Indigo and Insteon

We've had a bunch of questions and emails from current, former, and potential customers about our Insteon support given the state of Insteon/SmartLabs. We thought we should put together a blog post that would have most of the information that everyone is looking for.

Is it true that Insteon is gone?

While we don't have first-hand knowledge, all indications are that Insteon/SmartLabs has closed it's doors. We believe that to be true.

Will Indigo continue to support Insteon?

Yes, we have no plans to remove Insteon support moving forward.

How does Indigo talk to Insteon devices?

The Insteon protocol is a proprietary technology that uses both RF and power line communication. This means that there has to be some kind of translation device that can connect your Mac to the Insteon network so that communication is possible from apps like Indigo. We built our Insteon integration around the various USB (serial) interfaces: PowerLinc 2413U, 2413S (requires a third party RS232 serial to USB adaptor), Insteon Portable USB Adaptor (2448A7), and some older interfaces like the PowerLinc 2412U/2412S. You must have one of these devices in order for Indigo to communicate with your Insteon devices.

Can I use the Insteon Hub with Indigo?

No, you must have one of the USB interfaces described above: 2413U, 2413S, 2448A7, 2412U, 2412S. You can check on eBay and similar sites to search for devices for sale. It's also possible some of our users who have already moved on to other technologies have one they would be willing to sell - feel free to post on the Classified section of our forums.

Does Indigo depend on cloud-based (hosted) servers to work?

Absolutely not. The first time you install and activate your license, your Mac will connect to our servers to validate the license. But that's the extent of the required cloud access. We do offer optional cloud-based services (see the next section) to enhance your experience, but they are not required.

My Insteon hub offers remote access and Alexa integration - does Indigo?

Yes! Indigo offers an iOS and a web-based control UI which can be used on the local network as well as through our reflector service (which allows you to securely connect from the Internet without port forwarding). Note however that these are optional hosted services and are not required for Indigo to work on your local network.

And for Android users, there is also a fantastic 3rd party app called DomoPad that offers control of your Indigo devices either locally or remotely.

I cannot find any of the Insteon interfaces so I need to start replacing my Insteon devices - what can I switch to?

Indigo comes with support for the Z-Wave protocol - there are dozens of companies making hundreds of different Z-Wave devices, and the protocol is more reliable than Insteon. Indigo also has a bunch of 3rd party plugins that add even more devices and services to Indigo. Check out our Compatible Devices page to see some of the devices that have been tested with Indigo and how they connect.

Great! I have one of the above USB interfaces and/or I'm ready to start switching - what next?

We recommend that you sign up for a 30-day trial of Indigo - that will give you a chance to try Indigo with your interface: add a few devices, get a feel for how Indigo works, etc. You can also start working through the first 3 sections of the documentation, which will help familiarize you with Indigo concepts and give you a tour of the Mac UI. Note - you won't be able to test remote access and Alexa with a trial license - that's only available with a paid Indigo license and an Up-to-Date subscription (included free for the first year with the license purchase).

I'm ready to buy!

Fantastic - during the trial registration you created an Indigo Account (or perhaps you had one in the past), so just log in to your Indigo Account and on the licenses page you can purchase a new license. For a limited time, you can use the coupon code InsteonDiscount to receive a $50 discount on your license (bringing the cost down to USD$199.95). Note you'll have the opportunity to enter the code on the last page of the purchase flow before you click the buy button.

If you are a returning customer and have an Indigo 6 license, you can upgrade that license to the latest version of Indigo. On the licenses page you should find a button to upgrade your license. If you don't see your Indigo 6 license, fill out the form at the bottom of the page and we'll attempt to find and connect your license.