Hey folks, just wanted to share a fun little project I recently tackled. I’ve always been into DIY tech stuff (read: tinkering till 2AM), and finally decided to bridge my Aqara ecosystem with a Raspberry Pi setup. Spoiler alert: it actually worked, and it’s been super smooth so far.
So here’s what I did—used Zigbee2MQTT on a Pi 4 to take over my Aqara sensors and switches, all without relying too much on the cloud. Paired that with Home Assistant, and boom, I’ve now got full local control, custom automations, and some really nerdy dashboards that actually impress my wife. Didn’t think that’d ever happen.
The coolest part? I set it up so a motion sensor in the hallway dims the lights gradually at night instead of blinding everyone like a stadium spotlight. Game-changer for toddler patrol.
If anyone’s thinking about going down the same path, or has questions about flashing firmware, configuring MQTT, or just avoiding the usual gotchas—I’m happy to help out. Also open to hearing how others are integrating Aqara into their DIY hubs.
Let’s make smart homes even smarter—on our own terms.