In this first article, I will details the installation and configuration of my home-assistant
Try new material
My new MiniPC come with Windows pre-installed. So I launch it on the VERY VERY long process to configure windows 11… Thirtheen pop-up later, I can used my new material. But I will not keep Windows, nope 🙂
So … my first thing was to installed passmark to compare with others materials
| Price | Rating | CPU | 2D Graph | 3D Graph | Mem. | Disk | Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RockPi Radxa X4 | 178$ | 1435 | 5801 | |||||
| MLLSE G2 PRO | 120$ | 1366 | 5978 | 459 | 1039 | 1858 | 2989 | 500 Gio M2 SSD |
| RPi 5 | 125$ | 2255 | 1244 |
https://www.passmark.com/baselines/V11/display.php?id=312299225025
RockPi Radxa X4 test : https://nashraj.com/radxa-x4-review-an-n100-raspberry-pi-alternative/
Zigbee USB key
Long time ago, I buyed a ConBee II – zigbee key. It’s still supported by the ZHA integration but is not recommanded. Well, at least, it’s supported 🙂
I know I need to prepare to have the latest Zigbee firmware. Not difficult but as the process is more easy on windows, I decide to do it before delete everything on the miniPC.
By the way, I connect the zigbee key with a usb cable. As I know, it will reduce noise on antenna reception.
Install Home-Assistant
As the CPU is a Intel n150, it’s a X86-64 processor. Home-assistant have a good tutorial that you must follow:
https://www.home-assistant.io/installation/generic-x86-64
Nothing more to say. Run H-A installation process. Search after that for the IP (fixed it if possible)
Create first admin user etc. Success, it’s working 🙂
Hardware advanced configuration
Before installed the miniPC on my “server” area, I do some modification on its BIOS ; I set
- wake-up-lan support (can be important)
- Change power return from S5 to S0 – when electricity goes off on my house and then return, I don’t want to press a button to start home-assistant.
The BIOS was not the most friendly I have used. Old blue bios fashion.. But at least, there is one!
URL redirection
As I have a lot of docker, server etc. I used a Caddy to keep my website on https and have all redirection on one side – and my SSO.
So, as I don’t like to remember the home-assistant IP, I created a new subdomain and configure it from my caddy Docker, and add URL redirection in parameter.
Then I update my Caddy params, try to launch with the URL and …
YEP : that’s my first failed (of a long series :D)
After a long search I launch ChatGPT that say
It’s a normal behaviour : you need to modify the default configuration.yaml and add a section to indicate that your server is a trust proxy to authorize this redirection. As example, if your Caddy server is set on ip 192.168.0.1
http:
use_x_forwarded_for: true
trusted_proxies: 192.168.0.1
NO. Sorry, ChatGPT, but NO. It’s not a normal behaviour that something as simple as a redirection that I declare in settings would implies to modify a file that I don’t ever know exists. I have used a lot of docker, install a lot of services and that’s barely the less friendly configure method for it.
Anyway : to modify this configuration.yaml… You need to access it.
And, no, you cannot access it directly from interface, there is no SMB protocol nor SFTP preconfigured on H-A and you cannot connect to SSH by default. I know because I try and failed… So what’s the good method ? Install an add-on for a protocol or install Studio Code Server to directly access it from your browser.
Install add-on Studio Code Server
Go to settings, add-ons, search for Studio Code Server, install it, run it if necessary, wait a minute and then click the open button. It’s barely Visual Studio Code Server that is configured to directly open all yaml files. It has autocompletion activated to be fully compliant with Home-Assistant.
So… I modify configuration.yaml with the code AND my IP. Then reload all integrations
And success!
First integrations installation
I try to add “simple integrations” : moon, sun and see what it’s look’s like.
Well by default, Home-Assistant create a home-page and add all elements to it. It’s not the best view possible, but it’s working. I will have to modify it later
Configure home-assistant on smartphone
I installed the official apps on iOS (iPhone) and android (Samsung S23).
Configuration was easy for the two and work pretty well.
And the good news is a I have a working redirection, it worked at home and away, it have direct notification mechanism and the default home-page with widget is working without needs to configure it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I can now compare the home-assistant to my old jeedom installation process (remember that I bought a jeedom Luna)
Jeedom installation process is easily more user friendly ; I added my redirection without the needs to modify some “configuration file” ; One point for Jeedom.
Home-assistant can manage a “default” page that add your sensor / integrations automatically. Even if this is not the best view of the world, it’s pretty clear. One point for H-A.
Home-assistant on smartphone is wayyyyy better than the offical jeedom app. On jeedom you must configure individually each sensor / entries before viewing it… you’ll need a lot to to configure. Two points for H-A.