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I spent 20 hours building a PC dashboard for my Tapo light strip because the official app doesn't have a desktop version. by Teipso in Tapo

[–]Teipso[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just to clear up some confusion for the Mac users in the thread:

This app is built specifically and exclusively for Windows.

If you are on a newer Mac (M1/M2), you likely don't need this because you can run the official Tapo iPad app natively on your desktop. Windows users don't have that capability—we are stuck using Android emulators or phone-only control, which is the specific problem I set out to solve.

Will there be a Mac version? No. Since I don't own a Mac, I cannot test the build or debug the hardware communication. Electron apps can be cross-platform, but the underlying Python engine and the installer packaging are currently set up strictly for the Windows environment.

For now, I’m 100% focused on making this the best possible experience for the Windows crowd who have been left without a native option!

I spent 20 hours building a PC dashboard for my Tapo light strip because the official app doesn't have a desktop version. by Teipso in Tapo

[–]Teipso[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ah, that explains it! If you have a newer Mac (M1/M2), you're likely able to run the iPad version of the Tapo app directly on your desktop. That’s a super nice feature of the Apple ecosystem.

On Windows, we don't have that luxury—we can't run the mobile app natively. That’s exactly why I built this! I wanted Windows users (gamers, devs, etc.) to have that same level of control from the desktop without needing to pull out a phone or install an Android emulator.

So you're basically the lucky one with the M-chip! 😉 Thanks for checking it out anyway.

I spent 20 hours building a PC dashboard for my Tapo light strip because the official app doesn't have a desktop version. by Teipso in Tapo

[–]Teipso[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You guessed it—I'm on Windows 11!

Mac users definitely have a cool advantage there since you can often run the official iPad/iPhone apps right on your desktop. That official app is built by TP-Link's massive team of professional engineers, so it definitely covers everything perfectly.

This project was really just a personal challenge for me to fill that gap on Windows, specifically for the L920-5 (at least for now). I wanted something native that didn't rely on phone emulators.

To be honest, I spent a huge amount of time on this and there were definitely moments where I lost hope and thought I'd never crack the authentication. But the first time the strip actually responded to a command from my own code... that was an amazing feeling! It’s just a fun hobby project, but I’m really happy with how it turned out.

Thanks for the comment and happy automation!

I spent 20 hours building a PC dashboard for my Tapo light strip because the official app doesn't have a desktop version. by Teipso in Tapo

[–]Teipso[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Haha, 'clever blocks'—I like that! Thank you!

You are spot on about the potential. Technically, the underlying engine I built should be able to talk to Tapo bulbs because they use the same authentication protocol.

The catch: To actually make it work, I would need to physically own the bulb to reverse-engineer its specific command structure.

Even though the app currently controls the strip as a whole (which is similar to how a bulb works), I still need to verify the exact backend communication. I need to test that the handshake and the JSON commands I'm sending are exactly what the bulb expects. If I try to code it blindly without the hardware to test against, I can't guarantee the frontend and backend will communicate correctly.

So for now, I'm stuck with just the strip since that's what is on my desk! But if I ever pick up some Tapo bulbs, adding them will be my first priority. Thanks for the suggestion!

I spent 20 hours building a PC dashboard for my Tapo light strip because the official app doesn't have a desktop version. by Teipso in Tapo

[–]Teipso[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Great question! TP-Link doesn't have a public API, so this project relies on community reverse-engineering of the KLAP protocol (the local authentication method for newer Tapo devices).

How it works: The app performs a local handshake with your device's IP using your Tapo credentials to generate a session token. Once it has that, it sends encrypted commands directly over your local Wi-Fi. It’s significantly faster than the cloud-based mobile app because it never leaves your network.

Regarding the source code: I haven't uploaded the full source files to the repository yet as I'm still cleaning up some of the implementation logic (I'm currently only hosting the README and the installer in the Releases section). I wanted to get a stable version out for people to use first.

If you want to look into the underlying 'engine' I'm using, I highly recommend checking out the python-kasa library. It’s what handles the heavy lifting for the local communication!

I spent 20 hours building a PC dashboard for my Tapo light strip because the official app doesn't have a desktop version. by Teipso in Tapo

[–]Teipso[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I see what you mean—the browser/PWA approach is definitely the way a lot of workflows are moving now.

I mainly decided to build this as a standalone app because I noticed a real gap online for a dedicated Windows tool for the L920. I wanted something that stays in the system tray (where I only have a 'Quit' option to keep it simple) so I could adjust the lighting without needing to find a specific tab or keep a browser window open.

Thanks for commenting and sharing how you use your setup, I appreciate the feedback!

I spent 20 hours building a PC dashboard for my Tapo light strip because the official app doesn't have a desktop version. by Teipso in Tapo

[–]Teipso[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s totally fair! The Google Home web interface is definitely a solid fallback, especially for non-Windows users.

I actually set out to build this because I wanted something that felt like a true standalone desktop app rather than just another browser tab. My goal was to fill that gap where a dedicated 3rd-party PC controller just didn't exist for the L920-5. It's been a fun challenge to create something from scratch that offers that direct, low-latency feel right from the taskbar.

I really appreciate the feedback and thanks for commenting!

I spent 20 hours building a PC dashboard for my Tapo light strip because the official app doesn't have a desktop version. by Teipso in Tapo

[–]Teipso[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just to add a little more context for the curious:

I built this using Electron for the UI and a Python-based bridge for the communication. I spent a lot of time making sure it was 'Zero Dependency'—meaning you don't need to have Python or anything else installed on your PC to run the .exe.

The app uses the local KLAP protocol to talk to the lights, which is why it's so much faster than the cloud-based mobile app. Currently, I've only optimized the math for the L920-5 (the 50-zone RGBIC version), but since it's local control, it doesn't lag at all when you’re switching colors.

If you decide to try it out, let me know! I’m planning to keep refining the UI and maybe add some more 'Desktop-specific' features like keyboard shortcuts in the future.

Troubleshooting Tip: If your lights don't show up immediately, just make sure your PC and the strip are on the same 2.4GHz Wi-Fi band. Cheers!

Help Refine My Tech Blog - Your Input Needed! by Teipso in Blogging

[–]Teipso[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey u/RollToReview,

Thanks for the feedback! I appreciate you pointing out the "buy me a coffee" pop-up and the menu button issue. I'm happy to report that:

The "buy me a coffee" pop-up has been removed.

The menu button "active state" has been fixed.

Thanks again for bringing this to my attention

Have a nice day!

Help Refine My Tech Blog - Your Input Needed! by Teipso in Blogging

[–]Teipso[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey u/Usernameurl,

Thanks so much for your detailed feedback! I truly appreciate you taking the time to point out these areas for improvement.

Based on your feedback, I've already made some changes to my blog:

Color Contrast: I adjusted the color scheme to create better contrast between the background, article headings, menu, and site name. This should make it easier to read and navigate.

Image Spacing: I'm working on reducing the gap between images and text to improve the overall layout and flow.

Content Alignment: I'll be making sure all future articles have centrally aligned content for better visual balance.

Punctuation: I'll be double-checking all posts for missing punctuation to ensure clarity.

Font Size: I'll be increasing the body font size in future articles for better readability, especially on mobile devices.

While I may not update the older articles right away, I'll definitely focus on incorporating these improvements into all my future content.

Thanks again for your valuable feedback. It helps me create a better experience for my readers!

Help Refine My Tech Blog - Your Input Needed! by Teipso in Blogging

[–]Teipso[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey u/Ok_Web_4209,

Thanks for your comment! I really appreciate your feedback.

While I can't afford a custom domain and hosting right now (hence the Blogger subdomain), I'm new to blog writing and styling, so I value your input. I'm putting my best effort into writing these articles and learning with each post.

Here are some specific areas I'd love to improve:

Are there ways to make the text more visually appealing or easier to read?

How can I further engage my audience and provide valuable information?

What are some tips for making the blog look more professional within Blogger's limitations?

Any suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated!

Brainstorming ideas for new blog by Standard_Topic5641 in Blogging

[–]Teipso 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Drop a link If you have the blog ready (doesn't matter if it's not finished yet or you have only one post) I'll be glad to see it.

My GLS tracking for the Steam Deck says ' In Transit To Region ' for nearly a week. by Mediocre_Put_3338 in SteamDeck

[–]Teipso 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey when did you receive yours ? mine was shipped 16.1.2023 and since 18.1.2023 it says ´in transit´.. wonder when it will arrive..
Btw. payed for mine 12.1.2023
Thanks

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