WS523 Smart Socket: 5 Best Uses for a LoRaWAN Plug

TL;DR: The Milesight WS523 is a LoRaWAN smart socket that sits between a wall socket and an appliance. It switches the load on or off from a button or remotely, measures voltage, current, power factor, power and kWh to typically ±3%, alarms on overcurrent and reports when the mains fails. Its best jobs are remote reboots of unmanned equipment, out-of-hours switch-off and finding which appliances waste energy. The UK version is limited to 13 A and it is not a billing meter.

Last updated: 14 September 2026

Key takeaways

The WS523 smart socket plugs into a normal wall socket and puts any plug-in appliance under remote on and off control over LoRaWAN.
It measures voltage, current, power factor, active power and kWh, typically to ±3% and at most ±5%, according to its datasheet.
It is a Class C LoRaWAN device, so it listens all the time and acts on a remote command without waiting for its next report.
A built-in capacitor lets it send a power outage alert when the mains fails, which makes it a cheap power-cut detector for remote sites.
The UK version is rated 13 A, is IP20 for dry indoor use, and at £62.85 ex VAT is management data, not a billing meter.

What is the Milesight WS523?

The Milesight WS523 is a smart socket: a plug-through adapter that goes between a wall socket and an appliance, with a relay to switch the appliance and a meter to measure what it draws. It reports over LoRaWAN, so it works across a whole building from one gateway rather than relying on Wi-Fi at every socket.

The WS523 product page describes it as a socket for remote on and off control and power consumption measurement, and it is made in regional versions. The UK version is part number 13A-UK, a Type G plug rated at 13 A, and it carries UKCA marking on its approvals list.

Because it is mains powered, the WS523 runs as a LoRaWAN Class C device. Battery sensors wake, send and sleep, which makes them slow to receive commands. A Class C smart socket keeps its receiver open, so a switch-off command sent from a dashboard arrives as soon as the gateway can transmit it.

Milesight WS523 smart socket between a wall socket and an appliance, reporting voltage, current, power and kWh over LoRaWAN — A plug in the middle that switches, measures and reports.

What does the WS523 measure?

The WS523 measures five electrical values on the load plugged into it: supply voltage, current, power factor, active power in watts and cumulative energy in kWh. The datasheet gives typical accuracy of ±3%, a maximum of ±5%, and an optional ±1% version to order.

That is good enough to answer the questions most estates and facilities teams actually ask. Which kitchen appliance draws power all night? Does the water boiler in the staff room ever switch off? What does a vending machine cost to run over a year? None of those need billing-grade accuracy, and a smart socket answers them per appliance, which a meter on the whole circuit cannot.

What it reports	Why it is useful
Voltage	Spots low or unstable supply at a remote site
Current	Shows when an appliance is actually running
Power factor	Separates motor and electronic loads from simple heaters
Active power	Instant draw, for spotting standby loads
Energy in kWh	Running total for cost per appliance
Overcurrent alarm	Warns before a load trips a breaker or overheats
Power outage alert	Reports that the mains has failed

What the WS523 reports: voltage, current, power factor, active power, kWh, overcurrent and power outage alerts — Five measurements and two alarms from one plug.

What are the best uses for a LoRaWAN smart socket?

The best uses for a LoRaWAN smart socket are the jobs where one appliance needs to be switched or watched from somewhere else, and where Wi-Fi is not available or not trusted. Five come up again and again.

Remote reboot of unmanned equipment. A 4G router, a CCTV recorder or a signage player that locks up at a remote site usually needs someone to switch it off and on. Plugged into a WS523, it can be power cycled from a dashboard, and a delay switch can turn it back on after a set time.
Out-of-hours switch-off. Water boilers, printers, display screens and heaters left on overnight can be switched off together using multicast, which sends one command to a group of sockets at once.
Finding the energy wasters. Put a smart socket on each suspect appliance for a month and the kWh totals rank them. It is the cheapest way to turn an energy survey from guesses into numbers.
Power cut detection. Its capacitor lets it report that mains has failed. At a remote pumping or telemetry site, that alert can arrive before the equipment on battery backup runs down.
Proving an appliance is running. Current draw shows whether a dehumidifier, fan or trace heater is actually working, not just switched on at the wall.

For fixed loads such as distribution circuits, a clamp is the better tool, and our LoRaWAN current transformer guide covers those.

Five uses for the Milesight WS523: remote reboot, out-of-hours switch-off, energy survey, power cut detection and proof of running — The jobs where a switch you can reach from anywhere pays for itself.

What are the WS523’s limits?

The WS523 smart socket is a plug-in device with a relay inside, so its limits are electrical first and radio second. Check four things before you plug anything important into one.

13 A is the ceiling on the UK version. Electrical Safety First advises that everything plugged into a socket or extension lead should not exceed 13 amps. A 3 kW heater runs close to that limit continuously, so give high loads a dedicated circuit rather than a smart socket.
It is for dry indoor spaces. It is rated IP20 and for -20°C to 60°C at 10% to 90% humidity, non-condensing. Kitchens with steam, outdoor sockets and wash-down areas need a different solution.
It is not a billing meter. At ±3% typical and ±5% maximum, it is excellent management data but not a basis for recharging tenants for electricity.
Remote switching needs rules. Anything that must never lose power, such as a freezer, a server or medical equipment, should not sit on a remotely switched socket. Use the button lock and keep critical loads off the switching group.

There is also a radio consideration. Remote commands travel from the gateway to the socket as LoRaWAN downlinks, and gateways share limited transmit time under UK duty cycle rules, so a smart socket is for switching now and then, not for fast repeated control. Our post on LoRaWAN duty cycle limits explains why.

Limits of the WS523: 13 A maximum on the UK version, IP20 indoor rating, ±3% to ±5% accuracy, and keeping critical loads off remote switching — Four limits that decide where a smart socket belongs.

How does the WS523 compare with a Wi-Fi smart plug?

A Wi-Fi smart plug is cheaper and fine for a home. A LoRaWAN smart socket is built for estates, remote sites and business networks where Wi-Fi coverage is patchy, IT policy blocks consumer devices, or the equipment being controlled is the network itself.

The difference that matters most is the remote reboot. When a router locks up, a Wi-Fi plug on that router is unreachable, because it depended on the router. A WS523 reaches its gateway over LoRaWAN, so it can still be switched when the local network is down. Across a building, one gateway also covers every socket, where Wi-Fi plugs each need a good signal where they sit.

It also integrates cleanly with building systems. The gateway can forward the smart socket’s data over MQTT or HTTP, or publish it as BACnet/IP or Modbus TCP, depending on the gateway model. Milesight’s related WS501, WS513 and WS558 switches are compared in our guide to Milesight smart switches.

How much does a WS523 cost?

The WS523 smart socket is listed at £62.85 ex VAT on Indiott, typically dispatched within 14 working days, with UK delivery at £14.25 ex VAT per order. For UK sites, order the 13A-UK version with the Type G plug. It needs a LoRaWAN gateway within range; if you do not already have one, the UG63 mini gateway runs its own network server for up to 20 devices.

Setting one up takes minutes: configure it with Milesight’s app over NFC, join it to the gateway, plug it into the wall and plug the appliance into it. No electrician is needed, because nothing is wired.

Frequently asked questions

Can the WS523 switch a load remotely?

Yes. It can be switched with its local button or remotely by a LoRaWAN downlink, and as a Class C device it acts on the command without waiting for its next scheduled report.

How accurate is the WS523’s energy measurement?

The datasheet gives typical accuracy of ±3% and a maximum of ±5%, with a ±1% version available to order. That suits energy surveys and appliance monitoring rather than billing.

Does the WS523 work in the UK?

Yes. The 13A-UK version has a Type G plug and a 13 A maximum, and UKCA is listed among its approvals. It uses the 868 MHz LoRaWAN band used in the UK and Europe.

Will a smart socket tell me about a power cut?

Yes. The WS523 has a capacitor that powers a power outage alert when the mains fails, so the gateway learns about the cut even though the socket has lost its supply.

Can I use a WS523 outdoors?

No. It is rated IP20 for dry indoor locations from -20°C to 60°C and 10% to 90% humidity, non-condensing.

One plug, reachable from anywhere

The WS523 smart socket is the simplest way to put a plug-in appliance under remote control and measurement, especially where Wi-Fi cannot be trusted. Keep high loads and critical equipment off it, and it will pay for itself on the first remote reboot that saves a site visit.

See the WS523 on Indiott for live pricing, or look at our energy monitoring kit for circuit-level data across a building.

By GP, Indiott.

Milesight WS523 Smart Socket: Remote Switching and Plug-Level Energy Data Over LoRaWAN