WiFi?

[BlueRidgeDog]

I have an Arduino project that I am currently connecting to my network with WiFi (ESP8266 as an add on module to a mega). I export values and controls to MQTT and setup interfaces to those values via node red. HomeSeer can then hook into node red or MQTT. Will this plugin work over WiFi and replace the MQTT/node red portion of my project?

The write up says "Ethernet" so prior to investigating I wanted to verify if that meant all forms.

[enigmatheatre]

The latest Version of the plugin supports the NodeMCU with wifi so yes it will. Try the 30 day trial and run the board in API mode and you can add your own code.

Greig.

[BlueRidgeDog]

Thanks. My code is not running on the ESP8266, but on the mega and the ESP is connected via serial and I activate it via WiFiespAT.h which is a port of WiFi.h that supports this method. I will try the trial and see how the Arduino side library works with this setup.

[BlueRidgeDog]

Do you have an ESP8266 api file or any api file that uses WiFi.h? I can follow the structure, but converting the calls to those included in WiFi.h may be a bit time consuming.

[jimbell]

From what I read, you should probably look at the free MQTT plugin from Michael McSharry. It allows you to interface directly into homeseer. No node red needed. Of course, this only works for modules with wifi.

[BlueRidgeDog]

Thanks. I have the MQTT plugin working seamlessly. I was thinking the Arduino plugin would be a easier to maintain process, but it appears that perhaps MQTT may be an easier code base to manage. I am just using Node Red at this point for creating a better display on the phone as a controller for the project, but I think I am going to look at other options.

It would be great if the Arduino plugin API could be just a HomeSeer.h that exposed Write and Read functions to the Arduino IDE and the user could manage the network side of things. That would likely be easier than MQTT. I have started teasing them out, but I am hoping I can find a HomeSeer user that has already taken the generated API file and and just boiled it down to the read and write functions under the assumption that the user has the networking side managed.

[Michael McSharry]

The intent of mcsMQTT is to provide functionality so that things like node red would not be necessary for mainstream activity. What are you doing with node red that is missing from mcsMQTT?

[BlueRidgeDog]

The intent of mcsMQTT is to provide functionality so that things like node red would not be necessary for mainstream activity. What are you doing with node red that is missing from mcsMQTT?

Purely display/UI related. Node Red can make a very phone friendly UI that displays current conditions, history and action items all in one screen. The end product is not entirely home automation (HomeSeer) but is an Aquarium system that has a complex array of filters with processing for various sensors (high water, low water, high system pressure, temp, PH, TDS etc). The Arduinio runs the system fine, and MQTT exposes statistics and action to HomeSeer well. HomeSeer is generally only needed for scheduling and alarm processing (it can hook into SMS and email with little or no code). Most of what Node Red does can be done through the HomeSeer android app, but the node red product is more of a developed UI. It is also a great chance to learn a new platform and there may be those that want to use the management system I have developed by are not HomeSeer users, so it will give them a ready UI option.