Are you from United States of America? Please use FAQ tailored for you here www.isocket.us/faq/
Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ is tailored for New Zealand and the new Plug-and-Go iSocket since 2021.
-
1. Why I don't receive email alerts or notifications from you?
In 99.9% of cases a problem is on your mail server side. In 99.9% of cases your mail server administrator uses outdated and/or unreliable spam protection technologies. Our specialists have a good experience in the IT, over the years we have met, unfortunately, stubborn administrators who use 'old-school' methods of fighting spam. Among the unreliable methods are methods that evaluate the reputation of an IP based on some kind of invented algorithms. Such services ALWAYS give a false alarm. If your admin uses them be sure that legitimate correspondence will be filtered too. As an example of such UNRELIABLE services is www.ipqualityscore.com, where they believe they use smart algorithms, while they give 40% of false decisions on clean IPs with good reputation as ours.
Administrators of private companies or corporations often have that problem of using unreliable anti-spam technologies. As an example, AT&T servers. If you have a mailbox on AT&T servers your legit correspondence will sometimes be filtered and we can do nothing about it, because AT&T admins do not even consider themselves obligated to respond to complaints - as they directly state on their website.
The worst is Microsoft with their mail.protection.outlook.com. It filters lots of legit correspondence and doesn't ever bouncing about it, which means that we don't know about the problem unless you reported and you don't see your emails from us. You may ask admins of your server to allow the traffic from our domain @isocketsystems.com. Microsoft and their Outlook protection lags regularly. If you have your protection from Microsoft Outlook you need to contact them first. Here we quote from the Microsoft response on the problem each time we report it to them: "Please note that lifting the block does not guarantee that your email will be delivered to a user's inbox." As you should understand we can do nothing when a corporation does not guarantee anything.
Our servers have a 100% positive reputation, they don't send spam (it's technically impossible in our configuration), they are not proxy and no one can use them uncontrollable. Therefore, any attempts to block them is the ignorance of others admins who uses wrong methods of flagging suspicious activities, for example based on reports of users without considering what is the real email is about - that's how Microsoft acts according to multiple reports about their protection that you can read online.
Note, you might receive some of our correspondence that is coming from different servers, for example, when you contact our support team or notifications about your order.
If you cannot configure your spam protection then the only solution for you to this problem is to use a different email address. We recommend you to use Gmail.com in association with our service. Google is smart not to filter legit correspondence. -
2. No power from iSocket - the outlet on iSocket doesn't work...
Most likely you're expecting wall outlet power to be supplied to your device via iSocket. Please note that the socket on the iSocket is not powered by default, which is indicated on the yellow sticker on the socket when you purchase it. The sticker had a link to detailed information - you can find the same information in the "Details of other features and specifications for iSocket" section of this FAQ. If you have already used this feature before and the problem has appeared over time - check the other questions in this FAQ. -
Online/Offline statuses you see in the 'Location' section are not the same as 'NO POWER' or 'POWER OK'. They only reflect statuses of the mobile network and connection of the unit to the service (of course if your unit is plugged to the wall). It is normal that your unit will be offline from time to time because of dropped connection, maintenance on the mobile networks, temporary degradation in the mobile service, etc. The connection may be dropped for a few seconds or minutes or sometimes few hours, it may be dropped once a day, every 2, 3, 5 days or multiple times in a day. We do NOT send alerts about Offline/Online statuses because IT IS NORMAL BEHAVIOR OF MOBILE NETWORKS in any part of the world and you obviously do not want debug the mobile network in your area. These events are beyond our control, however sometimes we can review what is happening and maybe switch or lock the unit to another network provider if the problem has a regular pattern. We do this when we see abnormal behavior by our internal monitoring system for your unit. You do not need to control this or report us.
Please ONLY report the Offline status when your unit is not online for a long time in a day and you met this problem often. However, even then in most cases it means that we already reviewed your location and found no solution for that specific location - i.e., all available mobile network in your area works, say, bad. However, it does NOT mean that you have problems - it only means that you will have your unit offline more often. NOTE! There is a specific mechanism on the iSocket that will bring the unit back online from any possible network failures. This is an awesome mechanism that we implemented based on our 10+ years’ experience in this filed. The flowchart of this algorithm is 2 meters length when printed. :) We call this iSocket® Online 24/7 and you have that feature included to your plan by default.
The blue light on the unit has multiple modes to show the network statuses and we do not bother customers with all details about this LED as they are complex. With this new Plug-and-Go iSocket where the connection is fully automatically and controlled by smart algorithms you do not need to care about how the light is blinking. We reserve this for our own debug purposes when we need to communicate with you about serious connectivity issues.
Note the next logical things. If your unit is unplugged from the wall, it will eventually be offline. When power has failed your unit will eventually be offline. When unit is offline regardless of the reason, yes, you cannot manage your unit (for example, check the temperature). The fact that you see Online/Offline statuses is an adds-on - you see more information as it would be in the case of just "blind" unit managed by SMS. So please treat that information correctly according to the above description.
We reserve the right to remove Online/Offline statuses information in the future if we see that many customers confused because of that adds-on.
-
Please see details about the 'Offline' status in another question of this FAQ first. It is important to understand what the 'Offline' status means and why it happens first - please read it there.
So, if the unit is offline due to a break on the mobile network and a power outage happening, a proprietary feature of iSocket will be trying to get the unit back online to report that outage. It will keep the event recorded in a queue and will notify you once the unit is online again. The algorithm is extraordinarily complex and fitted with multiple factors we collected for 10+ years in this field. We do all the best possible to get you alerted. We invented this technology and brought it to the world so be assured we know how to do it better than anyone else.
From the hardware point of view, we use a high-capacity battery for these purposes (this subject is covered in other FAQ questions), so that the unit may continue trying for a few hours. However, in unfortunate scenario when the network outage was of a long duration so that the battery is fully flat, you will not get the alert. For this we can do nothing as mobile network outages are out of our control. However, the good news that we will report you when power is restored!
Additionally, if you are concerned about the power status on your remote location in a specific time, you can log into your account and check it. If you see the unit 'Offline' in the 'Locations' section with the power status that says "we cannot be sure what is the status of the power" in the 'Monitorings' section, then you have a network outage (this status is actually explained in the additional help under the question mark for the status - please always review this information). If you suspect that you have a power outage at the same time when the network is unavailable then the only way to check it by means of other factors (call to the utility company, neighbors, etc.).
Please treat this correctly. We provide you MORE information than necessary. We do not provide just "the unit is not accessible" status as it would be with the "blind" unit manage by SMS only where you do not know the reason. This new iSocket provides you more insight information as you can distinguish mobile networks breaks and power outages separately. We call this feature Real-time Сonnection Status and it is included to your plan by default. And only one case does not provide unambiguous information about the state of the power - when the mobile network is failed. No one device can tell you remotely if there is power in such cases as this is logically impossible. That's where iSocket is the best with its iSocket® Connects Anywhere and iSocket® Online 24/7 features that are included to your plan by default.
If you often see power restore messages without being notified about power outages, please contact us to review logs of your unit. Please only contact when you see this happening often, otherwise we do not have enough logs to get a clear picture of the problem and our response will be common: "Please wait until this happens a few more times". -
5. My device didn't want to connect until I did a power recycle. Why?
This might happen after an outage on the mobile network. We do our best to get the unit back online after the outage, however mobile things are extremely unpredictable and controlling algorithms are sophisticated. Sometimes it's simply impossible to get the unit back online without power re-cycle if the mobile network hold a broken connection and won't release it. -
6. Could you implement a remote restart for OFFLINE problems?
It is implemented! There are about fifteen different checks and timers for self-reset are implemented on the device, but they all rely on various factors indicated by the mobile network, since this is the only way to reset a device that has lost remote access. Therefore, if these factors do not work due to problems in the mobile network, then only a power re-cycle can help and this cannot be performed remotely, unless another device for power re-cycle is installed in front of the iSocket.
According to our experience we see that in 99.9% cases iSocket will manage to recover from any mobile network problems as our algorithms are polished by decades of experience, however some mobile networks, especially for the new technologies such as CAT-M or NB-IoT are still poorly implemented to manage all things correctly. Remember also that it is not only your home mobile network involved to the connectivity but multiple operators include our connectivity vendor with their infrastructure that may lag.
From our side for 10+ years we've collected and implemented all possible proprietary things for auto-recovering the unit, but it simply may not work sometimes because of third parties. -
7. I didn't receive a power restore alert promptly, why?
iSocket is cellular, so it must be on a cellular network before it can send you a power restore alert. It usually takes one to three minutes, but on some sites it can take up to 5-10 minutes to get online. In the worst case, when the mobile network or the service provider's infrastructure goes down, it may take longer to connect to the network. It is assumed that your mobile phone is also connected to the network to receive messages. Sometimes a text message can get stuck in a service provider's pool - we recommend using voice messages and email alerts in addition to text. For more than 10 years we have collected hundreds of different bad scenarios for mobile networks and utilities and eliminated many of them in our software. Starting with firmware v.2 iSocket will also maintain an alert queue on the device with an event time stamp, and you will be able to see the actual time of the power restore event compared to the current time after the alert reaches the server. We are doing our best to improve the algorithms as soon as we see another possible scenario that needs to be taken into account. If you frequently experience delays in power restore messages, please contact us to view the logs. Only contact us if this happens frequently so that we have enough logs to view. -
The new iSocket is a multi-network solution. In simple terms, the device is loaded with 5 different service providers. There are also several mobile operators in each country. When iSocket tries to establish a connection after a failure, it iterates over all 5 providers in a loop multiplied by the number of operators, and this can take up to 2 hours. Of course, in most cases, your device should and will come back online much earlier - usually within a minute or three, because it remembers the last network. However, if the network goes down, the device will start a search cycle with a rotation of several suppliers, trying to find the best one, and that's when you run into a problem. There is no solution for this, since multi-network is a feature, however, this feature has such disadvantages. Sometimes we can bind the device to a specific network, but this is not recommended.
-
9. Temperature in my room is not the same what I see from iSocket
Our first question to ask: which sensor do you compare with and where is it installed? Temperatures in a room are not constant and even in a couple feet from different points temperatures will be different. Temperatures will be different even if two temperature sensors are located in a few inches/centimeters from each other.
We use precise digital sensor element inside our sensors - one of the best temperature element in its class (±0.5°C accuracy within a 'normal' range). We do not average or manipulate the values obtained from the sensor element apart from the conversion to Fahrenheits when applicable. We show you the real value and it is precise value you have at that particular point where the sensor is located. Moreover, the value is very dynamic - you can test this by holding the sensor with your fingers and see the temperature change in just a few seconds. This will be the real value - more real than any other system with a hidden sensor will show you. Most systems with thermostats use averaging algorithms because the temperature at different points in the room is different - near the window or heater, near the floor or ceiling - the temperatures will be different.
Please see this very short Wikipedia article about room and ambient temperature definitions. If you use iSocket Temperature Sensor Ambient it will show you ambient temperature - the actual temperature in any particular point it is installed and this will be true temperature in that point.
So, what to do then? As you probably already understand the ambient sensor measures the temperature around the iSocket itself. Very often wall sockets are located under the window next to the radiator - this is the worst place due to the a huge dynamic of temperature changes from the window and the radiator. The iSocket itself also emits heat. You should find a neutral location for iSocket with the ambient temperature sensor. Another options is to use iSocket Temperature Sensor Specific. This sensor will work exactly as described above and will provide you an accurate temperature at the point where it is installed but the difference is that thanks to the ten feet (3 meters) cable you can place it at a more convenient point away from the iSocket itself and other sources of heat or cold.
Any attempts to "tune" the value of the digital sensor element readings are basically attempts to fake the readings to show them the desirable temperature as there is no such things like "the correct temperature" exist in general. The correct temperature is the one you like to see or trust to. Attempts to correct the correct readings rather than change the installation conditions will only make the situation worse. However, if you still need such a "calibration", then you can do it in the settings of your temperature monitoring widget in the 'Monitoring' section of your account. Calibration must be done in degrees Celsius. You set how much less or more Celsius you want to see from the value you see now. -
10. The iSocket shows a different temperature than my HVAC system
HVAC systems use averaging algorithms in their software to show you a temperature that will be considered the average for a given installation. They have specific requirements on how they should be installed so that the averaging they use in their software will show more or less adequate average temperature on the location they installed. However it will not be the temperature near a window or near a heater or close to the floor or anywhere else where you installed iSocket.
iSocket uses precise digital sensor element - the best in its class. We do not average or manipulate the values obtained from the sensor element. We show you the real value and it is precise temperature value you have at that particular point where the sensor is located. Please see the adjacent question for details. -
11. You say your sensor is ±0.5°C accuracy but I see a big difference!
Please see adjacent questions about what means ambient and room temperatures. Here we will explain more what means ±0.5°C accuracy. The accuracy of ±0.5°C means that if you take two sensor and place them both along with each other (no space between) in the environment of, say, 0.5°C the one may show you 0°C (0.5-0.5) and another 1°C (0.5+0.5). So you have 1°C difference or 1.8F (F=9*C/5). If you now place them in a few inches (centimeters) from each other, say 5" or 10 cm you may have different temperatures, because of multiple factors as the temperature in the point 'A' and the point 'B' in 5" (10 cm) is already different and thus you may have, say, 2C difference easy, where 2C means 3.6F. If you want to compare our sensor with some other sensor you would be better to do this when both are set in Celsius, but this comparison make little sense as there is no such terms like "the correct temperature" exists in general. You can shift the values you see from the sensor to perform a so-called calibration - see the related questions in this FAQ section. -
Overloading can cause damage to the contacts of the relay inside the socket. So the contacts have welded together, which is why it could always be turned on or vice versa, turned off. It is very likely that you need to replace the relay inside the iSocket. You can return the device for repair. If we consider that the relay’s contacts are damaged due to overheating we will charge for the repair and transporting costs, since this is not a warranty case, but damage caused by incorrect operating conditions.
-
13. The OUT indicator is lit, but there is no power on the device connected to the iSocket.
If the OUT indicator changes its status when you turn on or off the socket, but you do not hear a “click” from the relay and power is not provided to the appliance connected to your iSocket, then the most probable reason is that a relay or a fuse inside the device is damaged, e.g. due to overload due to a short-circuit inside the connected appliance, or power consumption fluctuations inside the appliance. This also sometimes happens if you use the device in wet or cold conditions or in places where chemical elements (e.g. battery acid) are present in the air. Customers are not allowed to change fuses by themselves. If your device is still covered by warranty and conditions of use have been adhered to, you may return device for RMA. When a customer returns the device with this type of fault we check the condition of the metal components (contacts, fuse holders, wires, etc.) inside the device for possible corrosion (change of color, oxidizing, etc.) and carry out other checks. If we find that conditions of use have been breached, the customer may either pay for the repair and return shipment costs, or allow us to use the unit without returning it. If the fault is caused by a manufacturing defect we repair it and return it to the customer free of charge (subject to additional terms according to Terms of Use and Warranty Terms). -
Please check the full Warranty Terms first. You may also find some useful information in this FAQ. Basically, RMA procedure consists of the following steps: 1) The customer contacts our support team and we try to help to solve the problem without the need to return the unit, if the problem is caused for example by some misunderstanding in configuration. 2) If the problem is not possible to solve remotely we ask to fill RMA form and we provide an address for return. The customer may send the product for RMA by any freight method he chooses. If the warranty is not expired and we have confirmed the issue remotely, then we pay for the shipping. 3) During the RMA procedure we carry out different checks to make sure that the conditions of use have been adhered to. 4) If we find that the conditions of use have been breached we allow the customer to either pay for repair and return shipment or agree that we destroy the unit without returning it. If the fault is caused by a manufacturing defect we repair the product and return it to the customer free of charge (subject to additional terms according to Terms of Use and Warranty Terms). This procedure is pretty common for any manufacturer with a good support, but we go further and trying to help you remotely first. We appreciate your cooperation when we ask you to provide as much details as possible and sometime a video.
-
15. I am not receiving text messages (New Zealand only)
Due to an increase in operator regulations, termination of all SMS of non-human nature towards New Zealand is considered best-effort delivery for now. It marked as 'Heartbeat: Limited' in the 'Notifications' section of your account. This means messages may or not deliver; this is out of our control. We are waiting for more input from operators and their plans. For example, US operators implemented a specific framework for these purposes since June 2021. We expect something similar from NZ.
We recommend to use 'Voice Message' alerts together with SMS or alone. Email Alerts are fine too.
Voice messages deliver more information than the text and email alerts even more details. The voice can alert you promptly in the same or even better way than the text while email alerts you can use for later reference.
Please go to the 'Notification' section of your account and subscribe to 'Voice Message' alerts. If you have a brand new account we have already subscribed you to email alerts. Emails about power outages are free. Please unsubscribe from SMS in order to save the cost if you see that SMS will never work for you. Text messages are charger even if they are not delivered - that is the nature of text messaging, it is explained in other section of our FAQ in details. Once a solution is found, we will change the 'Heartbeat' from 'Limited' to 'OK'.
Please note once again, it is out of our control as New Zealand's operators increased limitations for non-human generated text messages due to spam recently while not provided good alternatives so far. -
16. I couldn't find the answer to my question
If you have an account for your Plug-and-Go iSocket you may find more questions under 'Support' section on your account. Please review 'I have a problem' and 'User Manual Instead' sections there.
If you have iSocket of the previous generation without built-in connectivity please check Support Resources for user manuals or this FAQ section that covers old products (before Plug-and-Go iSocket generation, before 2021). -
17. Can you ask your shipping company.... (delivery problems)
Guys, it doesn't work that way in e-commerce. They are not ours. We do not own UPS, FedEx, DHL or any other shipping companies. And it's not about the courier we chose or the price you paid or didn't pay for shipping. All couriers work in the same way with the same issues when issues arise. Please, be realistic. These are independent contractors - in fact, large corporations over which we have no influence. Millions of shops use them daily, including us. We don't have any specific triggers that we could use to communicate with them. Just think how many different entities and persons will be involved on the way of your package from us to you. Moreover, in each country, different organizations are responsible for the business of these couriers, they simply buy a franchise from these corporations in order to work under their brand.
So, when you ask us to ask something from UPS, FedEx or DHL, it will look like this: we send an email to the local UPS, FedEx or DHL during business hours, they send an email to UPS, FedEx or DHL in another country during their business hours. They will reply during business hours and the local UPS, FedEx or DHL will reply to us during their business hours. And then we can answer you during our business hours (often 24/7).
And yet... in some places, additional subcontractors are involved for the final delivery - smaller companies, especially in remote areas. As you can see, it's always best to contact your local UPS, FedEx or DHL directly as the consignee.
And a little more about "if such a delivery, then what kind of product will it be..." This message may not seem standard to you, but we are generally quite special guys here at iSocket Systems, otherwise we would not be able to make cool products! So, we believe that everyone should be responsible for their part of the work, and other parties should understand this and not project transportation issues into how the product will work. We make a cool product and excellent service related to the product and we are 100% responsible for this, and if the transport company lags, then these are their lags and they do not relate to the product, this is their fault and 0% our responsibility, and we expect that you will kindly understand it.