# Ongoing Incident Report: When Smart Home Devices Go Silent

## Incident Summary

* **Incident Title:** Smart Home Devices Not Responding to Pings
    
* **Start Date:** July 17, 2025, 18:49 UTC
    
* **Status:** Ongoing (will update as progress continues)
    
* **Incident Level:** Major
    

## My Smart Home Network

My house is powered by an Omada network that connects a handful of smart devices. These help automate routine chores, keep tabs on which power source is active (KSEB, inverter, or UPS), and keep the place secure with wireless cameras.

## The Issue

Despite every device showing as “online” in the Omada dashboard, several went completely silent and refused to respond to even simple pings. This caused:

* Automations started to fail
    
* Difficulty in controlling and monitoring the device
    
* Receiving a device down notification in Telegram from Uptime Kuma (If it is a main device, it sends several messages)
    
* Dashboard status indicators provide misleading comfort
    

## Troubleshooting Steps So Far

## 1\. Basic Checks

* **Device Restarts:** Tried the classic solution, turning them off and on again. Fixes the issue temporarily.
    
* **Firmware Updates:** Updated all devices to the latest firmware
    

## 2\. Network Investigations

* **Firewall & Rules:** No Need to check this, the issue seems to start after some time, not always
    
* **VLANs and Subnets:** Rechecked device segregation to ensure nothing was isolated by mistake.
    
* **Other Protocols:** Verified that, while pings failed, devices also did not respond in their apps.
    

## What’s Next

This incident is still in progress. Here’s what I plan to do as ongoing steps:

* I’m currently at my workplace, and I need to get home and try to fix it from there. When trying to fix remotely, there are so many limitations, especially if something breaks, I had to travel back home to fix that, mostly.
    
* **Monitor the Fixes:** Watch for device responsiveness as network policy changes take effect.
    
* **Document All Changes:** Maintain a log of tweaks for easier rollback or review.
    
* **Collect Device Logs:** Gather diagnostics from each device for follow-up analysis.
    
* **Regular Status Updates:** I’ll continue amending this report as the situation evolves, detailing new symptoms or victories along the way.
    

## Lessons (So Far)

* Smart home devices make some tasks easier, but not always.
    

*Stay tuned for updates as I continue my quest to turn the “silent” devices back into smart home collaborators. If you’re navigating a similar saga, remember: sometimes the journey is half the fun (or at least good for a laugh later).*