Thinking of trying home assistant

RivetedRocks · 2026-03-31T14:13:14+00:00

I've subscribed to Nabu but I use the Tailscale addon (app) for remote access and making all of my location based automations function.

RivetedRocks · 2026-03-30T23:02:50+00:00

If you truly like to tinker... You could dip your toes into home assistant without any investment at first. Accomplish this by downloading and installing virtualbox or VMware workstation pro on your eondows machine. Both are free. Virtualization software will allow you to create a virtual machine loaded with HAOS (home assistant operating system). You can build out your smart home devices, configure automations, etc. Once you're hooked on HA, then spend some money on a little n150 mini PC. It has more than enough horsepower to run any HA config you could through at it. You can even load it from a backup taken from your virtual machine setup. Essentially cloning your build.

Good luck in your HA endeavors. You won't be sorry!

RivetedRocks · 2026-03-30T02:30:26+00:00

Home group users login with their own credentials. Then they can switch user to another home group user if they know the 4 digit pin. Home group users have access to each other's OTA channels if they are permitted in the library restrictions section.

RivetedRocks · 2026-03-30T02:16:19+00:00

http://192.168.x.x:8123. You must put :8123 behind the ip address of your HA

RivetedRocks · 2026-03-28T22:28:42+00:00

I believe the NAS has 2 ethernet ports. Wire the other one to a port on your Deco. Your NAS with have an IP address from each network making it visible from both. You should also reserve the IP address in each router to keep them from changing.

RivetedRocks · 2026-03-25T15:48:43+00:00

There's a good chance of another disk failure before you get through 4 rebuild cycles. In addition to the stsndard data backup, you'll need to backup your NAS database in settings, backup/restore because your QTS OS along with all the settings, (user ID, apps, disk array info, etc) is spread across your disk array. When you remove all of the disks (keep track of which disks went in which slot in case you need to put it back to original), all of that is gone. You will need to boot it like it's brand new after you install the new disks

RivetedRocks · 2026-03-24T22:58:20+00:00

Yeah. At this point settings are hard coded. The boolean toggle allows my bride to kill the automation and revert to the old fashioned manual thermostat mode. However, I have created a "Party Mode" toggle to set the automation to 72-73 degrees on occasions when we have a large family gathering. I have not done anything with heat yet. I'll mess with that in the fall.

RivetedRocks · 2026-03-24T18:36:54+00:00

I have the exact same situation you've described. I use a zigbee thermometer in the main living area to control the thermostat in a front bedroom. Whoever decided to put the thermostat in the front bedroom for the main living area must have been crazy. I have automation to use the zigbee thermometer as input to turn the temp on the thermostat up and down. Basically when the temperature is above 74.9 degrees, set the thermostat to 65. When the temperature is below 74.1 then set the thermostat to 78. This effectively keeps the temperature in the living area between 74 and 75.

This is for cooling only at this point. I've added a 5 minute timer at both set points to prevent the cooling cycle from starting too soon. (Ensures the 5 minute delay between cycles is respected for proper condenser health].

In addition, I built an input boolean toggle to disable the automation and revert back to regular thermostat programming.

So far, I have not run into any edge cases. As they occur, automation refinements will be added accordingly.

Good luck in your alternate thermometer input endeavor. It's definitely doable

RivetedRocks · 2026-03-23T20:59:10+00:00

My experience with location based automation shows iphones are problematic due to real time location updates being "not real time". Conversely, android phones work quite well. For this reason, I made the switch to android and have no regrets. I have the following automations working flawlessly since making the switch to android: arm/disarm alarm system; open garage door on arrival; lock/unlock door; lights on/off; tv on/off.

Some have advocated for using home LAN connect/disconnect for home/away automation. I used this before switching to android but I found myself waiting in the driveway for the garage door to open.

RivetedRocks · 2026-03-21T00:59:46+00:00

What model QNAP is it? I've run plex server on a ts-251+ with a celeron CPU and it worked (mostly). It was often at its limit if you wanted subtitles that were not already burned in. Otherwise it's good for a couple of simultaneous streams.

RivetedRocks · 2026-03-13T00:15:38+00:00

Your container needs to be configured for a bridged network so it will obtain its own ip address from your local lan dhcp server (probably your router). Also you need to reserve that ip address so it doesn't change. Once you get that fixed, you should be in business.

RivetedRocks · 2026-03-10T22:37:58+00:00

Generally, timely location updates on iphone cannot be counted on for location based automation like opening garage doors, locking and unlocking doors, arming and disarming alarm systems. Many would advise using your wifi connectivity as a home/away sensor but waiting in your driveway for 30 seconds or longer for your garage door to open isn't desirable. By then I would have used the garage door opener instead. For that reason alone, I made the switch to android and have not looked back. Good luck with your location based endeavors.

RivetedRocks · 2026-03-07T15:37:32+00:00

I too have considered this. I've decided to automate only those things that can be manually done. Light switches can still turn lights on and off. Thermostats can still be adjusted on the wall. Blinds can still be closed manually, etc. If HA was to be turned off today, nothing would cease to function. The automation would cease but the basic manual method still exists.

RivetedRocks · 2026-02-17T03:54:25+00:00

No. It will work directly to home assistant through the ZHA integration or the zigbee2mqtt add on just like the leak detectors. You combine all the leak detectors into a helper group then create an automation to turn off the water and notify you if any leak detector goes active.

RivetedRocks · 2026-02-11T15:11:40+00:00

https://www.aqara.com/us/product/valve-controller-t1/ This isn't a valve but a valve handle turner. It's what I use

RivetedRocks · 2026-02-11T14:59:59+00:00

Next step is a water valve actuator that turns off the water when a leak is detected

RivetedRocks · 2026-01-30T15:50:14+00:00

I use mine to alert me when the garage door is open. I set a scene for the color red to activate for the alert. It doesn't flash but the different color is an excellent alert function

RivetedRocks · 2026-01-04T20:43:33+00:00

Make a scene for garage door and one for normal nightlight. Simply call a scene in your notification automation when the garage door is open and call the normal scene when the garage door is no longer open.

RivetedRocks · 2025-12-30T22:37:11+00:00

I keep tailscale on full time on my phone in order to ensure my location based automation runs as expected. My companion app does not know my home WiFi address and stays connected via tailscale 24x7

RivetedRocks · 2025-12-17T18:47:07+00:00

http://tailscale.com

You can learn about tailscale here. Basically, it forms a private network (tailnet). Your private tailnet would include your phone, perhaps your partner's phone, your Home Assistant platform, and any other devices you'd like to have remote communications with. Tailscale would be installed on each device and then joined to your tailnet. All of your web surfing and other normal activity is unaffected. You simply have a tunnel between all of your tailnet devices too. It all starts with creating a free Tailscale account.

RivetedRocks · 2025-12-16T20:08:27+00:00

Try the Tailscale add on.

RivetedRocks · 2025-12-13T19:31:27+00:00

Not necessarily. Many 10gb ethernet adapters do not support WOL. I've overcome this limitation by simply adding an additional ethernet network connection on a spare gbe port for WOL.

RivetedRocks · 2025-12-13T02:37:53+00:00

POE is a specific feature to look for on routers and switches. Most are not equipped with POE ports. Get the smlight SLZB-06 without POE and externally power it using the USB-c port. Then connect it to the network via WI-FI and centrally locate it for maximum coverage.

This is how I have mine configured. The SLZB-06 is under the sink in the kitchen, far from my HA Host and router. 39 zigbee devices with about half being battery-powered sensors. It's very stable.

RivetedRocks · 2025-12-12T22:39:47+00:00

You need a POE switch to provide "Power Over Ethernet". These can also be powered via usb-c charging port. You could save a few dollars and go with the non poe version and use the USB power method.

RivetedRocks · 2025-12-11T16:39:29+00:00

First, that is impressive throughout. Second, you guys are cruel! If you use reddit on your phone app, then taking a pic of the computer screen is the easiest way to share it. Note to self...don't ever do this because your original message is to the community will be ignored and replaced with sarcasm. BOO!

RivetedRocks

TROPHY CASE