Get the Hardware

< Previous                                                                                            Next >

So the first step is to get the hardware to make things happen.

Note on links: I have direct links to the hardware I used below.  I know people make money off links like these, but I do not even know how to make that work as of this writing.  I may figure it out later and if I do I might make money off the links.  However, this is written as a history of what I did to make this work, not a way to make money.

I want a door lock that I can lock/unlock, and that has a keypad with multiple user codes.

I know I need three things:

1. A lock that I can talk to.
2. A computer to talk to the lock
3. A 'dongle' (a thing to plug in to the computer) that helps the computer talk to the lock.

The Lock

I found that I could get a 'zwave' lock that was a lot like the locks I currently had.  These locks are 'Kwikset' locks, and have keypads, and multiple codes.  The one's I have now do not have any type of connectivity. I did not want to have to put new holes in my door, so I wanted a lock that had handles (as opposed to a deadbolt).  That made it a little more expensive.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DXK99YS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The Computer

I am a big fan of a tiny computer called a 'Raspberry Pi'.  If you don't know about these things, they are tiny computers that were originally intended to help people who did not have a lot of money learn a lot about computers.  They are incredibly cheap, and flexible.  I had one on my desk (techie guy) that I used.

https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-3-model-b/?resellerType=home

The 'Dongle'

I read a lot and found one on Amazon.  This was the area I have the least knowledge about.  I am in the USA.  This is important, because apparently the types of dongles and devices (the lock) are sensitive to the region you are in.  If you are outside the USA, and reading this, please take a look at this - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z-Wave#Radio_frequencies, and comment on your experiences for others.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VKEH1BQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Purchasing and waiting

So I bought these things; total cost around $240 USD.  The lock was far and away the most expensive thing I bought.

Then I waited for the lock and dongle to arrive.  In the meantime, I researched software I could use to control zwave devices.  I tried a few things, but settled upon the Home Assistant; https://www.home-assistant.io/

< Previous                                                                                            Next >