Time for Bed MotherF*****s! Automate your bedtime routine with Node-Red & Home-Assistant

Bedtime Node-red flow

Today I want to run you through our bedroom routine using node-red and home-assistant. After reading this post you should be able to create your own routines quickly and easily. My girlfriend and I live together and like all couples we kind of have a …

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Broadlink Firmware update takes down Home-Assistant component. See my Node-red workaround!

Broadlink firmware update knocks out HA component

I’ve suddenly noticed that a recent firmware update from Broadlink has unfortunately caused issues with the broadlink component in home-assistant (hassio core). Whilst we’re waiting for the broadlink component to be updated, I’ve had to amend some of my flows in Node-red to take this …

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Changing your DNS provider to Cloudflare. Let’s see if we can improve our browsing experience.

Cloudflare

So I just thought I would see how quick our internet provider was and what I could do to make it quicker still: I ran 10 different tests which you can find how to do it here (I essentially spun up a ubuntu Virtual machine …

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Automating and integrating a Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum into Home-Assistant (part 1)

Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum

Recently we borrowed a Xiaomi Robot Vacuum as the owner was returning to his home country for a month or so due to Covid-19. We brought it into our home and began to set it up. It worked surprisingly well. I was sceptical to begin …

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Controlling a Blitzwolf SHP5 with Tasmota, Home-Assistant & Node-Red

Blitzwolf SHP5

Recently I purchased a Blitzwolf SHP5 (EU smart plug with 2*USB outputs). Blitzwolf SHP5 (Aliexpress) I believe these steps would also work or be very similar for products from Teckin, Gosund and other Tuya plug suppliers. I wanted one because the USB outputs can be controlled …

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Automating a Humidifier with Node-red and a Broadlink RM3 Mini: Part 2 Voice Control and Home-Assistant

The final Flow

Ok, so if you’re following along from Part 1 today am going to deal with how I integrated the Node-red controlling Humidifier into Home-Assistant itself and how I set it up to be controlled via Amazon Alexa. Firstly, whilst the Broadlink Mini has been rock …

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Automating a Humidifier with Node-red and a Broadlink RM3 Mini: Part 1

Broadlink RM Mini3 Node-Red Control

In part 1 of this 2 series post, I will detail how I took an IR controllable humidifer and integrated it into my home-automation system. I will list the steps I took and the code needed. In Part 2 I will discuss how I actually …

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Home Network Setup for Better Security & Wifi: Pfsense, Ubiquiti and Qotom

Qotom i5 pfsense box

We’ve seen a lot of people asking questions about upgrading their consumer router due to WiFi related issues or just general throughput problems. Some of you are lucky enough now to be receiving very quick internet speeds but you need to make sure your hardware …

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