Adding devices via a second user profile

[PaulP]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone could help with an issue we're experiencing?  My wife and I have an Echo Plus and we have our own user profiles linked to our individual Amazon accounts via Household. The Echo Plus is registered to my account and my wife is the additional user. At the moment, we have one Hue Philips lightbulb.The problem we have is that my wife is unable to add the lightbulb via the Alexa app on her phone. I've already added it via the Alexa app on my phone and it works fine, but when my wife tries to add it, Alexa says there are no new devices. Is there something I'm missing (i.e. user error) or is this normal?

Thanks

P

[Drwoodr]

Did you try the Hue commands with her account? When you linked your accounts, most devices will work automatically on all the accounts in the household. One exception is the Harmony Hub. I have an echo set up with my wife's account to control our second Harmony Hub, and I can control our Wemo switches from that echo, and I didn't have to add them to her account.

[PaulP]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. We don't have a separate hub - I was told we didn't need one because the Plus has an in-built hub that's compatible with the Hue bulbs. Should I try a factory reset on the Plus?

[PaulP]

Ok, so having just spent the last half hour talking to Amazon Customer Services, I've finally got to the bottom of this. Household doesn't allow the detecting of smart devices; it's only allowed for the Echo's registered user. Other users won't be able to detect smart devices unless the Echo is de-registered from the primary user and re-registered to the secondary user. I haven't yet tried this, it would suggest why my wife couldn't detect any of the smart devices around the house.

I've been assured by Amazon that my suggestion for allowing multiple users to detect smart devices has been taken on board and will be part of a future update.

[Drwoodr]

Is that just with the Echo Plus? I have several Echo's registered in my user name, and set up my wemo switches. I then added an Echo Dot registered in my wife's user name, and added it to my household. The wemo switches work fine from that device. I didn't have to do anything extra in her account to set them up, they just work. (Note: I have not enabled voice profiles since I want to keep that Echo Dot in my wife's user name at all times to control the second Harmony Hub).

[PaulP]

I'm guessing it would be for all Echos, since they share the same OS. The Echo Plus has an in-built hub, whereas the others need a separate hub

[Drwoodr]

I guess my question wasn't clear now that I look at it. So with the Echo Plus, the Hue bulb only work with one user profile. But if you had a hub, the Hue Bridge, then would it work for multiple users? I read somewhere that the Hue implementation with the Echo Plus was not as robust as with the bridge. BTW, my Wemo switches don't require a hub, and they work fine with multiple users.

[scottrods]

I guess my question wasn't clear now that I look at it. So with the Echo Plus, the Hue bulb only work with one user profile. But if you had a hub, the Hue Bridge, then would it work for multiple users? I read somewhere that the Hue implementation with the Echo Plus was not as robust as with the bridge. BTW, my Wemo switches don't require a hub, and they work fine with multiple users.

That's my understanding as well... the Echo PLus is a VERY BASIC Hue light control by voice... with the Bridge, you have a Huge array of options that are available as you expand your Smart home bulb collection. I am not sure of the multiple user/profile situations, as all of my Smart home is in MY NAME and profile. everyone else is welcome to use the voice command or any app they wish to work out... but all I use is the second generation Hue app (white icon with colorful lines). It has a bunch of things I don't use yet. However, I just bought a pack of 4 White/color bulbs yesterday and may start using more functions of the bridge soon. So far I can't figure out why, but when I shut off the one color bulb I installed, it comes back on "warm white" like a typical white only bulb. I am sure it's just in need of app adjustments.