Now that I can use my Amazon Alexa’s to send MQTT packets, I wanted to be able to switch between Heat and Cool on my HVAC systems without having to run around the house to all the thermostats to make the change. After hunting around on the Internet for a while, I did manage to […]
Publish MQTT Messages via Alexa Voice Commands
I’ve been playing around with a Node.JS module called FauxWeMo of late. This lets you create a “dummy” device that looks like a WeMo Smart Plug to your Amazon Alexa devices. I just define the name/words that Alexa will respond to and then write some code to publish an MQTT packet. For fun, I have […]
What is / Why MQTT?
MQ Telemetry Transport, or MQTT, was a protocol designed back in 1999 by a number of folks (mostly IBM) for sending telemetry data over satellite links from oil pipelines back to control centers to keep track of things. Originally it was going to be part of the IBM MQSeries product line, but it never really […]
Home Network Architecture
Just so we are all on the same page, here is a very simplified view of my home network, and how it all ties into the DIY Smart Home concept. Our house is about 6,000 SqFt in size, so one WiFi AP just does not cut it. Given that we will have IoT sensors both […]
The DIY Smart Home
This blog came about after I kept getting requests for write-ups on how I was running my IOT systems at home — how do you wire up the sensors, what is your network infrastructure, how are you doing this without using a commercial services, etc. etc. I have always been automating my homes in one […]