Hayward AQ-CO-HOMENET AquaConnect Home Network, Internet and Wi-fi Remote Control

Works as it's supposed to work. Installation was straight forward. Good instructions. It paired to my panel very easily. The only issue was that I had to find the IP it was using and access it typing the IP directly. Took me no more than 5 minutes but it could be easier for someone who doesn't know his way around finding IPs. Soon after installation it was difficult to connect to the Hayward website to register it and finish installing. I had read many reviews with that problem and started to question my purchase. But later in the day I got it and since then it's working flawlessly. It's great to turn your spa on from work at the end of the day and when you get home it's ready waiting for you to get in. The only reason it's not 5 stars it's because the interface is terrible. It could be much better. It's just a copy of your panel. The guys at Hayward need to hire someone that can design an iPhone App.

After reading through a number of very low reviews and complaints on units being dead on arrival, plus poor reviews of Haywards accompanying app, I was a little apprehensive and considered just buying the Pod2 remote instead. However I thought I'd give it a try first and see my own experience was like as it sounded like various issues people experienced might be due to not reading or being familiar with the specifics of the setup process. I received the unit within a few days and it was well packaged with all expected parts and appeared brand-new. I followed the directions as outline in the included startup guide exactly. This included making sure to check the software version on my pools panel before ordering and ensuring it had the newest compatible firmware as some people got bit by not doing this ahead of time. Otherwise the process was fairly simple from running the teach command at the panel, to making sure to do a range test in the bridges final location an ensuring you have a good strong connection with the panels antenna. Finally before doing the final powerup make sure the cat5 cable is connected along with power. Failure to do this will result in the unit not powering up until the ethernet cable is connected. So far I've had it up several days with zero issues or disconnects. The app that Hayward provides is god-awful ugly and looks like it was designed in 1995, but all the expect functions work just fine and show the expected pool status so I can get over the UI. I also appreciate that the bridge can be reached and controlled via local IP address on your network. Long-term if Hayward drops support for their cloud app, I'll always have local control connectivity fallback.

Lucky me! My house came with a Hayward OnCommand pool automation system. It had a wired remote built into the spa that was no longer functional, so I had to go all the way to the utility area in order to turn on the pool lights or the hot tub blower. I was able to find the wireless antenna module and remote here on Amazon, and they were easy enough to install, but I wanted to be able to control things from my phone, so this internet gateway seemed like a great addition, even though it's rather expensive.To setup this gateway, you need to first bring it near the controller, plug it in and set both to pairing mode. Once the gateway is paired to the controller, you can move it to its intended location, which needs Ethernet and power. The lack of WiFi is irritating especially considering the absurdly high price of this device, but the reality is that it appears to have been designed twenty years ago and uses obsolete technology.I followed the instructions and displayed the web page from the controller... And it didn't work right. After more digging I found out my controller's firmware version was too old and incompatible. You would think such expensive products would offer a way to update the firmware; this is pretty basic. Unfortunately, Hayward disagrees. Not only did they not provide an easy means to update the firmware, but they were completely unresponsive to my requests and I only got blank stares from "authorized resellers". I was getting ready to return the gateway when I reached out to a vendor on ebay who offered me an updated board swap at a reasonable price. So, I install the new board, and the gateway started working. It's interesting to note that with the old firmware version, I was unable to add the gateway to the "aquaconnectweb" account, and never got a useful error message. Once the new board was in, I was able to add the gateway.The AquaConnect app now lets me control my pool from my phone even when I'm not home -- handy if I want to fire up the hot tub when I'm on my way home so I don't have to wait for it to warm up.Well, at least that's the idea. Unfortunately this was programmed by maddeningly incompetent programmers, and the buttons bounce and respond in a very unreliable manner. For instance, if I turn the filter on, the button switches to "ON" as soon as I press it, but the command is never sent and it turns back to "OFF" a few seconds later. This is maddening, and makes the system look like it was cobbled together by a summer intern (and not a very good one). I don't understand how anyone can sell such abominably awful software, especially at these prices. Utter garbage. And if you want to set the temperature of the thermostat for your pool or spa, good luck. You have to navigate a simulation of the two line LCD screen on the device.Also, a feature allows you to rename some generic buttons, for instance on my system I wanted to rename "AUX1" into "WATERFALL" and "AUX2" into "BLOWER". But apparently it's not available for my system. Okay, first question is why? And second question, if it's not available why do you show it to me?So why one star? I think spending money on Hayward was throwing good money after bad. If I add up the cost of the wireless antenna, remote, gateway, and controller update, I could have ripped out this piece of garbage and replaced it with a more capable Pentair system. If you're considering this, I recommend you think twice. It's really poorly cobbled together and you need to pay attention to firmware compatibility issues. And when you finally get it to work, it sucks. Oh well.

Hayward remotes suck so I thought if I used this product, I could adjust my pool when I was near it... no.. doesn't work like that..I have to walk around the corner of the house and within 10 ft of the control box for the remote to work. For this to work, I have to walk over near the neighbors house. It will leave the heater running, fail to turn off lights and pumps.Totally hit and miss...

Easy setup up for web access for my pool, which is Brilliant and is 80% good enough (4 stars earned).I had a strange artifact. After I connected my pool equipment, my water feature valve showed on when off, and vice versa. I had to flip the valve switch manually from on to off then on1 to correct. Very strange but it works now.I also can't yet get Alexa to work as the instructions for getting an MSP do not work for me. The instructions for Alexa setup are not provided in the package, you have to Google them. And it requires yet another account. So that part of the instructions is dreadful. No points for Alexa setup, so overall four stars.