An environment controller, comprising: a communication module comprising: a Wi-Fi hotspot functionality, the Wi-Fi hotspot functionality establishing a local Wi-Fi hotspot and exchanging environmental data with other devices through the local Wi-Fi hotspot; and a Wi-Fi client functionality, the Wi-Fi client functionality simultaneously directly associating the environment controller with a remote Wi-Fi hotspot and exchanging environmental data with other devices through the remote Wi-Fi hotspot; and a processing module, the processing module performing at least one of the two following operations: a first operation comprising receiving an environmental characteristic value generated by a sensor via the Wi-Fi hotspot functionality, determining an environmental state based on the received environmental characteristic value, generating a command for controlling a controlled appliance based on the environmental state, and transmitting the command via the Wi-Fi client functionality; and a second operation comprising receiving an environmental characteristic value generated by a sensor via the Wi-Fi client functionality, determining an environmental state based on the received environmental characteristic value, generating a command for controlling a controlled appliance based on the environmental state, and transmitting the command via the Wi-Fi hotspot functionality. a communication module comprising: a Wi-Fi hotspot functionality, the Wi-Fi hotspot functionality establishing a local Wi-Fi hotspot and exchanging environmental data with other devices through the local Wi-Fi hotspot; and a Wi-Fi client functionality, the Wi-Fi client functionality simultaneously directly associating the environment controller with a remote Wi-Fi hotspot and exchanging environmental data with other devices through the remote Wi-Fi hotspot; and a Wi-Fi hotspot functionality, the Wi-Fi hotspot functionality establishing a local Wi-Fi hotspot and exchanging environmental data with other devices through the local Wi-Fi hotspot; and a Wi-Fi client functionality, the Wi-Fi client functionality simultaneously directly associating the environment controller with a remote Wi-Fi hotspot and exchanging environmental data with other devices through the remote Wi-Fi hotspot; and a processing module, the processing module performing at least one of the two following operations: a first operation comprising receiving an environmental characteristic value generated by a sensor via the Wi-Fi hotspot functionality, determining an environmental state based on the received environmental characteristic value, generating a command for controlling a controlled appliance based on the environmental state, and transmitting the command via the Wi-Fi client functionality; and a second operation comprising receiving an environmental characteristic value generated by a sensor via the Wi-Fi client functionality, determining an environmental state based on the received environmental characteristic value, generating a command for controlling a controlled appliance based on the environmental state, and transmitting the command via the Wi-Fi hotspot functionality. a first operation comprising receiving an environmental characteristic value generated by a sensor via the Wi-Fi hotspot functionality, determining an environmental state based on the received environmental characteristic value, generating a command for controlling a controlled appliance based on the environmental state, and transmitting the command via the Wi-Fi client functionality; and a second operation comprising receiving an environmental characteristic value generated by a sensor via the Wi-Fi client functionality, determining an environmental state based on the received environmental characteristic value, generating a command for controlling a controlled appliance based on the environmental state, and transmitting the command via the Wi-Fi hotspot functionality.