I’ve always been fascinated by how technology can make our homes smarter. Recently, I stumbled upon an innovative way to improve occupancy detection using my existing router setup. This method, which leverages custom firmware like Tomato or DD-WRT, has been a game-changer for me. Instead of relying on traditional pings or apps like Tasker, this approach checks for devices on the physical layer before an IP address is assigned, resulting in more accurate readings. One of the best things about this method is that it doesn’t drain power from your devices and can be easily tuned to respond as quickly or slowly as needed. However, it does require a bit of technical know-how and a compatible router. For those interested, I’ve included a basic shell script below that you can adapt to your setup. This script scans for mobile devices on your access point and updates Vera occupancy status accordingly. It’s been a fantastic way to streamline my smart home setup, and I’d love to hear how others are using similar methods to enhance their systems.