TL;DR
Get business pricing on monitors, keyboards and dev gear
- Business-only prices and quantity discounts
- Tax-exempt purchasing
- Multiple users, one account, clear invoices
Home automation developer Spencer Kittleson says core functions in his home continue to work without an internet connection because they run on locally owned hardware. His account is a personal example, not an independent test or a new industry standard, but it illustrates how cloud outages and discontinued integrations can affect connected devices.
Home automation developer Spencer Kittleson says the core systems in his house keep working when its internet connection is unavailable, because they run on equipment he controls rather than depending on a vendor’s server. In a report published in October 2026, he describes a decade-long approach built around local control, with cloud services such as Alexa treated as optional ways to operate devices, not as the only way to use them.
Kittleson’s setup uses Tasmota firmware on ESP boards, an MQTT broker and Node-RED running on a Raspberry Pi. He says the devices communicate locally and that the basic operation of the home does not depend on the internet. For example, a wall switch and a local dashboard remain available if Alexa or an internet service is down. He also uses some cloud services, including Alexa and AWS services, so his approach is not a claim that his home has no cloud-connected equipment.
His rules focus on keeping a practical alternative to apps and voice assistants. Core functions must work offline, he says, and adding a smart feature should not remove the conventional way of using a device. A light should still be controllable at its wall switch, for instance, rather than requiring a smart bulb to remain powered by a switch that household members are told not to touch.
Kittleson also says he checks whether automations still make sense together, keeps configuration in one place where possible, and favors devices that expose useful logs and interfaces. He describes having found four scheduled triggers controlling the same garden pump, an example of how multiple routines can conflict. The report presents these as lessons from his own system, not as results from a controlled comparison of smart-home products.
Keeping Lights and Controls Available
Connected devices can become difficult or impossible to use when an app, internet connection or manufacturer’s service is unavailable. Local operation reduces that dependency for functions that residents need at home, such as controlling lights or running a routine. It can also give owners more control over how devices and automations interact.
Kittleson’s examples show that the issue is not limited to a full internet outage. He says a Nest integration he used stopped working after Google changed its API. In talks described in the report, he also points to a Samsung refrigerator that displayed a TLS certificate error and a Camp Chef grill controller that required Wi-Fi to show its temperature. These are examples he reports from his experience; the material does not establish how common such failures are across products.
The trade-off is that local systems can require more setup and maintenance. Kittleson’s arrangement uses a Raspberry Pi, a broker, firmware and automation software, while a cloud-connected device may be easier to configure initially. His point is not that every household should build the same system, but that buyers should know whether an essential feature will continue to work without a vendor service.
Popular right now
Vitamix Touch & Go Advance 32-Ounce Bar Blender, White
Dyson V15 Detect Cordless Vacuum
Samsung 43-Inch M70H Series 4K Mini LED Smart TV (2026)
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
From Cloud Dependence to Local Control
Kittleson says the principle began after he experienced a failure in a Nest integration when Google changed the API. He describes that event as the kind of disruption he now plans around: a device or integration can stop behaving as expected even if the hardware remains in the home. His report says the offline-first rule has guided his setup for about ten years.
His system uses several ways to trigger actions, including physical controls, a dashboard, Alexa, QR codes and NFC tags. MQTT provides a way for devices and software to exchange messages without requiring each device to connect directly to every other one. Node-RED handles many of his automations, while other services cover routines he does not want to build himself.
The report also emphasizes that home automation changes as rooms and household needs change. Kittleson says systems should be inexpensive to adjust and that automations should be reviewed rather than left unchecked. He describes a garage-cooling routine that checks whether the door is closed before operating, and a sprinkler controller that schedules a pump. Those examples show how his principles are applied, but do not establish that the same hardware or software is suitable for every home.
“No internet, no problem.”
— Spencer Kittleson, in the supplied report
How Widely Failures Occur
The supplied material is a first-person account by Kittleson, not an independent evaluation of smart-home products or a survey of household outages. It does not quantify how often cloud integrations fail, how many devices stop working during an internet outage, or how much effort his local system takes to maintain. The examples involving Nest, Samsung and Camp Chef are attributed to his report, and the material does not provide product-specific responses from those companies.
It is also not clear which exact functions in Kittleson’s home were tested with the internet disconnected, how long the tests lasted, or whether every device described remains in use. His report supports the narrower point that he designed his core automations to operate locally; it does not establish that all smart-home devices can do so, or that local control removes every dependency on a manufacturer or network.
Checking Devices Before Purchase
Kittleson’s report does not announce a product launch, policy change or scheduled test. The practical next step for readers considering connected equipment is to check what remains usable when the internet is unavailable: whether switches work physically, whether routines run on a local hub, and whether key controls depend on an account or vendor API. Buyers may also want to check whether a product provides logs and whether its basic functions require an active cloud connection.
For Kittleson, the ongoing work is to review and adjust automations as household needs and devices change. He says the system should preserve familiar controls, keep configuration manageable and avoid routines that conflict. No broader industry response or further milestone is identified in the supplied material.
Key Questions
What is the main point of Kittleson’s report?
He argues that essential home functions should keep working without internet access. In his own home, he uses locally run hardware and software for core automations while retaining cloud services as optional controls.
Does Kittleson avoid all cloud services?
No. The report says he uses services including Alexa and some AWS services. His stated rule is that those services should not be the only way to control core devices.
What equipment does his local system use?
Kittleson describes using Tasmota on ESP boards, an MQTT broker and Node-RED on a Raspberry Pi. The report does not claim that this particular setup is necessary for every household.
What failures does he cite?
He says a Nest integration stopped working after Google changed its API. He also cites a Samsung refrigerator displaying a certificate error and a Camp Chef grill controller requiring Wi-Fi to show its temperature. These examples come from his account and are not presented as a measure of how often such problems occur.
Does the report prove that smart devices should all work offline?
No. It is a first-person report about one home, not an industry-wide study. It explains why Kittleson prioritizes local operation but does not test all devices or establish how common internet-dependent failures are.
Source: docodethatmatters.com
