lifx_controller - LIFX Bulb Controller

A Python-based command-line tool for discovering, configuring, and controlling LIFX smart bulbs on your local network. This tool provides an easy way to manage your LIFX devices, including manual configuration and various control options.

Features

🔍 Automatic device discovery on local network
⚙️ Manual device configuration with IP and MAC address
💡 Complete bulb control (power, brightness, color)
📝 Configuration persistence in JSON format
📊 Device listing and status monitoring
✅ Input validation for IP and MAC addresses
🔒 Error handling and user feedback

Installation

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/YourUsername/lifx-controller.git
cd lifx-controller

Install required dependencies:

pip install lifxlan

pip install -r requirements.txt

Usage

Device Discovery and Configuration

Automatic Discovery:

python lifx_controller.py --discover

This will scan your network for LIFX devices and prompt you to name each new device found.

Manual Device Configuration:

python lifx_controller.py --save-device <IP> <MAC> <NAME>

Example:

python lifx_controller.py --save-device 192.168.1.100 d0:73:d5:01:02:03 "Living Room"

Optional:

chmod +x lifx_controller.py

List Configured Devices:

python lifx_controller.py --list

Device Control

Power Control:

# Turn on
python lifx_controller.py --name "Living Room" --command on

# Turn off
python lifx_controller.py --name "Living Room" --command off

Brightness Control:

# Set brightness (0-65535)
python lifx_controller.py --name "Living Room" --command setBrightness --args 32768

Color Control:

# Set color (hue, saturation, brightness, kelvin)
python lifx_controller.py --name "Living Room" --command setColor --args 32768 65535 65535 3500

Device Status:

python lifx_controller.py --name "Living Room" --command status

Configuration File

The tool stores device configurations in lifx_config.json. Example structure:

{
  "devices": {
    "d0:73:d5:01:02:03": {
      "name": "Living Room",
      "ip": "192.168.1.100"
    }
  }
}

Command Reference

Command	Description	Arguments
`--discover`	Scan network for LIFX devices	None
`--save-device`	Manually add a device	`<IP> <MAC> <NAME>`
`--list`	Show all configured devices	None
`--name`	Specify device for control	Device name
`--command`	Control command to execute	Command name
`--args`	Command arguments	Varies by command

Available Commands

Command	Arguments	Description
`on`	None	Turn device on
`off`	None	Turn device off
`setBrightness`	`<value>`	Set brightness (0-65535)
`setColor`	`<hue> <saturation> <brightness> <kelvin>`	Set color properties
`status`	None	Show device status

Error Handling

The tool includes validation for:

IP address format
MAC address format
Device name conflicts
Network connectivity
Command execution

Contributing

Fork the repository
Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature)
Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some AmazingFeature')
Push to the branch (git push origin feature/AmazingFeature)
Open a Pull Request

Requirements

Python 3.6 or higher
lifxlan library
Network access to LIFX devices

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

Built with lifxlan
Inspired by the LIFX HTTP API

Authors

Thierryc - Initial work - thierryc

Support

If you encounter any issues or have questions, please:

Check the Issues page
Create a new issue if your problem isn't already listed

Known Issues

Discovery + Use Appears to Fail on LIFX Firmware 3.70

Problem

Some users have reported issues with the lifxlan library failing to discover and control LIFX devices running Firmware 3.70. This problem may occur due to outdated MAC address mappings or compatibility quirks introduced in this firmware version.

The exact root cause of the issue remains unclear.

Affected Versions

Firmware: 3.70
lifxlan: Any version

Symptoms

Devices are not discoverable.
Commands to control devices fail.

Workaround / Solution

Update MAC Address Mapping Use the official LIFX app or Apple Home to update the MAC address of your device on the network. This may help the device has been re-registered correctly with your router.
Retry Discovery After updating the MAC address:
- Restart your LIFX devices.
- Retry lifx_controller.

Made with ❤️ for the LIFX community

thierryc/lightFX