@Riley_S 

 

Thanks. Really appreciate the reply.

Answers to your questions:

 First of all, I wouldn't say that the Kasa devices ever "disconnect". 
The problem is frequent, sluggish performance when responding to Alexa voice commands. 
There is no pattern to the problem at all - totally random.

 

When this happens, all my Kasa devices are affected (I only have Kasa brand devices - one HS200, one HS220 and eight HS103) and the Alexa app shows a message that flips between "Device Unresponsive" and "Server Unresponsive".  Meanwhile, in the Kasa app, I can manually control every Kasa device with instant response.

I have never found that the sluggish performance via Alexa voice corrects itself after  operating a device or devices manually in the Kasa app. Whatever happens to cause the problem goes away just as randomly as it occurs.

 

If I issue an Alexa voice command and nothing happens, issuing another voice command does nothing to correct things as best I can tell so I have given up on reissuing a second voice command. What I do now after issuing a voice command is wait and eventually, after a varying length of time, the device will respond to the "failed" command"  even though the Echo device reports "device is unresponsive".

 

 BTW, whether I issue the voice command to an Echo show, an Echo dot, or an Echo flex the behaviour is the same  - sometimes it works instantly and sometimes it works after a while.  If was to say how often this occurs I would say it is about 60/40 between sluggish operation and instant operation.

 

The last few lines in your response look to be intended for a different user.
However, in that response, you suggested using a guest network.
I actually tried my smart devices on my guest network but it made no difference.

 

Not being familiar with the exact network/server config between the Kasa (TP-Link) and the Amazon servers, my thought would be that those servers occasionally are not playing nice.

 

I think I have answered your questions.
Again, thanks for your attention to this problem and, if you need more info, just ask.

 

Best regards,
Lloyd
 

  @Noell @Riley_S 

 

 

 

Not being familiar with the exact network/server config between the Kasa (TP-Link) and the Amazon servers, my thought would be that those servers occasionally are not playing nice.

 

 

 

That would be my guess.

 

I've noticed Alexa will occasionally say the device is unresponsive while at the same time doing exactly what was asked (Turn ___ on / Turn ___ off). Less often there will be a delay after saying it is unresponsive, but it will nearly always do what was asked providing Alexa itself hears what was asked.

Both the Kasa and Alexa app works properly, however occasionally the Alexa app won't initially show the correct device state.

 

I'm assuming the confirmation reply from Kasa/TP-Link gets lost/delayed therefor Amazon automaticly issues that responce.

 

I have a mix of HS300, KP125, KP115, Alexa Dot's & show. Using a new TP-Link AC4000 router, previously a Netgear.

 

 

I monkeyed with firewall settings to no avail. Also, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I tried my Alexa and smart devices on my guest network but it made no difference. ...Lloyd

  @Riley_S 

To add to the puzzle.........

I forgot that I do have one smart devices that is not TP-Link/Kasa.

It is a Meross brand smart switch that has been in service for a couple of years.

Unlike my Kasa devices I have never found the Meross device slow to  turn on/turn off via Alexa voice comands.

Nor have I ever had any Echo device report the Meross device as  "Unresponsive".

 

..Lloyd

 

 

 

  @Riley_S 

No bluetooth.

The Meross switch is on the same Deco X60 Mesh system that my Kasa devices are on.

 

And thanks for the link to info on the Matter Protocall.

Sounds interesting.  Wonder how far away it is.

Looks like existing devices wil be supported probably with a firmware update i would expect.

 

...Lloyd

 

 

Now i'm thinking the delayed responses are more of an Amazon/AWS issue.

The past couple days I've noticed some other (non Kasa) switches being slow to respond to voice commands. I'll ask Alexa to switch the non Kasa then the Kasa, the Kasa responds, then the non Kasa a few seconds later.

The other devices don't return the "device unresponsive" message, so I'm wondering if it's possible for the 'timeout' to be set lower for Kasa vs others? Or how exactly does that work in the cloud, where the response originates?