The WiFi router fever...

[Externet]

Greetings.
Why manufacturers of inverters believe everyone uses/has/needs/wants WiFi routers ?
My inverter cannot report its performance to my smart phone. Growatt customer service is lost in space; if I have the solar system in a barn by the farmlands away from internet providers, I cannot monitor what is going on. They want you connected to their internet server.
My printer connects to my smart phone WiFi direct, there is no router at my location. Inverters cannot ? ?

Anyone here has a solution to do the direct linking, or to get performance reports without complications ?

 

[Hedges]

Because 99% of the market has an internet box with WiFi, and this avoids running a cable.

My inverters have Ethernet or RS-485 daughter cards. The Ethernet can either plug into my PC with a crossover cable, or into a router. The RS-485 daisy-chains multiple inverters with a data logger box, which in turn has Ethernet jack for similar use. I connect my laptop to use as air-gapped private network, avoiding internet vulnerabilities.

SMA WebBox vulnerabilities

Got SMA WebBox connected. It is able to see the SB5000 and SI-6048 I'm using, display and presumably alter their parameters. My unit has RS-485 for communication with inverters and Ethernet for PC/network (other models have Bluetooth but lack legacy networks.) Reading that it supports FTP with...

diysolarforum.com

Some inverters have Bluetooth, so they can connect directly to smartphones. At this moment, supply chain issues might leave some without that installed.

This grid-tie inverter has WiFi and Ethernet ports, network or direct connect (page 52)

https://files.sma.de/downloads/SBxx-1SP-US-41-IA-xx-13.pdf

You can probably set up a local WiFi router, either with a PC serving that function, or using a separate router. "Router" assigns Ethernet addresses, while "Switch" just passes them through. I have an old DSL 4-port + WiFi router. I just powered it up and plugged in cables from my inverter daughter card and my laptop. Something like this:

Netgear AC1200 Dual-Band Long Range WiFi Router 1.2Gbps, R6620 | eBay

Maintain high security across your network to ensure your privacy and family is safe online. NETGEAR has you covered. Warranty Netgear Refurbished Product Warranty. Simultaneous dual band WiFi. Compatible with current and future WiFi devices.

www.ebay.com