Off-the-shelf WiFi push button receiver

I can’t think of a proper name for the device I want. It has to respond to a command over wifi, and, as a result, close a contact momentarily, simulating the press of a button.

And it must be available off the shelf. I would have no problem buying an ESP8266 and programming it to do what I want, but this is for someone else, and I’m not prepared to put in that number of hours of work for free for them!

The idea is to provide a remote start for a machine, most likely from a running application, and very likely in the middle of the night because that’s when electricity is cheap.

do you mean something like the sonoff devices:
https://sonoff.tech/products/
or laser (rebadged) type:
https://www.gadgets4geeks.com.au/laser-wifi-smart-home-controller-plug-power-socket-switch

I use the TP link smart plugs – I use the Kasa ones rather than the newer Tapo models as the Kasa ones can be used without TP Link’s cloud if needed – i have yet to set them up on this but believe they work with the OpenHab system. The TP Link cloud works well though and I have exhaust fans, lights, a radio, beer fridge/freezer conversion etc all working on them. Even have some on a remote PC/Server to reset it if required should the VNC connection not work for whatever reason. They can happily switch 10A.
https://www.tp-link.com/uk/home-networking/smart-plug/

I see openhab as a good solution to these sorts of things when the various cloud services no longer function (thereby still enabling use of one’s devices and also keeping control on premises if that is important to you)
https://www.openhab.org/
I have sourced a RPi3 for running openhab as to my mind it has sufficient grunt without having too much of a power overhead, enabling it to be left running.
Whilst the Pi4 and Pi5 would be smoother they use a fair bit more power, especially for something that is sitting idle 99% of the time.

I have a windows tool to that can also control the TP Link devices – as i believe the API is available. It’s not perfect but it does work.
https://github.com/chrisstubbs93/HS100-WIN-CONTROL

If you could adapt it or write something similar to get it working with RISC OS that would be fantastic.

That windows tool for tp link is written by a Chris Stubbs based in the UK….
know there is a Michael Stubbs about but have a vague recollection that there was a Chris Stubbs involved in the RISC OS / BBC scene back in the day…

I’ve got some Sonoff smart plugs. The first thing I did when I got them was to flash them with Tasmota so that they didn’t need anyone’s external server – the control is purely local.

(If anyone is thinking of using these devices, I can say that I was very favourably impressed by the internal design – the low voltage supply is fully isolated from the mains, and the design and construction respect the required clearance and creepage distances. Good stuff.)

But they don’t simulate the push of a momentary switch – they are complete power on or off devices. Not what I’m looking for.

Google query of “Remote momentary switch” brings possibles

Something like this ?

Something like this ?

Two items of non-compliance with the request from Dave :)

1. It seems to be an on/off latched status as opposed to what Dave requested “It has to respond to a command over wifi, and, as a result, close a contact momentarily, simulating the press of a button.”
2. Discontinued…

I think number two is a showstopper.

> 2. Discontinued…

err… if you google that, there are still on sale (newer models)

edit: check pls the specs of “Shelly 1 Mini Gen3” , the output is configurable, eg as
“Momentary Switch (Button only)”

If you were to carry on reading, I think that’s talking about the web control, not the actual switch, because it says:

Momentary Switch (Button only) – Every push of the button toggles the state of the device output. If your switch is ON, it will turn OFF, and vice versa.

I guess it could be faked by sending whatever URL turns the switch on followed by the one to turn it off?
Or does it used some advanced browser mojo to mean you can only fiddle the switch settings one you’re correctly logged in which isn’t a simple “here’s my password” that can be sent as, say, a POST request?

There’s no shortage of devices that respond to a command by changing the state of a relay rated for switching mains.

Yes, I can of course get two commands sent, one to close the relay and one to open it again. I’m asking if the ideal exists before having to settle for second best.

There’s another likely problem: things that require the push of a button to start are normally low voltage and very low current – they are switching an electronic control circuit, so it’s probably 5 volts and less than 5 milliamps. Mains-rated relays are not good at that job; they cease to make reliable contact because there’s no “wetting current”. So it would probably mean desoldering the mains relay and substituting a reed relay. Or maybe a transistor will do – it depends on how the control system interrogates its real push button.