Tedee

Hi,

as I'm asking once in a year for the local REST API, I'll do it here aswell in the hope, that it become a better priority :)

I want that the very nice REST API is available just locally in my LAN

Why I want this:

- Security reasons: I want to be responsible on my own and this is only possible with a local REST API

- Availability: Sometimes, the currently available REST API in your cloud is pretty slow. I'm waiting 10 seconds for a response which is a no go. Also: when tedee shut down their services, I can trash my bridge and I'm not able to use this smart lock anymore (because I _never_ use the phone app, I just use my openhab integration and the App HTTP Shortcut which sends a request to an own build REST API which not just opens the main door, it also opens the entry door where no tedee is possible (build in electrical lock)

Please keep in mind, that the only reason why I chose Tedee over a competitor is, that before I bought it over a year ago, I got a response on my request from you, that "soon" a local API is available at the bridge. 

I was thinking about to create an "offical" openhab binding for Tedee but if this feature is not  upcoming in the next 12 months, I'll sell it and buy something from competitors which has the local API available.

Please take this also as constructive critics :) 

BR

@Jitterer,

I am sorry, but "realistic and honest (too too fast)" when talking about/announcing features 3 years ago and still have not implemented them - are you kidding me?

There is so much Tedee has to and should work on and if they are doing everything one after another it will take ages! There are customers out there, who bought the product(s), because with the release features were advertised and no I don't want to wait years to be able to use a product as I would like.

@Jitterer, don't get me wrong. I do believe Tedee or to be more exact Konrads words here. It is just not enough what they are doing and people - at least I - am telling them this for years now.  Also that they do not listen enough to customer requests makes the products un- or barley usable for some.

It is just a pity that I cannot recommend this lock/company anymore due to this reasons.

Oh wow, now I am disrespectful, because I keep on criticizing you guys? Have you ever taken the customers point of view, who spent ~800 Euros on your product, supporting your company and putting trust in your company from the very beginning and then is not able to use your items as he ore she wishes? No you obviously haven't.

I ask once again: get to work, do better. Thanks and have a great day.

@Konrad for your information: 23.11.2020 I have send multiple emails to your distributor smartlock.de. They answered me in an email (in german):

 "...currently the API is cloud only. But they are work_ing_ at a local version (with bridge)...".

So yes, my fault that I trust a distributor and not tedee hq. But there were communication running 3 years! ago as long your distributor wasnt lying.

Immidiately after this email response, I bought your lock. Without this quote above, I wouldn't have bought it.

Thanks Jitterer. Since I was not even just talking about the local api, but mentioned announced features in genereal, I wasn't even getting into this point.

But this is exactly what I meant: Konrad does not even get / sees this issue. He thinks he is right from his point of view - and maybe he even is. Doesn't change the fact that the result is unhappy customers (and less new ones).

@Konrad Sikorski your product has serious issues. The cloud is overloaded so hard in the evenings that waiting for opening the door 10 seconds renders this feature absolutely useless. So either just allow local api access to control the lock with user consent that it is not secure or whatever or fix your cloud option making it fast. Should I write to the support so I can finally get a solution to properly use the advertised features? 

Let me try to summarise the current situation as neutrally as possible:

When the product was first designed, the specs did not include a local API.
The system was built on the principle to handle certificates and API in the cloud only.

This comes with some problems:

1) Cloud reliability. Which seems to have improved, judging from the status page, but a nonfunctioning lock due to a two hour cloud downtime is not acceptable. There are no TOS in any kind of contract forcing the manufacturer to provide a reasonably reliable service 24/7/365.

2) Cloud performance. A transaction must finish in a reasonable time to be useful. Ten seconds are unacceptable. Again, no TOS.

3) Security. For all we know (and won't imply), the cloud could be hosted on an old computer somewhere in the corner of an internet shop near the central station in a "foreign" country.

4) Trusting a CA is - literally - a matter of trust. Skilled users prefer one of their own chouce or one they set up themselves.

5) If the company fails for some reason, the product is toast.

Thus, there appears to be a clear need to be able to handle things locally.

Which would mean:

1) A local REST API.

2) Ability to use a different CA.

3) Internet connection not required.

This has been known for some time now. It is - in my point of view - understandable that people are unhappy.

We also realize that Tedee is close to releaseing a new product, which is supposed to bring in additional revenue and so has priority. Judging from the speed of things happening, resources in development seem to be severely limited.

As the firmware is closed source, we rely on the manufacturer to provide new features. Part of that is keeping business secrets, another part may (!) be "security by obscurity".

To put it nicely: If Nuki manages to build a lock as quiet as yours (and as optically attractive), many people will just buy their product.

"To put it nicely: If Nuki manages to build a lock as quiet as yours (and as optically attractive), many people will just buy their product."

Not just Nuki. There are some other companies on and coming to the market as well. And I know that you know that and Tedee probably knows, but somehow Tedee does not seem to care. And the latter is not a good thing (for us and for Tedee).

What is the best alternative to Tedee which overcomes the cloud problem? Nuki? 

Guys, I would appreciate that we stop repeating what we are writing for months. The summarize of Jens describes it good enough and all the other comments. @Martin I would appreciate if you ask those questions in another forum. I want this topic open and unmoderated and even it's not fair if we got told years ago, that a local REST API is in made, it's also not fair to write about competitors here.

Keep up writing new points in this thread which is about local REST API but not all the discussed things now. There was a question some hours ago when the REST API will be released and it got answered by end of the year. That's precise enough answer to be fair. 

Since then we got multiple comments who are not helping because the same critic points were already mentioned multiple times over the last months. It doesnt help to repeat even I understand the frustration about those same points for months/years.

Thanks to everybody!