Posts made by jo34l5

Thanks for the reply @NeverDie. So to get all sensor data into my computing infrastructure I need some kind of hub/receiver/something to get this data to my server to do work on it. Currently I was thinking just to use the router as that entrypoint. It was the most straightfoward way once I have the IP:PORT of my influxdb I'm off to the races.

The more I learn about MySensor and what you posted with ESPNOW the more I'm wondering if I should do a lower-power non-wifi mesh-type network. This would mean I would need to build some hardware at the server to receive data from all my sensors. The pros/cons I currently see are:

WIFI PRO:

• easy to get up and running (I already have an Uno WIFI logged into my network; just need to push packets to influxdb)
• existing infrastructure - I don't have to worry about building yet ANOTHER wireless network (on top of my wifi, zwave/zigbee)

WIFI CON:

• reliability? I had some wifi bulbs that were horrible. I am a little worried that it woudln't be as reliable, but I'm more confident in a DIY/Arduino solution

NEW MESH ( mysensors or ESPNOW) CONS

• I do worry that I will need enough nodes to have decent communication and signal strength back to my server endpoint
• I'm worried about the latency (but maybe it's actually faster)

NEW MESH (mysensors or ESPNOW) PROS

• the low power option would allow me to hook up batteries to sensors if necessary. I don't have the need as I'm planning to plug in all my sensors to continuous power, but it would be nice to have the option.

All this is to say: thanks for the link. It's not really showing me how to get into my current WPA protected network like a standard wifi device, but it's a good newbie-friendly guide if I buy those modules and it's helping me thinking more broadly. Thanks!

thanks TRS. Yes I don't find it newbie friendly. Especially compared to a arduino uno WIFI version. If you know of a simple guide that does work for newbies, please do send it my way. I get the impression that everyone on here is a electronics nerd, and what is 'newbie friendly' for you all isn't for those that arn't. Here's a smattering of guides:

• https://www.espressif.com/sites/default/files/documentation/2a-esp8266-sdk_getting_started_guide_en.pdf - lost on page 5 -- esp-launcher?
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/archive/blogs/abhinaba/esp8266-wifi-with-arduino-uno-and-nano - not a single mention of WPA -- how do i get on my network?
• https://runtimeprojects.com/2016/10/esp8266-part-2-connect-to-wifi-and-download-from-the-internet/ - i dont want to communicate defice-to-device with wifi, i want to get on my wifi NETWORK

Some guides say I need to program, some say I need AT commands, some say I need additional hardware ... AGGG. This is DEFINTELY, DEFINITELY not as straightforward as the 10 minute Arduino guides of getting a simple sensor working.

Are you aware of a simple, step-by-step guide of sending ANY packet from my arduino over WPA to a specific IP:PORT on my network? Something that is step-by-step (I.e. plug in these wires here, paste this code here). I can't find anything easy for newbies.

Thanks for the replies. I'll look into it. I'm not set on WIFI in any means, I do have zigbee, zwave, wifi so one of those would have been the most logical to jump off of, AND ill have plug-in power to all my sensor clusters. But also I do like the reliability of mesh-type systems than WIFI (have personally experienced how horrible those wifi bulbs are and those generally turned me off to WIFI but now WIFI looked to be my easiest entrypoint into DIY sensors (TCP/IP, UDP, ports, WPA this stuff I understand somewhat already). But I may prototype two different versions and see how mysensors meets my needs.

Thanks for your help. I'll do more reading.

Ooops..very sorry for not noticing the obvious.
Thanks for your help.

I would like the following sensors on an arduino (arduino-like) board to my database (InfluxDB). I need to communicate over WIFI (over my personal WPA protected network).

I've seen some projects that use ESP8266 but very few addressed connecting via WPA and even less were easy for a newbie. I also would like the following sensors to send data over wifi:

• light
• motion
• temp
• humidity
• sound
• voc
• pm25

I'm thinking of trying a Arduino UNO Wifi REV2 which I assume will make my wifi needs easier and will be able to support all these sensors. Is this a good option for a newbie? Are there other options? Hopefully the question isn't too naive.

Thanks!

Been slowly working on my home automation setup over the year buying commercial sensors, but it occurred to me a few months ago I could probably build some stuff with arudino and that eventually led me here.

CURRENT SETUP:

• powerful server which runs homeassistant in docker

• a zwave/zigbee dongle

• few sensors (haven't had much time to mess with rules)

• influxdb, grafana, chronograf installed on another container on the same server

• PLANNED SETUP:
  arduino run sensors in many rooms in my house which include (in order of priority):

• motion

• light

• humidity

• temperature

• VOC

• PM2.5 etc

• sound

I planned on doing

arduino sensors -> (UDP) -> influxdb <- (homeassitant influxdb plugin) <- homeassistant -> (scripts and rules) -> devices

for the automation, and viewing data with grafana as necessary. I was HOPING to set up all these sensors in a single arduino and creating a custom enclosure, have it 3d printed, and mount them throughout my house.

notes:

• I chose homeassistant because it's more popular and I know python well.
• I chose UDP over MQTT, because it eliminated an MQTT broker and probably something like Telegraf to get arduino mqtt to influxdb (I think).
• I know mostly about the upstream computing. The hardware/electronic side I'm very much a newbie.

Any comments? Suggestions? Critiques?
THANKS!