HomeScan for HomeKit

Since step one is to place the iPhone running this app next to the HomeKit hub, and a hub is (typically) an Apple TV the app should just run natively on the Apple TV and send it’s data to the iPhone app as the companion. I get you can use the Apple Watch as the companion to the iPhone, but the iPhone’s Bluetooth performance could be different from the actual hub’s Bluetooth performance.

HomeScan was built specifically to help customers who are struggling with their HomeKit Bluetooth accessories to figure out what’s going wrong. Bluetooth 4 range is much lower than wifi which can result in people placing their BLE devices too far away and then complaining that it doesn’t work. HomeScan can help you figure out if you’re out of range and gives you the info you need to really optimize your installation. The Apple Watch app is also sweet as you can walk around and use your combined devices to plan your installation. If you want to get the most out of your Smart house and your using Bluetooth accessories - this app is a must have.

You add devices that are HomeKit and save them then they disappear. Add a HomePod is NOT a HomeKit device? HOMEpod. What part of HomeKit does it need?

You can stand right next to the device and still have poor signal strength reported. I don’t believe the readings at all. As other have noted it just shows every BLE device you have, which is probably way more then you know. Sorting out the HK devices is difficult, but doable. But again, I don’t trust the meter readings at all!

This app is absolute garbage! If I could get my $0.99 I would. Every HomeKit device says unknown except for two, my smoke alarms. It would be helpful if it would tell you the MAC address, Bluetooth address or something to help identify the object and properly label them. Do waste your time or your money on this app.

I love this. it would be helpful to be able to turn on various attribute visibility... mac addr, type of packets, vendorID etc. it would also be helpful to be able to associate BT addresses with devices that are airplay/otherwise-home-related, as opposed to JUST sensors. but regardless... Nicely done!!!

What use is it when there’s no way to identify nearly any device; nor does it limit it to my devices - and my network is *definitely* secured against anything that isn’t mine connecting. Make this app make sense; be user friendly; have some use… I really do like some of your apps a lot, so clearly you know what your doing. I’m also IT-literate, but the app description & the actual app —> absolutely unrelated. I actually purchased the 4 app bundle (which this app is contained in); of the 4 apps: 2 I find actually innovative, user friendly (ish), and super-useful (as I’ve yet to find anything analogous that’s as well designed - aesthetically and practically - and has cross-device comparability (iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch); the 3rd app in the bundle I’m fairly indifferent to (as, how many “replacements” for Apple’s native Home app are really needed). And I don’t regret purchasing the bundle, as even with only 2 of the apps being to my standards it’s still worth it price wise. So, thank you, for actually following a good-business pricing practice and not doing monthly subscriptions b/c that’s just evil. But please, please: whatever you were attempting to do with *this* particular app —— [“if you don’t have something constructive to say, don’t” which I’m following here] —— but please bring whatever this is supposed to be to your usual good-standards. It promises so much, and delivers only bafflement, confusion, and (inaccurate) doubt in my linguistic comprehension skills… (and that’s a mean thing to do to actual linguists ^_^*) —> description should match the product. Also, it confuses me why some of your apps are amazing and some are … well ___ [not].

This app reports several dozen (currently 49) devices (I’m in a condo complex with many neighbors) and it’s really tough to figure out which are the ones that are A) Mine, and B) Of interest. Every device that uses Bluetooth seems to be reported: There’s probably at least several for each person who lives in my building (phones, headphones, laptops, tablets,smart locks window sensors. ) The list doesn’t seem to be sorted by signal strength so the device you are standing right next to likely won’t be at the top of the list. The signal strength numbers fluctuate so rapidly that it’s tough to get a sense of what is going on. The devices often don’t have any names that describe them. Out of 49 devices, 37 of them say “No Name”. The ones that do show names are my iPad, and HomePods, and Apple TV’s. Sometimes they show an unrecognizable alphanumeric which is probably the serial number of some neighbor’s laptop. This might be more useful in a location where there are not many extraneous signals. But for me it’s just a waste of time.

Shows every connection as being bad or weak

So I agree with the other reviewers in that it absolutely NEEDS the ability to sort by signal strength and to be able to show MAC addresses.... since a list of several dozen “no name” devices is entirely unhelpful. As of now I feel like I definitely wasted $0.99. This app could, one day, be exactly what we all have been needing. I just don’t understand why such basic features that seem simple to add weren’t included to begin with. I see no technical limitation that would impede adding “Sort by Strength”. And also, I could be wrong, but MAC addresses just seem 100% necessary here and shouldn't be too hard to add either. As of now it only tells me how many Bluetooth devices are in range of my phone with no way of telling which ones are which. I really want to love this app and I want it to work out but until those issues are addressed, it's useless to me. I'll be happy if the developer is able to improve it and of course I'm always happy to help support independent developers. I really hope this app ends up on the 2021 Must-Have Apps list.... it certainly has lots of potential and if improved it could become essential for HomeKit users. One day maybe...? Update: Turns out there are technical limitations likely due to Apple’s sandboxing which doesn’t allow access to MAC addresses. This particular fault apparently lies with Apple. I do wish there were some way around it to create any form of usable identifier that could help me narrow down which devices are which even if I have to create my own nicknames for each device. The only real way that I know of to remedy this on the user’s end is to manually power-down or physically move BT devices and reenable them one-by-one which is not very practical but would make this app a lot more usable. Just would take more effort than should be necessary due to the iOS sandboxing. I will be giving this a try.