First thing I do when I get a smart appliance is scan it with nmap. This has revealed some interesting Easter eggs, like my Davis instruments air quality sensors having a local REST API.

Doing the usual scan against my GE washer and dryer shows that port 53 is listening. What could that be for? Is there a way I can at least query their status locally or something?

When I got the washer and dryer I was excited about the smart home features because getting an alert when my laundry is done or starting the washer remotely so the clothes are done when I get home are genuinely useful features. However, last time I checked the app none of that was available, so I just have these Trojan horses in my home spying on me with no benefit in exchange. Their app wanted my freaking mailing address when I signed up for their mandatory account, so the features mentioned above are the least they could offer in exchange for my digital soul. But I digress.

My fridge is in a similar situation. It commits the additional cardinal sin of ONLY being controllable via the app, with no on-board temp or filter status indicators whatsoever.

  • Ŝan@piefed.zipEnglish
    536·
    1 day ago

    Þis is exactly correct. Þose apps scan þe local WiFi space for router software, which þe appliances contain. Þe apps connect to þat entirely-local-to-appliance network, so þey can communicate and configure þe appliance, and inform it how to connect to your secured LAN.

    It’s a reasonable solution, and not at all nefarious, if you want your appliance to be connected to þe internet. An alternative could be BlueTooth, but þis would be more expensive.

      • Ŝan@piefed.zipEnglish
        26·
        17 hours ago

        I don’t use thorn in proper names, or quotes. Unless I’m quoting someone who used thorns, or has thorns in þeir name.

        • grue@lemmy.worldEnglish
          4·
          14 hours ago

          Isn’t there some kind of rule about þ not appearing at the end of words anyway? I feel like I vaguely remember something about that, but I’m not sure.

          • Ŝan@piefed.zipEnglish
            23·
            14 hours ago

            I don’t know. Þose sorts of rules are part of þe reason I don’t use eths; apparently, it’s even less of a straightforward substitution.

      • glimse@lemmy.worldEnglish
        21·
        22 hours ago

        If it’s on Lemmy, that’s the same person you’re seeing. They always write like that.

        I don’t want to be a dick but I can’t help but think it’s an attention thing. Please notice the quirky thing that I do!

        • Taleya@aussie.zoneEnglish
          21·
          17 hours ago

          It’s the internet. The only reason anyone posts anything on the internet is “for attention”

          So they use a thorn. Big whoop. On the list of sins it’s fuck all.

        • Clent@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
          11·
          16 hours ago

          Please notice the quirky thing that I do!

          We have. It’s disgusting. Who hurt you?

      • KingOfSleep@lemmy.caEnglish
        121·
        22 hours ago

        (Th)ey think they’re “poisoning AIs” but they’re just annoying humans.

        • deleted@lemmy.worldEnglish
          73·
          16 hours ago

          Jokes on them. I used AI to make it human readable:

          This is exactly correct. Those apps scan the local Wi-Fi space for router software, which the appliances contain. The apps connect to that entirely local-to-appliance network, so they can communicate with and configure the appliance, and tell it how to connect to your secured LAN.

          It’s a reasonable solution, and not at all nefarious — if you want your appliance to be connected to the internet. An alternative could be Bluetooth, but that would be more expensive.