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How to connect to Apex when you have power but internet is down

JVU

JVU

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I am affected by the PGE PSPS power shutoff happening now. I have backup whole-house batteries but unfortunately Comcast’s backup batteries at their local hardware only last a couple hours, so I have no internet from them. This means I can’t connect to my wifi-connected Apex/Fusion through the internet even though my networking hardware and Apex all have power. I’m assuming others may be in this situation.

There are other approaches (like connecting to the Apex in Lock Access Point mode), but the easiest I’ve found is to connect directly to the Apex through the local network using the admin login:
  • On a browser (I use my phone), turn on wifi (even though there’s no internet through it) and go to: apex.local
  • Default login: admin
  • Default password: 1234
  • Note that this is NOT your Fusion user/pass since you aren’t logging into Fusion
This only works when you are on the same physical network as your Apex.

This is a bare-bones explanation, but somehow is difficult to find elsewhere. Maybe others who know a lot more can add info.

@Vhuang168
 
Since a lot of us are home nowadays, you could also use your phone (or a family member’s phone that is home if you’re not) as a personal hotspot for your apex this time around.
 
Rostato said:
Apex display is probably your easiest solution
Click to expand...
RandyC said:
Since a lot of us are home nowadays, you could also use your phone (or a family member’s phone that is home if you’re not) as a personal hotspot for your apex this time around.
Click to expand...
Display module isn’t easier if you don’t have one already when this happens. Or if you don’t want to spend $100 on the outdated display module. Or if you just don’t like how the display interface is completely different from Fusion and harder to use.

What I suggested is free, takes about 10 seconds, and easier than either adding a display module or changing the Apex’s wifi network to a temporary hotspot.

The display module or hotspot would be good if your whole house besides your tank looses power so you don’t have your wifi network. Or if it’s just more comfortable for you personally.

But yeah several ways to do this. Just thought I’d share what I think is the best way, since I don’t think it is common knowledge.
 
When you have an Apex that is disconnected from Fuion, that is also the best way to see if it is still connected to your router.


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The phone hotspot can work but is way more complicated in practice because you have to change the Apex Wifi to your phone hotspot, after you can’t connect to it anymore. This involves resetting the Wifi settings like it was new by holding the recessed reset button for some very specific amount of time and going through the steps as if it were new.

What I suggested doesn’t require anything other than the steps I outlined, which are all straightforward and don’t require resetting anything. Only requires having power to your Wifi device(s).
 
JVU said:
The phone hotspot can work but is way more complicated in practice because you have to change the Apex Wifi to your phone hotspot, after you can’t connect to it anymore. This involves resetting the Wifi settings like it was new by holding the recessed reset button for some very specific amount of time and going through the steps as if it were new.

What I suggested doesn’t require anything other than the steps I outlined, which are all straightforward and don’t require resetting anything. Only requires having power to your Wifi device(s).
Click to expand...
You can do it the other way around.
Change your iPhone hotspot name and password to the same as your home network.
When home network is down, enable phone.
May require simple Apex reboot.

Just don't have both on at once.
 
Plug it in
JVU said:
The phone hotspot can work but is way more complicated in practice because you have to change the Apex Wifi to your phone hotspot, after you can’t connect to it anymore. This involves resetting the Wifi settings like it was new by holding the recessed reset button for some very specific amount of time and going through the steps as if it were new.

What I suggested doesn’t require anything other than the steps I outlined, which are all straightforward and don’t require resetting anything. Only requires having power to your Wifi device(s).
Click to expand...

You can just change the SSID and password on your phone to be the same as your router. Apex (and all your other wifi devices) should just connect to your phone seamlessly.
 
rygh said:
You can do it the other way around.
Change your iPhone hotspot name and password to the same as your home network.
When home network is down, enable phone.
May require simple Apex reboot.

Just don't have both on at once.
Click to expand...

beat me to it ;)
 
JVU said:
I had to use it again today because we had a second long PGE outage today. Works like a champ.
Click to expand...
Do you change what’s on when you’re on battery power, or are you trying to monitor? Why do you need to connect during outages, it turns back on and runs the existing schedule if not connected, right? I don’t have many outages so I’m curious to learn of what contingencies to have ready
 
max_nano said:
Do you change what’s on when you’re on battery power, or are you trying to monitor? Why do you need to connect during outages, it turns back on and runs the existing schedule if not connected, right? I don’t have many outages so I’m curious to learn of what contingencies to have ready
Click to expand...
True- Your Apex will keep running and faithfully executing its programming when it loses internet connectivity.

I have 2 powerwallls but I probably should have 4 to be comfortable. When I got them (early adopter) the max you could get for a residence was 2.

So yeah I turn off things that aren’t required for life support for the tank and around the house, and modify some settings like heater triggers, cooling fan speed, pump speed.

Also temp in the house and other things aren’t as solid as usual depending on the situation. I like to check to see how temp, pH, Alk, etc are doing when I’m in a prolonged blackout with altered settings and environment.

Also sometimes I change my mind about settings and what I’ve turned off depending on how well my solar is recharging my batteries and how long the outage has been.
 
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