Hi Everybody,
I’ve posted here and there a few times before about the NodeMCU ESP8266 based solution to connect wired alarm components (door/window sensors, motion sensors, smoke detectors and siren) to SmartThings for under $25. I’ve been promising big updates in the 2.0 release, and they are ready!
First, here’s a picture of the latest refinement of my solution, fresh with our new brand name, Konnected:
Thanks to the overwhelming support I’ve gotten for this project from this community, I’ve kept working on it. A little more than a month ago, I decided to work on a new version with the goal of making it plug-and-play, so I can make this project accessible to even the most non-technical users. Around the same time, another community member here, @copyninja, approached me with similar ideas and an offer of help. I’m proud to announce that @copyninja and I have teamed up to create Konnected, and now we’re ready to share it with you!
This ended up being a complete rewrite of my original app, although based on a lot of the same code.
Konnected Security 2.0
Key features
- Connect wired contact sensors, motion sensors, smoke detectors to SmartThings. Reuse the existing wiring and sensors in your home.
- Connects to an existing alarm system’s siren or alarm, triggering it via SmartThings.
- Based on an inexpensive NodeMCU ESP8266 development board, which you can buy online for less than $10.
- Each NodeMCU board supports up to 6 sensors or zones
- If you’re building a new home, save a lot of money by using wired sensors and a few of these devices.
- Still completely open source! We’re trying to monetize by selling kits, but you can build your own using the open source software on Github.
Updates Since v1.6
- Plug-and-play! There’s no more code to edit or variables to upload. All configuration is done via the SmartThings App. We’re selling kits with Konnected Security software pre-loaded, so if you buy a kit from us, it’s truly plug and play!
- OTA Updates: You can update the device to future versions or bug fixes automatically.
- Faster & More Reliable: Reduced communication delay from up to 1 second to no more than 200ms. Lots of optimization of memory usage, greatly reducing reboots and connection timeouts.
- Complete Documentation: Check out docs.konnected.io for detailed documentation (this is still a work in progress)
Unfortunately, however, since this is a complete re-write, there’s not an upgrade path from version 1.x to 2.0. If you were previously using version 1.x of my alarm system integration, you’ll have to delete all your sensors and add them back again following the Konnected Security Install Guide. Sorry
DIY Kits Shipping This Week!
I also announced previously that I was taking pre-orders for kits that would contain NodeMCU devices pre-loaded with this 2.0 software. They’re ready to ship this week! I still have some inventory from my initial supply, so check out the new Konnected store and order now because if you were thinking of trying this, now is the perfect time.
I’d like to give a big thank you to this SmartThings community and everyone who had participated on these threads. And an especially huge thank you to @copyninja who’s passion for SmartThings is as incredible as his software development skills. I’m loving working with you, partner
Please share your feedback if you try this! We’re serious about making this an ongoing project and an easy-to-use experience. We want to make smart home technology accessible to everyone. Your feedback is super helpful!