I’m planning to build several WiFi connected devices for home automation: an AC remote control and air quality sensors. These devices would send data and be controlled through a local server. I’m considering two approaches: running custom software on a server PC (hardware to be determined) or integrating with Home Assistant’s protocols and purchasing their hardware. Would using Home Assistant be excessive for this use case?

  • AA5B@lemmy.worldEnglish
    101·
    2 days ago

    I’ll also vote to reconsider WiFi. Home Assistant supports a variety of local mesh networks that by default can’t connect to the cloud and whose devices are cheaper and lower power.

    I use all three of zwave, Zigbee, and thread; ha works with whatever you need.

    • jaxxed@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      1 day ago

      Can you comment further on the three mesh networks rhat you use?

      I only use zigbee, but would consider branching out

      • AA5B@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        13 hours ago

        I got into each mesh technology for specific devices. Home Assistant supports them all and they seem to coexist just fine in my use case.

        I have a small to medium setup with only a few simple automations and a focus on voice control and scheduling

        Preference

        • Thread - given Apple, Amazon, and Google support and the standardization work, I expect this to be the future. Eventually. But I’m getting impatient. If I’m buying a device, I prefer Thread but usually it’s not yet
        • z-Wave - my first, and most devices. Basically this was what was most available at local stores when I started. No complaints
        • Zigbee - by far the biggest selection of simple, cheap sensors. I need to more of those
        • all too much is WiFi but I try to avoid

        But it also helps that my approach is generally switches and outlets. Hard-wired, predictable network, tend to be repeaters. I have comparatively fewer leaf nodes.

        This approach also fits in with my biggest challenge. While my house is small, it’s an older one with dense materials that blocks a lot of radio signals. For example I have no cell phone reception inside yet strong signal just out any door. My focus on switches and outlets overcome this with a repeater in every room

        So for example a few years back I got a z-wave IR blaster to control a mini-split AC because at the time I mostly used z-wave. I already had a z-wave light switch in the same room, acting as a repeater, so no worries about connectivity. Now I have both z-wave and Zigbee light switches in that room so expect both meshes to be strong for any future devices in that room