How can I connect to a home automation web controller?

I've bought a remote web controller for home automation. I'd like to write a client software by myself, because the built in interface is ugly & not user friendly.

Thus, I'd like to find the services/commands that I should run there, so I could run them from my client side software. I didn't get any manual, and I tried to reach the company without any success.

What are my options & how can I do it? In the admin configurations menu I've seen that there is a port (4099) that can be configured, it's called "FLASH operate Port". I don't know what it is, maybe I can connect through there?

P.S: This for private use only

user6460

Posted 2011-12-26T11:48:21.887

Reputation: 1

Scanned open ports only 80 4099 and 4097 are open. Telneting to both doesnt give much info. – user6460 – 2011-12-26T12:08:02.663

180 is the web server, presumably the built-in interface? Your best bet is probably to try automating it by sending your own HTTP requests. – Daniel Beck – 2011-12-26T12:11:45.543

I'd like to know how can I extend the functionality, for instance I've seen that there is a service for turning the light on, and getting the lamp status, i'd like to know if there is a way to get the status of the dimmed lamp, it's brightness percentage, so I could add a scale that will control the dimmer. I think that this can be done, because I've seen it in other products that work with this technology – user6460 – 2011-12-26T12:24:55.773

Answers

Before trying "to extend the functionality", try replicating the existing functionality of their client SW by your client SW. Or at least understand how the existing functionality between client and server is accomplished.

Try using the OEM software and monitor the network traffic to/from the device using the Wireshark protocol analyzer. The protocol should be text-based like telnet if the protocol uses HTTP, otherwise it is probably binary. You might be able to reverse engineer some of the communications interface/protocol. Otherwise you'll have to obtain a technical spec for the protocol.

If you don't mind voiding the warranty, open up the controller and look for a 3-pin connector or the PCB layout for a 3-pin header. This might be a RS-232 or logic-level serial port for a local console; you'll need a voltmeter to check this. If you can find any GNU GPLicense info in the manufacturer's documentation, then this console might gain you entry into a Linux shell.

sawdust

Posted 2011-12-26T11:48:21.887

Reputation: 14 697

Thank you for your response. Right now all the controlling made through HTTP. What i would really like to do is to gain full access to the disk content of the controller, but this might be too hard to accomplish without hardware modification. – user6460 – 2011-12-28T11:16:15.533