Can You Control Smart Plugs Away From Home?

Smart plugs are a convenient and cost-effective way to turn any home into a smart home, offering a wide array of clever uses around the house. These devices allow you to remotely control any device they are connected to, but the best part is that since smart plugs rely on the internet, you can remotely control them from across the house or around the world. While these are super helpful to have throughout your home, keep in mind that smart plugs can also save you money in the long run.

While the operation may be limited to simply turning the device on or off, it's the remote-control functionality that makes smart plugs a valuable upgrade. Even if you don't opt for one of the best smart plugs on the market, you can still use them to power devices on or off from just about anywhere, as long as both the smart plug and the device you are using have internet access. So, if you're in bed, on the couch, or out of town, smart plugs are a smart buy.

To remotely control a smart plug when you are away, you will need the plug's companion app. Almost every manufacturer has one, and it is usually available on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. It's the same app that you use to monitor energy consumption or set up schedules for connected devices. For instance, it's the "Kasa Smart app" for the Kasa Smart Plug and the "TP-Link Tapo" app for the Tapo Smart Plug. Many smart plugs also work with the smart home apps natively available on Android and iOS. If you are using the TP-Link Tapo smart plug, simply launch the app, select the smart plug from the list, and tap the power button to turn it on or off, the same way you would at home. If the smart plug supports voice control, you can use that as well. 

As for connecting the smart plug to a Wi-Fi network, you should ideally have done this while setting up the smart plug for the first time. If the smart plug doesn't work very well when controlled remotely, it could be a poor network connection to blame. To address that, you may need to set up a Wi-Fi extender or a mesh network to boost signal strength. This will improve Wi-Fi signals to the smart plug, ensuring smooth remote operations.