NFC tags in smart home

Do you like our blog? Support Us:

NFC tags in smart home

nfc_tags_openhab.jpg

NFC Tag Example in Smart Home

Hardware

Phone/tablet with Android

NFC tag

Software

OpenHAB 3

NFC (Near Field Communication) tags are small plastic or paper stickers that can be used to automate various functions in the household.

Example

as an exit button: simply place your phone on an NFC tag to automatically turn off lights and sockets and turn on the alarm
as a way to turn off lights before going to bed: simply place your phone on an NFC tag in the bedroom and all lights will automatically turn off
easy garage or gate opening from a car
more tips on usage can be found, for example, in this YouTube video here

Safety

You can use programmed NFC tags only on a phone with the OpenHAB app and connected to a VPN (outside of the house) or to WiFi (at home), which increases security and prevents unauthorized use, for example, compared to a classic wireless garage opener in a car. It also eliminates the need to code the house with a PIN. So, if you have NFC tags, for example, in the garden or in the car, anyone else can read the tag, but they won't be able to perform any action.

How to do it

Download the openHAB app from the Play Store:

Install, open and go to the settings Settings -> Add server and fill in the server name, for example, openHAB. In the Local tab, set the address of your OpenHAB server, beware, port 8443 is used here!

Once you've added the following, you should have access to your OpenHAB. Click on the menu in the upper left corner and select NFC, and choose what action should be performed. For example, let's choose to unlock the alarm. Click on the Alarm and it will ask us for a value. In our case, we'll write the value 0 (0=Home mode, see OpenHAB model smart home). However, you can choose anything else, such as lights or a group of lights, etc.

Finally, when you see the large NFC icon, hold your phone close to the NFC tag to write to it.

Done! Now all you need to do is stick the NFC tag in the desired location - an example in this case could be the sun shade in a car above the driver. To disarm the alarm, simply hold your phone to the NFC, the alarm will disarm, and the house will be put into "Home" mode.

Examples of use

Any other uses for NFC tags? Share with us in the comments under the article.

Rate the article:

Support Us:

Add comment:

Add comment

Newest articles in blog

BMW i3 Tablet

BMW i3 in Smart HomeRating: 100%

In this article, we will show how to get information about the BMW i3 into a tablet using OpenHAB. Of course, you can use the MyBMW app, but with the API, we have the opportunity to customize the interface, display simple dashboard with all information on a single page. It is also possible to send supported commands via the API, such as opening, closing, starting the air conditioning/heater, etc., and, most importantly, to integrate these actions with a smart home system.

Tailscale - remote access without public IP

Tailscale - remote access without public IPRating: 90%

The Tailscale service solves access between individual devices if you don't have a public IP address. It's free for one user with support for up to 100 devices. We'll show you how to install Tailscale on a Raspberry Pi that you'll have at home and on a client (Android, iPhone) from which you'll want to access the home Raspberry Pi. Our example will be remote access to OpenHAB running on a Raspberry Pi. However, the same setup applies to many other applications - home NAS, PiHole, Home Assistant, Domoticz, NextCloud, and others.

Shelly OpenHAB MQTT

Shelly vs OpenHABRating: 90%

The Shelly brand is known for its products that primarily communicate over WiFi, including smart plugs, relay switches, blinds control relays, and many other devices. One of the advantages for deployment is the ability to both read and control these devices using the universal MQTT protocol. Across existing add-ons for both OpenHAB and Home Assistant, we will demonstrate how to use Shelly devices without installing any additional extensions.

Victron & OpenHAB

Victron vs Smart HomeRating: 0%

In this post, we will show you how to retrieve information from a photovoltaic power plant by Victron. We will connect to the Cerbo unit via MQTT. Based on these values, we can control various appliances (heating, boiler, etc.) and prevent the battery from being drained when they don't need to be.

Smart Home GoodWe inverter

Smart Home vs GoodWeRating: 53.3%

In the post, we will demonstrate step by step how to communicate directly with the GoodWe inverter in a smart home setup and obtain real-time information (unlike the SEMS portal). This information is essential if we want to react to current parameters in a smart home, such as activating additional cooling or controlling a socket with a various load.

Voice control smart home

Voice control of the houseRating: 70.4%

In this article, we will connect the Amazon Echo Dot voice assistant with open source home automation. We won't be using OpenHAB Cloud, so everything runs locally. In this case, a few additional settings are necessary, but the result is worth it!

MikroTik - Winbox, DHCP, Ranges

Basics - Winbox, DHCPRating: 68.8%

In this series, we will look at the step-by-step setup of MikroTik devices for home users or a small business (up to 25 people). In the first article, we will focus on the initial setup - we will download Winbox and set up DHCP for the primary network and guest network. Similarly, we will also adjust the WiFi settings.

Alarm Smart Home PIR

Alarm from existing PIR sensors in a smart home.Rating: 0%

In a your smart home, PIR sensors may not only be used to switch lights on and off based on motion, it is possible to utilize these sensors to detect the presence of motion in a particular room. This information can be used to create a relatively reliable uncertified home security system. In this guide, you will find the logic for how this can work in the OpenHAB software in our model smart home.

NFC Tag Example in Smart Home

NFC tags in smart homeRating: 80%

NFC (Near Field Communication) tags are small plastic or paper stickers that can be used to automate various functions in the smart home. In this article, we will show you examples of use and a guide on how to write an action on an NFC tag using a mobile phone.

WireGuard iOS

WireGuard on iOS devicesRating: 88%

In this article, you will find a detailed guide on how to connect to WireGuard VPN from iOS.