Lippert to end ConnectAnywhere remote service as RV electronics raise long-term repair questions
Lippert's OneControl will keep working locally, but the change shows how features in connected RVs can reach the end of their supported life, RVtravel.com reports.
Lippert is retiring its ConnectAnywhere and ConnectAnywhere 2.0 cellular and telematics services on December 31, according to RVtravel.com. Beginning January 1, 2027, cellular connectivity and remote internet access through those services will stop working.
The change does not disable Lippert's OneControl system itself. The company says local Bluetooth control near the RV will continue, as will Wi-Fi control on some installations, RVtravel.com reported.
RVtravel.com pointed out that nothing actually broke. A feature owners paid for simply reached the end of its supported service life. The outlet asked Lippert and Firefly Integrations what happens as other RV electronics age.
Lippert said owners should not assume every RV has backup controls.
"A failed touchscreen does not necessarily mean every connected function has failed," the company told RVtravel.com. But a failed controller or communications path can disable equipment that depends on it. Lippert said owners should not assume that slides, leveling, awnings, lighting, HVAC, generator controls or tank monitoring all have independent manual operation. The company recommends manual overrides for important functions, but how much redundancy a given RV has depends largely on the RV manufacturer.
Lippert also said newer OneControl components are not automatically interchangeable with older ones. Some replacements are plug-and-play. Others require programming, and some may require a newer touchscreen, a different gateway or reconfiguring the control system.
Firefly told RVtravel.com that it designs current replacement parts to work in older coaches, keeps refurbished older components and rebuilds returned cores. The company said independent and mobile technicians can diagnose, replace and configure its parts without a factory-only diagnostic computer.
“We design our support around keeping older coaches functional and on the road for the long haul.”Marshall Stutzman, Firefly marketing manager
Both companies told RVtravel.com that integrated systems have real benefits, such as replacing scattered switches with one interface and reporting faults. Lippert summed up the tradeoff this way: "The tradeoff is that convenience depends on correct configuration, compatible software and hardware generations, network communications, and the continued availability of replacement electronics."
This story rests on a single report, and several things remain unclear. The report does not say how long either company expects to keep making replacement parts for current systems. Because backup controls vary by manufacturer and model, it also cannot say what a particular owner will still be able to operate if a screen or controller fails.
RVtravel.com suggested buyers ask dealers what still works if the main touchscreen goes dark, which systems have physical switches, and what the plan is once a given electronic component is no longer made.
