Multiple Alexas 5,6 rooms, total confusion HELP!

[sam9s]

Hi All,

I am from India and I have purchased like 5 Alexa Dots for 5 rooms I have in my house, and configured truckloads of automation, from ligyts to fans to TV, AC speakers Avr....

Now I have tried to separate my room with names like master bedroom, guest bedroom, other bedroom and other room, but most of my family members get confused the name tags and what to say to alexa to switch on which room's light.....lol I know some will say this stupid, but it does create confusion.

Is there is a way remote possible, that whenever I am in any room and just say light on Alexa understanding which room the command has been issued from and switch on the light of that room only? Then when I move to other room and say the same command, alexa switchs on the lights of "that" room only since the command came from that room's alexa.

This might sound a bit far-fetched request, but I just wanted to ask if it at all is possible.

regards
Sammy

[Snakeyes]

Disregard the original response

[mike27oct]

I can turn on/off lights IN any room FROM any room.  This sounds like what you want to do.  I use TP smart plugs and each has it's own name.  For example, I can control our living room lights.  I have two smart plugs in room.  One is for a single lamp and other is for two on an extension cord.

Each switch has a name in the Kasa app that controls each switch.  One is named "One Lamp" and other is named "Two Lamps".  With Alexa I can ask to turn on each lamp individually.by saying, e.g. "turn on two lamps". In Alexa app I have a group for both switches called Living Room.  If we ask Alexa to "turn on living room" all three lamps light up, because both smart switches are in the group.  These commands can be given from any Dot or Echo or Tap.

I have another lamp near a desk in hallway.  The smart plug is named Smartplug.  From any alexa device in any room this switch can be controlled.

[cdnirene]

Sammy, no, right now Alexa can’t do what you want it to do.

I suggest you use make little paper signs and mount with masking tape to the entrance of each room. Once the family is familiar with what names to use, take the signs down. I imagine it won’t take too long.

[mike27oct]

I agree, saying "light on" does not work, nor should it ever.  Example of two rooms so close together that two Dots could hear the command; how would Alexa know which one to turn on?.  What I wrote above is the way it should work and does work.  If some on walks in to dining roon, they shoud say turn on dining room if that is room they want lit up.

[kevb]

This can now be done with Echo devices. Make a group, i.e. "Guest Bedroom". Put the lights from that room in the group. Also put the Echo device from that room in the group. Then in the guest bedroom you say "turn on the lights" and only those lights in the group will come on. You can still use the formal name of the lights as well to control from any Echo.

[mike27oct]

@Kevb

I described this in ny first reply, and mentiond being in a "group" so thanks for mentioning Group and that it has to be set up withing Alexa app.  Nevertheless, OP was not asking a group.  He wanted to just turn on a specific room when he asked Dot in the room to turn on the lights.  His light in e.g. bedroom must be asked to a Dot to control a switch named bedroom, and he has to say, turn on bedroom so ANY Dot can control switch named bedroom.

[kevb]

Mike, I'm pretty sure the OP specifically does NOT want to say "bedroom lights"- he wants to say "turn on the lights", and the Echo in that room will turn on only those lights. This can be done if the Echo device is in the group with the lights. You can still control from other echos by saying "bedroom lights". This is something users have been asking for, and I am glad it has been implemented. Now to set it up for myself!

[mike27oct]

kevb, At this point who knows what he wants, since he has not been back since he posted.although I am pretty sure he wants to enter any room and say"turn on the lights"  That cannot be done, but naming the switch in bedroom  to e.g. bedroom, can turn on the light in that room.

[sam9s]

Mike, I'm pretty sure the OP specifically does NOT want to say "bedroom lights"- he wants to say "turn on the lights", and the Echo in that room will turn on only those lights. This can be done if the Echo device is in the group with the lights. You can still control from other echos by saying "bedroom lights". This is something users have been asking for, and I am glad it has been implemented. Now to set it up for myself!

Thanks guys for all this response, I apologize for a delayed response. As kevb said this is exactly what I want. I just want to say, turn on the lights, or better just lights on, from any room, and alexa in that room should turn on the lights for that room only (assuming dot in the other room did not listen to the command). My point is dot should be intelligent in a way, that it knows in which room its situated and turn on off lights for that room only. I will not use dot of one room to switch on lights of some other room, since I have a dot in every room I wanna automate. Ok now how can we achieve this by putting an echo device in a group? I could not see any option to achieve that. All I can see in the app is to create a group of lights, that can turn on and off via a command (thats not what I want). so how does grouping echo devices solves what I want and of course how is it you are achieving this. Please assist.

Regards
Sammy

[kevb]

Sammy, see this link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201749250

You should be able to add your Echo device to a group. If you cannot, you might want to contact support to see if it is available in your country. Good Luck!

[DroMike]

I have five Echos and a dozen or more Hue lights, so it may sound funny for me to suggest you keep things simple.  However, I think you were on the right track at the beginning.  If you name your lights logically with standard obvious names, there should be no confusion.   Unless you live in Hearst Castle, you probably only have a half dozen easily-named rooms; I'd stick with those main names.  Name main ceiling lighting "Master," "Joe, "Kitchen," or "Jane," etc.) and additional smart lighting in that room (e.g., a nightstand, desk or lamp) by adding the appropriate suffix:  "Master nightstand," "Jane's Lamp," etc.  Also, you don't need to use the word "light," in invoking a command (unless you specifically called your workbench light, say, "Workbench light" instead of simply "Workbench").  The word is superfluous and you can save yourself the breath from speaking that extra syllable.  Get into the habit of saying "Turn on Porch" and "Turn on bathroom" as opposed to "Torn on the porch lights" or "Turn on the bathroom lights."  Truncating your phrases will help you as opposed to annoying you. This is why you purchased your Echos in the first place.

Ultimately, I think you need to concentrate more on educating those in your household what the rooms and lights are called.  Yes it's a learning curve, but if you give them reasonable names, the curve should be small and the names very easily learned with little effort.  Conversely, I am not convinced that Alexa won't be confused if it hears the same "turn on lights" command in every room for that specific room if you try to accomplish this with groupings.  I'm not calling it tricky, I'm saying it isn't possible.  Of course the tried and true standby would be "Alexa, turn on bedroom" (if you have a single, or group of lights called "bedroom.")  As far as I know, any group name is shared and understood by your entire stable of Echo devices so would not work.  However, if anybody's actually done this successfully please let us know -- I'm certainly happy to be corrected if I'm wrong.

Best of luck and enjoy!

[scottrods]

To each their own... The way each has stated it can be done... can be done. I like e that we all have so many options.

To the last entry by DroMike, I just have to share this funny one for you (and anyone else following) I set up a single bulb in my aunt and uncle's house, so she, being quadriplegic, could summon him when he's out of earshot (which isn't very far as he has hearing loss pretty severely). I named the bulb Richard (his name) and gave her the command line to workout out... Yep... She says "Alexa Turn Richard On" and they always Still get a chuckle... He sees the light in the other room and goes to help her out as needed. How much fun is it to set up commands that are a bit risqué? LOL These are older folks (I'm in my mid 50's and they're older than me by at least 10 years), so it makes it even more fun when they have company and she shows off her ability to turn on Richard, right there before their eyes!

Anyway... name them what you will, have fin and enjoy the technology. Use your imagination to make things work more like what you want them to work... if you want Star Trek... Give it some Star Trek feel by the way you name it and use the "Computer" alternate name... that kind of stuff. which is also a way to separate two Echo's that are close to one another... use the alternate names to keep one of them from hearing you talk to the other. They can all have their own name (within the four options).

Hope any of this helps or entertains...

[kevb]

etc.)  I'm not calling it tricky, I'm saying it isn't possible.  Of course the tried and true standby would be "Alexa, turn on bedroom" (if you have a single, or group of lights called "bedroom.")  As far as I know, any group name is shared and understood by your entire stable of Echo devices so would not work.  However, if anybody's actually done this successfully please let us know -- I'm certainly happy to be corrected if I'm wrong.

See the link in my post just prior to yours. It is indeed possible. I have an Echo or Dot in every room of my house. In the app (not the web interface for some reason) add an Echo device to your group. In my office, I have a light and a Dot. They are in a group. When I am in the office, I can say "Echo, turn on the light" and the office light comes on. If I leave the office, in the living room I would say to the living room Echo "Echo, turn off the office light".  Works like a charm.

[DroMike]

To the last entry by DroMike, I just have to share this funny one for you (and anyone else following)....

That story IS good.  Most of my lights have boring generic names, but I some of my bulbs and smart plugs are more interestingly named:  Flo (lamp w/flowing waves on base), Tiffany (small tiffany lamp), Sophie (lamp nr my sofa), Georgie (my George Foreman grill), Sumpy (ok, a stretch, but for a sump pump atop my garage roof), and of course when I work out on my treadmill I ask Echo to "turn on Fannie."  Unfortunately Fannie always runs cold.  It's all just for fun of course.

See the link in my post just prior to yours. It is indeed possible. I have an Echo or Dot in every room of my house. In the app (not the web interface for some reason) add an Echo device to your group. In my office, I have a light and a Dot. They are in a group. When I am in the office, I can say "Echo, turn on the light" and the office light comes on. If I leave the office, in the living room I would say to the living room Echo "Echo, turn off the office light".  Works like a charm.

Excellent.  I stand happily corrected. Thanks for the education!