RuuviTag and Node-Red

 Updated 2023-10-30 ! OK with Bookworm ! New simple install ! 

For a new project I needed a small wireless temperature sensor, there You don't have to change battery so often, and this gave the RuuviTag.

Having used Node-Red(NR) on Raspberry Pi before, the first application was this dashboard. Tested and works with with Node.js V18 !

Homebridge made simple, Homebridge

Updated 2023-10-26 !

HomeBridge(HB) is the software where You make Your home automation devices appear in the Apple Home App as native products. In this post a Raspberry Pi is used as the HB server.

There has really been big improvements in the installation process and I think the HB version is better/easier than HOOBS.

Migrate from HOOBS ?! Link

Raspberry headless install with WiFi

Updated 2023-10-17 !

To make a headless, without monitor, keyboard and mouse, install of Raspberry Pi OS on a Raspberry Pi(RPi) with built in WiFi and no LAN cable connection, please follow the instructions below.

For example the RPi Zero and Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+ don't have any LAN cable port so the setup is quite usable.

To make an active WiFi connection at first boot You have to use the "Advanced options" in Raspberry Pi Imager or create, old way, a configuration file called "wpa_supplicant.conf".

Understand/Install Openplotter/OpenCPN/SignalK, II

Updated 2023-10-16 !

This post is the second post explaining the purpose with, and quick/simple install instructions for, OpenPlotter(OP) and some other applications that can be installed with OP. 

The first post is found here and in this post we will proceed with the install of OpenCPN(OC).

OpenCPN

Install

In OP:s "Application Meny => Other => Settings" app,  mark "OpenCPN Installer" and click on "Install", at the upper right. 

Understand/Install Openplotter/OpenCPN/SignalK, I

Updated 2023-10-15 !

This post, additional posts will follow, will explain the purpose with, and quick/simple install instructions for, OpenPlotter(OP) and some other applications that can be installed with OP. 

• OpenCPN(OC), is the plotter software where You navigate and handle charts 
• SignalK(SK), is the software where all the sensor inputs are handled. Could be NMEA data or SK formated inputs
• OpenPlotter(OP), is the administration shell where all is administrated and also handles these functions.

As You investigate the different software packages You will see that there are some overlap in the functions.

With OC 5.2 + there was several updates....

NetworkManager on Raspberry, easy start

Updated 2023-10-13 !

There is a "new kid in the block" called NetworkManager(NM), configuration of network interfaces, which in OS "Bookworm", Debian 12, is replacing the former used dhcpcd.

NM isn't really new since the first public release was made 2004.

In this post I will write down some NM hints for an easy start since I didn't find any myself.

NetworkManager UI and access point, hotspot

Updated 2023-10-12 !

In a former post I shared some thoughts about how to start using NetworkManager (NM), on a Raspberry, and here I will continue with additional examples that can help with network setup.

• NMTUI is NetworkManager text UI which can handle the most common tasks in a easy way.
• An access point or hotspot will be configured.
• "sudo nmcli connection edit xxxx" is a command that guides you throw a change of parameters.

Bluetooth Beacon and Raspberry

Updated 2023-10-02 !

The latest models of Rasberry Pi, (RPi), comes with built in Bluetooth, (BT), so how to receive data from Your Bluetooth devices ?

A Bluetooth Beacon, could be a RuuvuTag, is a device that You don't have to pair with, You just scan and receive the data that they are transmitting.

Start with checking that Your BT interface is working, in a terminal window, typing

hciconfig 

Remote access, remote.it, made simple

Sometimes it's really nice to reach your applications at home when you are somewhere else. 

There are several applications but this post will be describe a really quick setup with remote.it on a Raspberry Pi(RPi) or another Linux platform. Of course there also is a Windows version.

For non-commercial use, with up to 5 devices, it's free !

The most used services are; http, ssh, vnc, rdp, SAMBA(smb/cifs) .....

I'm using it to display NodeRed dashboard, access servers with "ssh" and file sharing with SAMBA there all applications are running on RPi:s at home.

Apple HomeKit doing Matter upgrade with Hombridge

Matter is the the new standard making your smart home devices talking to each other and some Apple Home hubs can be updated.

There is a nice article from "The Verge" which explains it all.

Using Homebridge(HB) it could be nice to know what happens when you upgrade your HomeKit hub to the new standard so his post will just give some quick tips

Here is a support article from Apple and please note that if you upgrade you will not be able to use an iPad as a Home hub anymore.

Optimizing your energy, electricity, bill. NodeRed !

In this post I will give some thoughts, high level, and methods for matching the hourly prices from your energy supplier.

I will also list some gadgets and by using NodeRed, get the data, visualize it and control the consumption.

So in that perspective there are some needed prerequisites.....

Bluetooth and Node-Red

Updated 2023-07-12 !

There are some Node-Red nodes, (NRN), that are dependent on the old Noble package which don't work on Node > v8. 

One nice and simple NRN is the node-red-contrib-noble which have the same problem. I picked up the freshest source, dependent on @abandonware/noble, forked it and added install instructions. It works with Node <= v18. 

Shelly devices as "native" Apple HomeKit accessories

I have been using Shelly devices for quite some time both on our boat, off grid, and also as HomeKit (HK) accessories via Homebridge (HB). 

I was really amazed when I found that some smart guys have created a software package that replaces the stock, official, Shelly firmware with the "Shelly-HomeKit" package which emulates a "native" Apple HomeKit accessory.

It's very nice done, really simple, and the flashing of the software is done over the air (OTA) with your ordinary WEB-browser.

Shelly 1 quick install

Updated 2023-05-04 !

This post focus on Shelly 1(S1), a really a nice automation device with great versatility, but much of the content is also valid for some of Shellys other devices using the gen1 API.

Setup for the later version, Shelly Plus 1, is found here !!

S1 is a WiFi switch, 16 Amps, with dry contacts and the function "without Internet" + that the S1 can use a 12V DC source makes it perfect for an "use case" in a boat/mobile home.

It's compatible with Alexa, Google or HomeKit using HomeBridge or as a "native" HomeKit device using Mongoose firmware(Flashed via a standard WEB browser !)

HomeKit bridge with Shelly/Shelly 1

Updated 2023-05-01 !

I really recommend flashing, via WEB-browser, the device with Mongoose software to avoid Homebridge.

 
HomeBridge is used for this setup and to make it appear in the Apple Home app.

The main advantage with the Shelly devices are that they are WiFi enabled and therefore You don't have to use a hub, this compared to z-way/zigbee and some other solutions. 

First install Shelly1(S1).

Install Weather34 with WeatherLink

Updated 2023-04-14 !! OK with Bullseye and PHP 8.x !

If You want Your Private Weather Station(PWS) Davis Vantage Pro2, or other Davis products that use WeatherLink, to provide data for the template we use at Domstens Båtklubb just follow the instructions below. 

This is made without additional software such as Cumulus, Weather display or the Meteobridge product.

This application is updated !!, to use the v2 API. Check  this post !!

Node-Red on MCU:s, Raspberry Pi Pico W

Since I'm not a programmer, and probably never will be 😉, I really like Node-Red(NR). NR is also a nice way trying to learn some JavaScript via the function nodes.

I also appreciate hardware, MCUs, like ESP32 and Raspberry Pi Pico but find it a little hard to code in MicroPython or C++.

Somewhere ?? on the WEB i found some applications that can export NR json code to C++ and run it on several MCUs.

As you understand I had to check it out... 

Upgrade from Buster to Bullseye, Raspberry

Uppdated 2023-10-28 !

I have been running a Raspberry Pi 2(RPi) for several years with Buster and the applications;

• Homebridge(HB)
• Razberry, Z-way interface
• CUPS, printer software
• Node-RED(NR)

When I started with the RPi it was Jessie, then Stretch and Buster. Every time I upgraded the SD card to the latest OS and it just worked. It should been said that I always waited a year or so and I'm using the RPi headless without any GUI.

Now it was time to go from Buster to Bullseye !

Raspberry/Linux print server Windows/Apple, CUPS

Updated 2023-03-12 !

When we upgraded our WiFi to a Mesh solution, TP-link Deco M9, our old printer, WiFi connected, didn't want to "play" with us anymore. This was due to stronger encryption which wasn't supported. Since the printer just have WiFi or USB connection, no standard Ethernet, I was looking for another solution.

We have no computer running 24/7 except a Raspberry Pi, RPi, which is handling our home automation, Homebridge. So the solution was to use CUPS on that RPi.

On the web there are several posts/manuals how to install CUPS on a RPi so this post will refer to one of these and then some additional hints regarding, Apple AirPrint, Windows Network Printer, scanning....

NTP server on Raspberry & Linux(Offline)

Uppdated 2023-02-01 !

The use case, creating an offline NTP, was that I'm on our boat sometimes don't have an Internet connection but always have a connected GPS. The GPS updates time on a Raspberry(RPi) running Signal K.

The actual issue is that there are other devices on the LAN that needs to be updated and then you need an NTP server.

Of course this setup is also valid for a RPi/server, with a RTC, acting as a NTP server in an isolated LAN.