMA to send it back, and thought, well maybe I should at least see how it would work if it could connect to my network, so I hooked my old Netgear router up to the Internet, connected my phone and setup the Broadlink device. After it connected and finished the initial setup, it immediately downloaded from the internet new firmware. Aha. So, with that maybe it will connect to the router I actually use? I then put the TPLink back to the net and the Broadlink back to setup mode and..... It now connects to the TPLink router.... SO, we have a product that ships with bad firmware that prevents it from connecting to at least some routers/wifi, and the only way to fix it is to connect to a router/wifi and download new firmware! What really needs to happen is the vendor needs to re-flash these things before sending them out as new product.... UPDATE 2: After getting the hub on my network, started adding my remotes. No issue with TV, but had immediate issue with my set-top-box which is a Cisco ISB7150 - a cable box with DVR provided by Hawaiian Telcom for their cable provided by fiber using IP technology. I didnt find the remote listed by BroadLink, so tried to add it as custom. No matter what I tried, it would not learn a single button. Believe me, I tried and tried and tried. I have 2 remotes that can operate the stb - the one provided by Hawaiian Telcom (URC 2025B1-BB) and my old Logitech Harmony 650 which is perfectly able to learn any of the remote codes and is in the Logitech database. Almost ready to give up, I noticed a BroadLink database listing for: Iptv Cisco! (Under I not C). Well, that worked for the basic function of the stb, but none of the DVR-related keys are programmed, and many of the less-used set-top buttons as well are not there - with no success in getting BroadLink to learn any of them. I recd the product from Amazon on Sat. BroadLink support is 5x24 no Sat/Sun. But on Monday I did receive an email response from BroadLink to my problems. They acknowledge firmware update can resolve some compatibility issue with wifi (but thats catch-22 for most people as it requires connecting to a different router before it can be fixed and theres absolutely no mention of this potential issue anywhere). And, I was told they will change the database listing from Iptv Cisco to Cisco Iptv. And, I was asked more about the remote that cant be learned as if they are interested in addressing that. Will see what happens.... Finally, my ultimate goal is to use this with Alexa, and that does seem to work, but until I can get the STB remote functionality, its too limited to be useful.

This device is great to automate devices in your home using Homekit (with the Homebridge plugin). The BroadLink app is still needed to initially connect the device. For me BroadLinks support was great, I recently had to contact support when I couldnt find the app in the Apple App store, they quickly responded and fixed the issue.

Dont buy this unless youre a software whiz and can read poorly translated english.

NA

I received my item and the packaging was a little strange, with no plastic wrap around the device. I followed the instruction to add It to my network without success, I then realized it was a used product with someone else WiFi info stored. I had to reset it and now its working, very disappointed about the service, but the device does the job very well and Im pretty impressed about it.