There is no selection in the Model dropdown menu for starting a new thread here for the Tapo smart switches -- ironic, given that this forum is dedicated to them...

Anyway, I generally block Internet access to IoT devices unless I'm configuring them in a way that requires the manufacturer's app or checking for new firmware. For security, I only use Apple's Home Kit for remote access to IoT devices.

I also consider the LED "Auto" mode on the Tapo switch very important -- I like to be able to see the switch when it's dark, but otherwise have that LED off.

Unfortunately, when the Tapo S505D cannot reach the Internet, it obnoxiously turns its LED to a bright orange and leaves it that way. Is there a way to configure this behavior through the app? If not, are there specific hosts that the switch is 'pinging' or doing DNS lookups for that I can spoof to a local address to make the switch think it can reach the Internet?

I'm considering removing the switch from the app to see if it will stop trying to reach the Internet if it doesn't think it's registered to the cloud -- but that's a pain.

Edit: I did try removing the switch from the app, and that removes it from HomeKit as well. :-( If I re0add it just to HomeKit, it has lost its LED Auto setting as well as its Dimmer calibration settings. :-( :-( Tapo folks -- are you seriously storing your switch settings in the cloud and not on the device? Or is it just that removing it from the Tapo app explicitly resets the switch (I didn't try removing it when the app couldn't reach the switch, maybe I will). I wish there a Matter-based method of setting the LED mode and the dimmer calibration that was supported in the Matter controller app (the Apple Home app in my case).

But this really annoys me that if I have used the Tapo app to set my LED mode and dimmer calibration -- whenever my Internet goes out, all the Tapo switches are goingt to start blinking orange. Tapo engineers -- if you're reading this, this is NOT GOOD.