@pete1450 said:

I should also point out; the same thing could be done by any computer you don't mind leaving on.
...
You could simplify it more by just writing the data to a file as comma separated values and use excel to graph it.

Yes, this is what I am hoping to do, at least for the proof of concept phase - get a small network of sensors set up with pro minis, dallas sensor and the NRF24L01+ , use one board as the gateway, and skip the controller. Write the data to a text file and dump it into Excel to check on it each day. A more complex setup could come later if I decide to do other interesting things.

Thanks for the link to your project. Using the pogo plug sounds interesting.

Did you wind up getting the Vera for Christmas? If so what's the plan? Nano->Vera as a controller and then use the Pogoplug as a web server?

@ServiceXp said:

@majic Just be careful, I believe alice1101983 has been sending out NRF24L01 (the non + version); you need the + version.

Thanks for the tip. Another option I found from a US-based seller ("flygoodly") for about the same price: link

Many thanks to @boozz , @EasyIoT , and @tbowmo for their quick responses and encouragement. After spending more time on the site and hunting around on eBay I've come up with a possible parts list that I think should get me well on my way to setting up a 4 node network with room for expansion by adding more Arduino boards. All for about US $70 (including shipping).

Parts list is below. Some follow-up questions for others:

1. With the MySensors library and guides will this gear allow me to set up 4 of the Pro Minis as wireless temperature transmitters and the 5th board connected to a laptop as the receiver?

2. Thoughts on using Linux vs. Windows as an operating system for Arduino projects?

3. Any recommendations on battery setups for the temp sensor boards? 2 AA batteries and a step-up power converter for each one?

4. Should I consider getting 5V Pro Minis instead of the 3.3v? I'm thinking it's easier to use the 3.3v's because then I don't need a voltage regulator between the arduino and the transmitter. However, if the transmission range is significantly worse, that could change my mind. But I'm hoping that the "sensor-repeater" setup would overcome this issue.

5. Is it worth getting an 'easier to use' Arduino like the Uno? I feel like I should be fine with the Pro Minis and breadboard setup.

Parts list with links:

• 5-pack Arduino Pro Mini Atmega328 3.3v 8M board and FTDI USB-serial adapter [$14]: link
• FT232RL USB-serial adapter [$5]: link
• 10-pack of NRF24L01+ Wireless transceiver [$11]: link
• 10-pack of DS18B20 Dallas temperature sensors [$11]: link
• Breadboard + 65-pack of male-male jumper cables + Power Supply [$7]: link
• 5-pack of mini breadboards [$5]: link
• Assorted pack of 600 resistors [$5]: link
• Assorted pack of 100 capacitors [$5]: link
• Assorted packs of male-female jumper cables and female-female cables [$3]: link and link
• Soldering equipment TBD. Will buy on Amazon or may be able to get some used gear from a friend.

First post. Thanks to anyone who takes the time to read and respond. After spending some time on the site and forum to day this looks like an active community so I am optimistic that I'll get some readers!

Personal Background: Studied computer engineering undergrad but it's been 6+ years since I've done any legitimate programming or hardware work. I'm willing to put in the work and learn but am aiming to hack things together based on others' code and descriptions rather than writing any new software. I have no experience with Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or other DIY platforms commonly mentioned on MySensors.

Project goal: Create a temperature monitoring network in my apartment building. We live in an older building and frequently have owners complain that it's too cold in the winter. We'd like to monitor temperature in multiple units to see whether the complaints are real and where specific problems may exist. There are 12 units on 6 floors. The goal would be to put sensors in approximately 5-8 of the units and relay the data into my apartment, where it would be logged. I would like to do this project inexpensively. Depending on the success of this project I may pursue follow-up projects, but for now I don't need to do anything "fancy"; it just needs to collect the temp. data from each node wirelessly and store the information. Refresh speed is not important; a reading every few minutes would be perfectly adequate.

Questions:
0. Does anyone here know of a similar project for which someone has posted instructions that I could use?

1. What gear do I need to accomplish this? It's not 100% clear to me from reading the 'components' section of this site what I actually need.
   a. Sensors: From what I gather, each sensors will require an Arduino board, radio, and sensor (and possibly a resistor, capacitor, or two)?
   b. Gateway & controller: Sorry if I've missed something on the site or am being dense but what's the difference between these two? Do I need to have something expensive like the Vera Edge? Can I use a Raspberry Pi setup instead (eg with the B+ board)? I have an old laptop that can be dedicated to this project - can that be used in some way?
   c. Other stuff? Breadboards, soldering iron, etc?
2. Will the software tools provided by MySensors be sufficient for what I'm trying to achieve with basic hardware?
3. Is this project too ambitious for someone who's brand new to this field?

Assuming I take this on, I plan to document my project closely and hope the content will be useful to other newbies interested in getting back into tinkering and playing with code.

Thanks!