Server is unresponsive and Incorrect Device Type

[pvint]

Original report by Bruce Miranda (Bitbucket: [Bruce Miranda](https://bitbucket.org/Bruce Miranda), ).

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I’ve been using the library successfully for a few weeks but then suddenly something seems to have changed. In the Alexa app I get a message saying “Server is unresponsive”. The Light Off command seems to work but then I cannot switch the Light back On because of the error.

To attempt to solve the problem, I deleted the device and rediscovered it. Rediscovery works fine except now the device is no longer a Light - even though it’s shown as Hue Hub from Philips. The device is shown as “Other” and as a result I have no actions possible in the Alexa App.

[pvint]

Original comment by Bruce Miranda (Bitbucket: [Bruce Miranda](https://bitbucket.org/Bruce Miranda), ).

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Something has definitely changed in Alexa. Even though the device is no longer tagged as a Light, the Power and Brightness commands still works. And the voice commands work. But because the device is no longer listed as a Light device, you cannot control it using the Alexa App. You have to use the Voice commands only. Any clue what might have changed here?

[pvint]

Original comment by Bradley Ward (Bitbucket: [Bradley Ward](https://bitbucket.org/Bradley Ward), ).

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I too have been using this library successfully for several weeks, then it has started crashing. Investigating, I find different symptoms than Bruce, but like Bruce I suspect something has changed in Alexa that has broken this library.

The first odd thing I noticed is that when I ran device discovery on Alexa, the discovery started finding my device 3 times instead of 1. I am doing a single fauxmo.addDevice() call, using a name of “Box One”. Alexa discovers 3 devices, and names them all Box One.

I also discovered that in some execution scenarios (not clear exactly which ones yet), the device_name argument passed in to the callback method was garbage. Any attempt to reference it (strlen() or sprintf of its value) caused an Exception(28).

I had originally coded my callback to branch based on device_name being “Box One”, but I refactored it to branch based on device_id instead, and eliminated all use of device_name. Worked for a bit, but now when I get a callback, I get an Excetpion(28) as soon as I return from my callback method.

So it appears something is getting corrupted somewhere.

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[pvint]

Original comment by Cezar Lima (Bitbucket: [Cezar Lima](https://bitbucket.org/Cezar Lima), ).

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Same here! Tried to install previous version, but no effect.

[pvint]

Original comment by Cezar Lima (Bitbucket: [Cezar Lima](https://bitbucket.org/Cezar Lima), ).

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Alexa is working ok when I went back to version 2.3.0. I added fauxmo.onGetState to receive ok for both turn on and turn off voice commands.

[pvint]

Original comment by Adam Byers (Bitbucket: adamslab, GitHub: adamslab).

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I’m seeing this too. The app was showing “server unresponsive” but I could still use voice commands to turn the ESP8266 connected devices on/off (I don’t use dimming). Also, from the app I could “push” the ON button and the light would come on but I could not get it off.

I removed the devices from the app and re-added and it did the same thing that @{5d7b4991006bcf0d272dc0e6} described. It shows up and I can add it to routines and control on/off that way but but manual on/off through the app is not possible. It shows in the app as “Other” and it does not give you the option to change it.

[pvint]

Original comment by Samuel Müller (Bitbucket: [Samuel Müller](https://bitbucket.org/Samuel Müller), ).

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Same here. I had serveral of devices running sucessfully with fauxmoESP.
I think my Echo Dot got an update and now nothing works anymore.
Alexa says that there is a problem and I cant switch the devices, neither not voice nor with the app.

I have the following setup:
esp8266 Version 2.4.2
Arduino Studio 1.8.7
FauxmoESP Version 3.1.0

It’s a mess that you can’t turn off Alexa updates …
I really like this library, please let me know if you can fix this bug.

[pvint]

Original comment by Julian Kuhn (Bitbucket: [Julian Kuhn](https://bitbucket.org/Julian Kuhn), ).

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Also same here, fauxmoesp devices will be found as „other“ device and will not work properly.

Not only the type is wrong, also the brightness range in the app and Echo Show 5 and other devices.

It also can not be turned on or off because the bulb or switch icon is missing.

Voice command „on“ and „off“ still work sometimes, brightness voice control is completly missing.

Earlier added devices show up the message „server is not responding“ and nothing will happen. So only readding gets it back to work but only with the issues above described.

I use this Library since a few years now and added ~25 devices in my home… so i would love to see it work again… :wink:

[pvint]

Original comment by Davide Renon (Bitbucket: [Davide Renon](https://bitbucket.org/Davide Renon), ).

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Same here, I was thinking that was somehow related to my installation but I see that’s a common problem.

Anyone know if ESPAlexa have the same issue? As I would consider to switch…

[pvint]

Original comment by Samuel Müller (Bitbucket: [Samuel Müller](https://bitbucket.org/Samuel Müller), ).

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I have switched to Espalexa and it’s working fine for me with following versions:

esp8266 Version 2.5.2
Arduino Studio 1.8.10
Espalexa Version 2.4.3

[pvint]

Original comment by Davide Renon (Bitbucket: [Davide Renon](https://bitbucket.org/Davide Renon), ).

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Thanks, I’ll give a try then. (The only cons is that I need to rewrite part here and there on 45k of source…).

BTW do you know if EspAlexa need like FauxMo a call to verify if there’s a request or it’s working by interrupt?

[pvint]

Original comment by Davide Renon (Bitbucket: [Davide Renon](https://bitbucket.org/Davide Renon), ).

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I’ve just changed the 1st one to EspAlexa and seems to work without issue. At least if there’s no other solutions, I will rewrite the code of all the devices..

[pvint]

Original comment by ptalvensaari (Bitbucket: ptalvensaari, GitHub: ptalvensaari).

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Had 3 Alexa fauxmoESP light controls working for approx. 6 months on Gen2 Echos that simultaneously quit working in mid Sept. When failed found were no longer discovered and couldn’t rediscoved. Suspected was due to Hue or Alexa update and have been searching here and online fauxmoESP project sites for cause and hopefully simple solution to no avail. Finally today found in my case appears September Alexa update made my Gen2 Echos appear as Gen3s requiring the TCP port 80 setting. Added this to code in all 3 units, they were immediately discovered and are now working fine..

[pvint]

Original comment by Bruce Miranda (Bitbucket: [Bruce Miranda](https://bitbucket.org/Bruce Miranda), ).

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My code had the port already set to 80 as per the examples. And yet it won't work on a Gen 2 echo dot.

[pvint]

Original comment by Julian Kuhn (Bitbucket: [Julian Kuhn](https://bitbucket.org/Julian Kuhn), ).

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I still changed to espalexa, works like a charm and supports philipps hue color and scene control.

[pvint]

Original comment by Davide Renon (Bitbucket: [Davide Renon](https://bitbucket.org/Davide Renon), ).

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Same here. At the end I have reprogrammed all my chip to use espalexa. I prefer FAuxmo if possible as it's slightly easier to be pilot, but Espalexa works as a charm for me.

[pvint]

Original comment by Lucas Neumann (Bitbucket: fiakergulaschsaft, ).

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unfortunately fauxmoesp is written by far cleaner and better than espalexa. almost switched to espalexa but when I saw the code… ugh.

managed to get it running by changing the modelid in the templates.h to LCT015.

type (watch for case sensitivity!): Extended color light

modelDescription of the FAUXMO_DESCRIPTION_TEMPLATE: Philips hue Personal Wireless Lighting (also watch out for case sensitivity). Not sure which of those fixed it, however my fauxmo devices are now being discovered correctly as lamps again.

[pvint]

Original comment by Chris McKeever (Bitbucket: [Chris McKeever](https://bitbucket.org/Chris McKeever), ).

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This thread is old – but can anyone confirm that fauxmoESP does in fact still work? I have an device that does work, but it has been connected for over a year.

When I try to set up a new device using

• fauxmoESP 3.1.1
• esp8266 2.7.1

I can not get Alexa to see anything. I have tried rolling down to fauxmoESP 3.1.0 (as that was what I was running) - no luck. As well as changing esp8266 down several versions.

Read many threads of similar issues but always seems to be someone that can get it to work.

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@{557058:aaac7309-f198-4df1-b84c-bc35edeaa0f5}

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[pvint]

As of now, I can confirm that it is working. I had experienced some of the "Server unresponsive" issues like mentioned above a few months back, but am not having any issue with it currently. Note that controlling the devices using voice commands is really the core of this project, and whether or not it works in the app is secondary.

[JonS9999]

Hi pvint.

Could you please clue us in as to what you did to get it to start working again? I'm still struggling with getting the ESP8266 device to be recognized by the Alexa App (it times out with "No new devices found.").

Thanks.

[pvint]

It appears that since a recent Amazon update we're having troubles getting discovery to work - see #120

I'll be looking at it more tomorrow and I'll update.

Cheers Paul