Before you start
- Have Home Assistant running and reachable from the device’s network.
- Follow the exact manufacturer’s installation instructions. Check regional variant, wiring and load limits before installing a wall device.
- Provision the device on the network using its supported Kasa/Tapo app or the documented python-kasa tool. App setup and everyday integration control are separate phases.
- Record the exact model, hardware revision, firmware version and address. A model name on the support list does not establish every revision or feature.
Tapo requires authentication. Newer Kasa devices can also require TP-Link credentials for local access, including newer revisions of older model families. Use the current integration instructions rather than assuming an unmarked model is account-free.
Add TP-Link Smart Home
- Accept discovery in Home Assistant, or open Settings → Devices & services → Add Integration → TP-Link Smart Home.
- Enter the hostname/IP address and TP-Link account credentials when requested. The account email is case-sensitive.
- If authentication or communication fails, check whether your firmware requires Third-Party Compatibility in the vendor app. In Tapo this can appear under Tapo Lab; Kasa can expose it in Settings. The option depends on the device and firmware.
- Verify each intended control and reported state. Test dimming, fan channels, individual outlets and meter entities separately when present. Product/app features do not guarantee the same Home Assistant features.
Troubleshoot the specific symptom
Device is not discovered
Discovery does not cross subnets. Use the device’s address for manual addition, check network reachability and consider a DHCP reservation. Do not disable network protections as a routine fix.
Authentication fails
Check the account email’s exact case, credentials and applicable Third-Party Compatibility setting. Capture the error and firmware version before changing configuration. Do not routinely factory-reset the device or disable updates to avoid authentication.
A feature or reading is missing
Compare the exact reviewed route and the hardware/firmware support list. Energy sensors appear only on supported devices; a model’s app feature does not prove integration exposure. Kasa power-strip child energy readings have a documented slower update interval. Missing total-consumption and update-available entities have separate explanations in the official guide.
For a support report, keep the model, revisions, Home Assistant version and error time. Follow the official debug-logging instructions, reproduce the problem, then disable debug logging and review logs before sharing.
Official sources and scope
Home Assistant: TP-Link Smart Home →
python-kasa: tested hardware and firmware →
Home Assistant: debug logs and diagnostics →
Support-list snapshot checked October 15, 2026. This first directory covers plugs, power devices and switches. Source grouping is retained for navigation and does not establish electrical form factor. Cameras need additional camera-account credentials for live view; hub-attached devices need the relevant hub and may have missing functions. Those categories are outside this first batch.
Documentation review is separate from hardware testing, US availability, certification and electrical suitability. No universal minimum firmware, energy capability, complete offline setup or remote-access method is asserted.