Insignia Connect

[MendelBloch]

I recently installed two NS-CH1XIS8 Smart In-Wall Switches for control of two lights. I had only minor difficulties getting them connected to my wi-fi system. I can turn both lights on and off at the wall. I can turn the lights on or off from my iPhone 6 using the Insignia Connect app. I can also turn the both lights on or off, either singly or together as a group, with voice control using Alexa on an Amazon Echo. All of this went fairly smoothly.

What I cannot do, in spite of considerable effort, is use the schedule feature of the Insignia iPhone app to control the lights on a timed schedule. I can set up a schedule, but at the appointed time, nothing happens. The lights never turn on if they were already off, nor do they turn off if they were already on. I have tried deleting the schedule and setting

What can I do to diagnose why this feature of the app does not work for me, so that I can get it to function?

My iPhone 6 is running iOS version 12.1. The Insignia app version is 3.14.0 (201810251544).    

The serial numbers of my two switches are {removed per forum guidelines} and {removed per forum guidelines}.

Both switches are running Firmware (MCU) version PT3.5.3.

[Sam-BBY Retired: Social Media Specialist]

Hey MendelBloch,

Welcome to the forum, and thanks for reaching out.  I tried using schedules to control a few of the lights in my home e a few months ago, but my schedule changes so often that I would find myself up later than usual and be startled by a lamp suddenly turning off.  When they make your life easier, though, they're well worth it.

Have you tried to perform a factory reset on either switch yet?  If not, you can do so by pressing and holding the reset button on the front of the switch for 15 seconds.  Then, re-pair the device and attempt to make a schedule.  If that doesn't do the trick for you, please let me know.

Thanks for posting,

[MendelBloch]

Factory resetting and re-pairing the switch, followed by setting up a schedule using the switch, did not result in a working schedule. But I have done that several times before, and the schedule feature has NEVER worked.

I have noticed that on occasions when the Insignia Connect app has stopped working in various ways (such as being unable to connect to the cloud, when all my other iPhone apps are working perfectly; or indicating that one of the switches is off line, so that I cannot control it from the app), I can still use the Apple Home app to control both switches. In fact, the response of the switches to the Apple Home app is much faster than the response to the Insignia Connect app even when the latter is working. Does the Insignia app use the Apple Home app to control the lights? And does it require the automation feature of the Apple Home app to be enabled to create a working schedule? I don't have the automation feature enabled, because I don't have an active Apple HomeKit hub. But because the documentation for the Insignia switch and app is so inadequate, it is impossible to tell what their actual requirements are.

[Sam-BBY Retired: Social Media Specialist]

Hey MendelBloch,

I'm sorry to hear you're still having some trouble programming routines for your Insignia smart devices.  I would recommend contacting Insignia Support at (877) 467-4289 so that our support teams can help troubleshoot these issues in real-time.  They will be in the best position to assist and get you some answers to your questions.

Thank you,