Insteon Hub 2 (2245-222) Firmware Release Notes

In order for the Insteon Hub 2 to receive firmware updates, it must:

• have an active internet connection

• be associated with an Insteon Hub Account*

When new firmware becomes available, the Hub 2 will download and install automatically between 2AM-5AM local time.

*Hub Account Access subscription is not required.

---

Current Version

Version 1020

This version of the Insteon Hub firmware has the following updates:

• Added stability when using the Hub 2 as an Insteon modem with 3rd party controllers such as Home Assistant.

• Fixes issues related to daylight saving time transitions.

• General performance enhancements.

• General stability improvements.

• Device status improvements.

This update is being released on January 29, 2025 and will automatically be installed.

---

Previous Versions

Version 1019

This version of the Insteon Hub firmware improves connection stability.

This update is being released on April 7, 2020 and will automatically be installed. 

PLM Version A5

In advance of our new mobile app, this update fixes an issue that could cause database corruption for homes with large number of links/devices.

This update is being released on February 26, 2020 and will automatically be installed. 

Version 1018

This version of the Insteon Hub firmware gets your hub ready for the new Insteon Director app.

This update is being released on August 19, 2019 and will automatically be installed. 

PLM Version A4

This version of the Insteon Hub PLM firmware fixes a bug related to an upcoming account migration service which we will be offering soon. This service will make it easier than ever to get your system back up and running in the event of a Hub failure.

This update is being released on October 10, 2018 and will automatically be installed. 

Version 1017

This version of the Insteon Hub firmware fixes an issue where scheduling an off time for sunrise or sunset didn't work. For those that experienced such an issue, you'll need to remove and re-add the schedule. We also reverted local control capability for certain 3rd party integrations that communicate to the hub via TCP-IP commands. A special thank shout-out to OpenHAB and Homeseer users that let us know of the issue. Thank you!

This update is being released on August 2, 2018 and will automatically be installed. 

Version 1016

This version of the Insteon Hub firmware fixes stability issues that improve 3rd party integrations such as Amazon Alexa and include miscellaneous security fixes. This update is being released on June 19, 2018 and automatically installed. 

Version 1015

This version of the Insteon Hub firmware fixes an issue where, for some users, the Hub goes offline momentarily (Hub beeps and its front LED turns red). In addition, this update improves the overall stability of the Hub. This update is being released on April 3, 2018 and automatically installed. 

Version 1014

This version of the Insteon Hub firmware includes general bug fixes and stability improvements. We've also updated the behavior of the front LED such that it will not show red while polling device status and the beeper will not double-beep on a failed status (both were introduced in version 1013). This update is being released on Feb 27, 2018 and automatically installed although it may take a few days to propagate. 

For those using Amazon Alexa to voice control their Insteon devices, we've released an update to the backend services that fixes an issue where Alexa reported a problem with devices talking to the Insteon Hub. This update was released last week.

Version 1013

This version of the Insteon Hub firmware adds support for improved 3rd party integrations. This update is being released on Dec 18, 2017 and automatically installed although it may take a few days to propagate. 

Please note: With this update the LED on the front of your Insteon Hub will frequently alternate between red and green. This is normal behavior. 

PLM Version A3

This version of the Insteon Hub PLM firmware fixes an issue that may cause link corruption during smart retries. This update was released on Dec 14, 2017 and automatically installed. 

Version 1012

This version of the Insteon Hub firmware makes efficiency improvements outlined below. This update is being released on May 18, 2017 and automatically installed although it may take a few days to propagate. This is part two of a two-part release to improve the overall speed of the Insteon ecosystem.  

Changes:

• Added the Smarthops feature to all direct messages. (Smarthops is a method of determining how many Insteon hops are needed to reach a device and then using that number for future communications. This optimizes signaling which results in faster responses to and from the hub. Previously Smarthops were only being done for group messages (scenes). We expect to see an average of 50ms to 200ms reduction in response time.)

• Hub 2 now only sends 1 message (rather than constantly repeating a message) if a device had previously failed. This is particularly helpful where a device has been unplugged but not deleted from the app for whatever reason (off-season holiday lighting, testing devices, retiring an older device, etc.). If you have such a device, we recommend reinstalling it temporarily to remove it from the app. For those with such a device, the hub goes from taking 5 seconds attempting to reach the unplugged device to 200m. Example: For devices that were added over a year ago, the Hub would send as many as 45 messages even if the device was unplugged. Now, the Hub will only try once if it has determined the device is unplugged.

• Timing between the Hub and the Insteon network has been optimized so that the Hub no longer has to use timeout delays resulting in a time savings and speeding up of the network.

This update has been a few months in the making and is part of a larger effort to improve all aspects of our hub ecosystem.

PLM Version A2

This version of the Insteon Hub PLM firmware makes efficiency improvements to the way the hub sends Insteon direct commands. The result is faster response times when using the Insteon app or third-party integrations. This update was released on May 3, 2017 and automatically installed. This is part one of a two-part release to improve the overall speed of the Insteon ecosystem. The second part will be released in the next week or two and will be Hub Version 1012.

Version 1011

This version of the Insteon Hub firmware includes several minor bug fixes and stability improvements. This update was released on March 7, 2017 and automatically installed.

Version 1010

This version of the Insteon Hub firmware fixes several minor bugs and adds foundational support for future features. This update was released on May 23, 2016 and was automatically installed.

Identify your Insteon Hub version →

Version 1009

This version of the Insteon Hub firmware adds support for controlling Sonos speakers. This update was released January 6, 2016 and was automatically installed.

New Features

• Added support to control up to four Sonos speakers from the Insteon app. Configure Insteon Wall Keypads, Switches, Mini Remotes and more to control Sonos speaker functions including play, pause, volume, presets and more.
  
  Learn More about Sonos Support →

Version 1008

This version of the Insteon Hub firmware includes a bug fix for push notifications and email alerts. This update was released September 17, 2015 and was automatically installed.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed an issue where a push notification or email alert might not be sent if Insteon Hub had been idle for more than 50 minutes

Version 1007

This version of the Insteon Hub firmware improves connection reliability with Insteon servers. This update was released August 24, 2015 and was automatically installed.

New Feature

• Improved the error handling when Insteon Hub is unable to connect to Insteon Servers. Insteon Hub now attempts to reconnect every 10 minutes for an hour and, if the reconnection attempts were unsuccessful, will then automatically power cycle

Version 1006

This version of the Insteon Hub firmware includes bug fixes and stability improvements. This update was released May 18, 2015 and was automatically installed.

New Feature

• Added a feature that allows new Insteon Hubs to be setup from any network, not just the local WiFi network

Bug Fixes

• Improved diagnostics features for when Insteon Hub cannot connect to the Internet or Insteon Servers

• Improved Insteon messaging

• Improved the reliability in connecting to Insteon Servers

• Resolved some issues concerning intra-device communication

• Resolved an issue that might cause Insteon Hub to factory reset upon power cycle

• Changed beep patterns for factory reset: Hub now beeps once when factory reset starts and double-beeps when it is finished.

• Changed Network Reset from 10 set button taps to 3 set button taps

• Fixed an issue where the primary LED colors would become reversed after removing a device

Version 1005

This version of the Insteon Hub firmware primarily includes bug fixes and stability improvements. The update was released May 7, 2015 and was automatically installed.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed several backend messaging issues

• Fixed an issue where location and House Name would reset to default values on reboot

• Added feature that expands the types of alerts that can be sent

• Moved DST time change to approx. 2AM from approx. 1AM

• Fixed an issue where a device being added might be read as the wrong device type

• Fixed unresponsiveness when reading or setting device properties

• Removed some duplicate alerts

• Improved reliability on busy Insteon networks

• Fixed an issue where schedules wouldn’t fire on Sundays or Mondays between 12:00AM and approximately 12:30AM

• Added some features to improve the speed of adding new devices and creating scenes

Cannot Find or Install the Insteon for Hub App

If you have purchased a new phone or tablet and are unable to find or install the Insteon for Hub app, we will help shed some light on why and provide some options to regain access to your Insteon devices from your new phone or tablet.

Quick Summary

Insteon for Hub (IFH) app has been replaced with Insteon Director. IFH was discontinued many years ago and has since fallen out of compliance. Therefore, it has become unavailable for some newer devices through Google Play Store.

If you are using the Hub 2 (2245-xxx), you can use the newer Insteon Director app. You can learn more about the app as well as view a list of supported devices here: https://www.insteon.com/director-details.

If you run the Hub 1 (2242-xxx), we can migrate your supported devices to a Hub 2 and you can use Insteon Director app.

Alternatively, if you need a quick solution, you can try sideloading via this Insteon for Hub APK file. Instructions can be found below.

Sideloading APK file instructions

Here are the steps to sideload an Android APK file onto your Android mobile device:

1. Prepare Your Android Device:

·Unlock your Android device and ensure that it allows installations from unknown sources. (Some mobile devices refer to this as installing unknown apps.) This setting is usually found in "Settings" > "Security" or "Privacy." Enable the option that allows installations from unknown sources. The following instructions are for downloading and installing using the Chrome browser, so the permission to install unknown apps needs to be granted to Chrome.

2. Download the APK File:

· On your mobile device, download this Insteon for Hub APK file. Note: the URL is case-sensitive: https://cache.insteon.com/downloads/InsteonForHub_1.9.8.apk

3. Install the APK File:

· Once the download completes, tap “Open” and then “Install” to start the installation process.

4. Complete the Installation:

· Wait for the installation to be completed. Once finished, you should see the app icon in your app drawer or on your home screen, depending on your device's settings.

5. Adjust Security Settings (Optional):

· After sideloading the APK, you may want to go back to your device settings and disable the option to install apps from unknown sources for security reasons. This helps prevent accidental installations of potentially harmful apps.

Keep in mind that Insteon for Hub app may not be compatible with recent Android versions and might not install or function properly; there are unknown numbers of issues that may negatively impact both performance and device management. If you need further assistance with upgrading, please contact support@insteon.com. Be sure to include details about which Hub you own, and the email associated with it.

Geeky Details

The Insteon for Hub (IFH) app was discontinued in 2017 by Smartlabs, the previous owners of Insteon, and then shortly after launched its successor, Insteon for Lighting. However, at the time of its release, it did not support all the same devices that IFH supported. Smartlabs had decided to support only the most popular products, which at the time were wall switches and keypads, as well as plug controllers. In 2022, a new group of avid Insteon users took over the company. Shortly after, they began to work on adding support for more than just those select lighting products. The app was renamed Insteon Director and since then, Insteon Director supports a wide range of device types and has had hundreds of new features and improvements. Learn more about the Insteon Director app.

Insteon Glossary of Terms

Controller
The Insteon transmitter

Responder
The Insteon reciever

Blinking
LED turning on and off repeatedly

Dual-Band
An Insteon device that can send and receive both Insteon powerline signals and Insteon radio frequency signals

Ramp Rate / Fade Speed
The speed at which the load fades on or off

On-Level
The preset brightness level a device will return to when turned on

Link
A one way association between a controller and responder

Linking
A method for associating Insteon controller buttons with groups of Insteon responders such that the responders instantly return to a memorized state when the button is pushed. Links can be made manually with the set button or using software.

Unlinking
The process by which an Insteon device can remove stored links. Just as with linking, unlinking is a one-way process and should be performed in both directions for devices that are both controllers and responders of each other, as in a 3-way switch scenario.

Multi-Linking / Multi-Unlinking
A special mode that allows more than one link to be either created or removed simultaneously, without laborious set button presses. When in linking or unlinking mode, an Insteon device will continue to link to other devices until the set button is tapped or four minutes have elapsed, whichever occurs first.

Factory Reset
A process that erases all stored links and reconfigures the device to factory defaults.

Load
The device that you are controlling (e.g. a light bulb, ceiling fan, etc.)

On/Off
A device that can control its connected load to turn on and off but cannot dim. Usually a relay-based device.

Retry
A 2nd (or subsequent) attempt by a controller to send an Insteon signal, usually after an acknowledge is not received from the responder in the expected time-slot.

Scene
Multiple devices respond to memorized states. For example, a dinner time scene turns on the dining table light, dims the kitchen lights to 10%, backyard lights turn off and the thermostat adjusts to 72º.

Set Button
A button on an Insteon device that is used for setting or changing its properties

Simulcast
A method for increasing the reliability of message delivery in a network. When a node in a network sends a message, every other node that hears the message retransmits it at precisely the same time based on a global clock, provided that the message has not already been retransmitted some maximum number of times. Message propagation is more robust because each node adds its energy to the signal, much like voices in a choir. Simulcasting is much simpler than message routing because there are no routing tables to maintain and nodes can join the network without any installation procedure.

Get Started with Wall Outlets

Setup i3 On/Off Outlet

Setup Dimmer Outlet

Setup On/Off Outlet

How to find the email address that is associated with your Insteon Hub

If you are unsure which email address is associated with your Insteon Hub, please follow these simple steps.

If you are unable to log into the app, contact us at support@insteon.com and include a photo of the bottom of your Hub. We will then provide you with the email associated with that Hub.

Using Insteon Director app

Step 1

Tap Settings.

Step 2

Under Account is the email associated with your Insteon Hub.

---

Download the Insteon App

Learn more about Director app.

Read the Director app release notes.

Something Went Wrong While Configuring Your Insteon Hub

 If you are attempting to add an Insteon Hub and receive an error stating “Something Went Wrong” or “Something’s Wrong” it is most likely because the Hub already registered with an Insteon Account. This could happen for a couple of reasons:

• Your Hub is not connected to your router with an Ethernet cable or not powered on.

• You purchased the Hub from somewhere other than Smarthome.com or received it as a second-hand device from a friend or family member

• You have previously configured the Hub with an Insteon account and don’t have a record of your login information

Note: before continuing with the steps below, if you purchased the Hub to replace one that is no longer working AND you have Insteon devices already set up in your home, you may be entitled to a free warranty replacement. Learn more.

Confirm Account Already Associated with Insteon Hub

• Make sure the Hub is connected directly to your router with an Ethernet cable and also plugged into power.

• Confirm that the LED indicator located in the front of the Hub is on

• Open up a web browser on a device that is connected to your network and visit the following page: https://connect.insteon.com/getinfo.asp

• You should see an image on the page that looks similar to this:

• If the Insteon Hub that you are trying to configure already has an account on it, it will show up with the “Configured Connect Account” as TRUE. If there is no account on the Hub it will display as FALSE.

• In order to clear the account from the Hub, please send an email to support@insteon.com and include the following information

• Your name

• Your phone number

• A request to delete the account associated with the Hub

• Attach a photo of the bottom label of your Hub so that the Insteon ID is clearly visible

After we receive the email a member of our support team will be in touch within two business days to assist. Thank you for your patience.