Vera Please fix your uncontrolled addition of non existant devices! (Phantom)

I think I had around 30 phantom devices and most of them would not go away when I deleted them. So I did a factory reset and started from scratch. My VeraLite had been getting very slow, but it was noticably snappier after the reset. I immediately took a complete back up of the system after I reconfigured it. So unfortunatly my solution is to periodically wipe everything and restore the backup. I would seriously consider dumping my vera if it didn’t integrate so well with Tasker.

You can call vera and they will remove them for you.

Not mutch of a help.

Complaining here will not get Vera to fix things …
Members here may be able to help you work around problems.

If you want things fixed call there Support lines or contact them via their Social Media presence.

If I was associated with a company that really cared … I’d be watching these posts like a hawk … Think maybe you’ve just highlighted the problem …

I think you don’t know who MIOS/VERA is catering too. A hint: It’s not so much us on the forums.

Also there is about 2 people that watch vera forums and their social media when they have a chance. There is alot more (maybe double? LOL) in their support/call center.

I was also a victim of this issue on my Vera Edge and was unable to delete the phony devices. Every time I tried to rid my configuration of the ghost devices, they would show up again with a UI refresh. I did come across a post, and sorry I don’t recall where or I would give them props here, in which I found the trick to actually getting rid of the imaginary devices to change their Parent ID to 1 and then delete the fraudulent device. After deleting the fictitious devices the way I mentioned previous mentioned the impostor devices have yet to return. I suspect the sham devices might return again when I add another actual device as that is when the concocted devices showed up the first time. The other weird thing I noted about the issue is that, for me at least, the devices in sheep clothing would always show up on the same, one of two, thermostat devices I have created.

A quick ‘poll’:

Are you using a Vera Lite, Edge, 3, etc.?

When are the phantom devices created?

The reason I ask is I had similar issues adding Aeon Gen5 Multi Sensors to a Vera Lite but they went away when I switched to a Vera Edge. It also eliminated the failed exchange of security credential warning.

I was just hit again and in one swoop I have 12 imaginary new motion sensors and 1 smoke detector. The smoke detector and 3 motion all are now a sub of the same thermostat as before and the other 9 motion sensors are now subs of one of my Aeotec 6-in-1 Multisensor.

This time the devices showed up when I created embedded child devices in the Harmony remote plugin. I hadn’t done that before as the Harmony device was added after the first bunch of times devices just appeared.

Pain in the butt.

[quote=“wizard76, post:15, topic:190099”]A quick ‘poll’:

Are you using a Vera Lite, Edge, 3, etc.?

When are the phantom devices created?

The reason I ask is I had similar issues adding Aeon Gen5 Multi Sensors to a Vera Lite but they went away when I switched to a Vera Edge. It also eliminated the failed exchange of security credential warning.[/quote]

I have had problems with MIMOlite on Vera EDGE

Phantom devices found today: 4 motion sensors and 1 smoke detector.
I do have Fibaro multisensors and First Alert CO/Smoke detector. Info just to see if there is rhyme of reason to the phantom devices.
Running on Edge and 1.7.1598

I’ve got a Qubino relay creating 10 motion sensors each time.

I can re-configure and they disappear for a few days then slowly take up residence again.

I have the phantom motion sensors (and smoke sensors) problem, too. They show up as child devices of two Aeon Smart Switches (DSC06106).

This has been happening for months. The counts of the phantom devices keeps growing over time (had 13 motion sensors and 2 smoke sensors just now).

I tried the “configure node” trick of a previous poster (clicking on Devices, picking the smart switch device, then Advanced, then Commands, then “Configure node right now”. Doing this caused all the phantom devices to disappear. Thank you for that tip!

– Mike

There was another post about a similar problem somewhere else, where the poster couldn’t delete the phantom devices. I had a similar problem where I had 10 _Motion Sensors appear in my garage and for the life of me I couldn’t get them to go away.

The trick, if you can’t delete them, is to change the parent id value for the undeletable sensor from the controlling device to 1 so the Vera can do something with it. It’s only been about 24 hours and they haven’t come back. Hopefully, they don’t, but I wanted to post this information here so that others might see it if they had the same problem.

This worked 100% for me, thanks for the post…

[quote=“ceefin, post:21, topic:190099”]There was another post about a similar problem somewhere else, where the poster couldn’t delete the phantom devices. I had a similar problem where I had 10 _Motion Sensors appear in my garage and for the life of me I couldn’t get them to go away.

The trick, if you can’t delete them, is to change the parent id value for the undeletable sensor from the controlling device to 1 so the Vera can do something with it. It’s only been about 24 hours and they haven’t come back. Hopefully, they don’t, but I wanted to post this information here so that others might see it if they had the same problem.[/quote]

I have had this issue for a long time on my Edge, after some reboots more devices get added. All have parent ID of the Aeon Labs HEM, I used to delete them but now they will not even delete. Support got rid of them but they also managed to make the HEM inoperable so I had to remove and add to the system. Now I am getting them again, so they are treating the symptoms but not the cause. I fear that if I ask for help again it will be the same outcome.

UGH. All of a sudden, 6 motion sensors appear out of nowhere. No changes to the system or anything. Good job GetVera.

I am using vera lite UI7. I have a very simple system, 4-Aeon plugs, 2-Aeon minimotes and 1’ GE light switches. About once a week I get phantom entries. I use a back up of my conf to get rid of them, otherwise some won’t delete.

Recommendation to Vera, there is a button on the devise page to add devices, why not have a button that locks the controller from accepting any new additions. It seems like this would already be an automatic function that a device can’t be added unless the “add device” button is selected.

[quote=“mhawley, post:20, topic:190099”]I have the phantom motion sensors (and smoke sensors) problem, too. They show up as child devices of two Aeon Smart Switches (DSC06106).

This has been happening for months. The counts of the phantom devices keeps growing over time (had 13 motion sensors and 2 smoke sensors just now).

I tried the “configure node” trick of a previous poster (clicking on Devices, picking the smart switch device, then Advanced, then Commands, then “Configure node right now”. Doing this caused all the phantom devices to disappear. Thank you for that tip!

– Mike[/quote]

Following up on Mike’s fix, I had 5 motion sensors and 1 smoke sensor appear with parent IDs split between to two 4-in-1 Aeon sensors. Deleted the spare devices first time around and it wiped the temp/lux/humdity for each of the parent sensors which was annoying as I’d saved a few months worth of data against them. Tried the configure node now trick for the parent device and that cleared all the spare devices for that node as well as the temp/lux/humidty nodes, so didn’t win either way really.

+1 for fixing this problem Vera.

Ezmotion+ is a phantom device creator. Only way to remove them is remove entire device. Add it and then after a short whil they come back…