Other Common Issues¶
Simple fixes for less urgent problems. No technical knowledge needed. If you're unsure about any step, it's always fine to contact Daniel first.
Plex Isn't Loading¶
Plex is the app for films, TV shows, and music.
Plex runs on Lotus — the large storage box in the office outbuilding. If Lotus isn't powered on or isn't running normally, Plex won't work.
Step 1 — Check that Lotus is running
Try opening http://192.168.1.80 in a browser on home Wi-Fi. If that page loads, Lotus is running fine. If it doesn't load, Lotus may be off or still starting up — wait 5 minutes and try again.
If Lotus doesn't seem to be on, check it physically in the office. It should have lights on the front indicating it's powered.
Step 2 — If Lotus is running but Plex still isn't loading: 1. Wait 2 minutes and try again — Plex can be slow to start 2. Try from a different device or browser
Step 3 — How to restart Plex (if you're on home Wi-Fi): 1. Go to http://192.168.1.80 in your browser 2. Click Docker at the top 3. Find plex in the list 4. Click the icon to the left of "plex" 5. Choose Restart 6. Wait 2 minutes, then try Plex again
🔔 The Doorbell Isn't Working¶
The doorbell (Reolink, on the porch) works over the home Wi-Fi and does not need the internet to function.
Step 1 — Press the doorbell button
Does the chime sound inside the house?
- Yes → the doorbell is working fine. The problem may be something else.
- No → go to Step 2.
Step 2 — Reset the chime unit
The chime is plugged into the socket on the landing upstairs. Turn it off at the socket, wait 10 seconds, and turn it back on. Then press the doorbell button again to test.
This will probably fix it.
Step 3 — Check the Reolink page
If the chime is working but you want to confirm the doorbell itself is connected, you can check its status page. Open a browser and go to: https://192.168.20.132/ — or tap Reolink Doorbell on your dashboard.
You should see a live image from the doorbell camera. You don't need to change any settings — just seeing the image confirms it's connected and working.
If you can't reach that page at all, or the doorbell is completely unresponsive, contact Daniel.
The House Alarm¶
The house alarm is a Ring system and works independently of Home Assistant — it has its own battery backup and does not need the internet or any of the homelab servers to function.
🔐 Alarm modes¶
| Mode | What triggers the alarm |
|---|---|
| Armed (Away) | Any door/window contact sensor opening, or any motion detected |
| Home | Door/window contact sensors only — motion sensors won't trigger |
| Off | Alarm is disarmed |
🎛️ How to control the alarm¶
Keypad — the keypad is normally kept on the wall in the living room. It has an internal battery so it can be moved around if needed. Use the keypad to arm, set to home mode, or disarm. This always works — even if the internet is down or the Ring app isn't available.
Ring app — when the internet is working, you can also arm and disarm from the Ring app on your phone.
If the internet is down, the app won't work — use the keypad instead.
"Alexa, Goodnight"¶
Saying "Alexa, Goodnight" will: - Set the alarm to Home mode - Turn off the downstairs lights (the porch light stays on) - Turn off a few things that shouldn't be left on overnight - Check nothing big has been left switched on, like the cooker
Alexa should say "Goodnight" back straight away. If something is still using a lot of power, she'll add "the house is using more power than usual, check your phone" about five seconds later, and Daniel's phone gets the details.
⚠️ This changed on 28 July 2026. It used to run entirely on Amazon's side, so it worked even when the home servers were down. It now relies on Home Assistant. If Home Assistant or Lotus is down, saying "Alexa, Goodnight" will do nothing at all — no lights off, no alarm.
If that happens, arm the alarm from the keypad instead. The keypad always works and doesn't depend on any of this. Turn the lights off with the switches or the Hue app as normal.
Not sure whether it worked? Check the keypad shows Home mode, and look at whether the downstairs lights actually went off.
📍 Where the hardware is¶
| Device | Location |
|---|---|
| Keypad | Living room wall (normally) — can be moved, has battery |
| Base station | Under the wardrobe in the bedroom — has own battery backup |
| Range extender | Plugged into the wall in the kitchen |
| Outdoor siren | Back wall of the house outside — battery powered |
🚨 If the alarm goes off unexpectedly¶
Disarm it using the keypad or the Ring app. If you're not sure what triggered it, you can check the Ring app for a log of which sensor was activated.
🔊 Something Is Making an Unusual Noise¶
- Clicking or grinding from one of the box-shaped NAS devices → Contact Daniel immediately. This can mean a hard drive is failing.
- Fan noise during or after a power cut → Normal. It should quiet down after a few minutes.
- Beeping → Take a photo of any lights or messages and contact Daniel.
❓ I Don't Know What's Wrong¶
That's okay. Here's what to do:
- Take note of what you were trying to do and what happened
- Check if this documentation still loads: https://docs.djchome.uk
- Contact Daniel with a description of what you noticed
You don't need to fix everything yourself. Some things are perfectly fine to leave until Daniel is back.