Download a YouTube Video

Download and install yt-dlp.exe from GitHub. Install FFmpeg.

Download video:

yt-dlp “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID”

Audio only:

yt-dlp -x –audio-format mp3 “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID”

List available formats:

yt-dlp -F “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID”

Proxmox Time Sync

Syncing time is essential on Proxmox servers, especially in a cluster — time drift can cause serious issues with quorum, backups, and HA.

Here’s how to ensure accurate time sync on your Proxmox nodes:


✅ Recommended Method: Use systemd-timesyncd (built-in on Debian)

🔧 1. Enable and start time sync:

sudo timedatectl set-ntp true

Verify:

timedatectl status

Look for:

NTP service: active
System clock synchronized: yes

This uses systemd-timesyncd, which is light and reliable for Proxmox servers.


🧰 Alternative: Use chrony (Recommended for more control)

chrony is more robust, especially if your nodes might be offline/online often or you’re doing HA.

1. Install chrony:

sudo apt install chrony

2. Edit config (optional):

sudo nano /etc/chrony/chrony.conf

Add or edit NTP servers:

server time.google.com iburst
server 0.pool.ntp.org iburst
server 1.pool.ntp.org iburst

3. Restart and enable:

sudo systemctl enable chrony
sudo systemctl restart chrony

4. Check sync status:

chronyc tracking


🧪 Verify Time Sync on Proxmox

On each node:

timedatectl

All nodes should show:

  • NTP service: active
  • System clock synchronized: yes
  • Same or very close times

🧠 Bonus: Sync RTC (hardware clock)

To sync system time to the hardware clock:

sudo hwclock --systohc


Let me know if you’re using a cluster and want to designate one Proxmox node as an NTP server for others, or if you’d like to sync from your Pi-hole box or router!

Perfect — turning one of your Proxmox nodes into an NTP server is a great idea for local time sync, especially in a cluster or if internet access is limited.

Here’s how to do it using chrony, which is ideal for Proxmox nodes:


🧭 Overview

  • One Proxmox node will be the NTP server.
  • The others will sync from it as NTP clients.

🖥️ On the Proxmox NTP Server (e.g., pve1)

1. Install chrony if not already installed:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install chrony

2. Edit the config to allow LAN clients

sudo nano /etc/chrony/chrony.conf

Add or uncomment these lines:

# Allow LAN subnet (adjust to your LAN range)
allow 192.168.1.0/24

# Make this machine act as an NTP server
local stratum 10

Optional: Use a known upstream NTP source for initial sync:

server time.google.com iburst
server 0.pool.ntp.org iburst

3. Restart chrony and enable it

sudo systemctl restart chrony
sudo systemctl enable chrony


🖥️ On the Proxmox Clients (e.g., pve2, pve3)

1. Install chrony:

sudo apt install chrony

2. Configure it to sync from the Proxmox NTP server:

sudo nano /etc/chrony/chrony.conf

Comment out existing server lines, and add:

server 192.168.1.10 iburst   # Replace with the IP of your Proxmox NTP server

3. Restart and enable:

sudo systemctl restart chrony
sudo systemctl enable chrony

4. Verify sync status:

chronyc sources
chronyc tracking

You should see something like:

Name/IP address             Stratum Poll Reach LastRx Last sample
===============================================================================
192.168.1.10                     10   6   377    32    -34us[ -44us] +/-  200us


🧪 Bonus: Test if the server is responding

From another node:

chronyc sources

Or:

ntpq -p 192.168.1.10


Let me know if you want to also allow the Pi-hole box or other clients on your LAN to sync from this NTP server too — it’s as easy as expanding the subnet in allow.

The Hardened (Home) Data Center

What’s a good plan for remote access to my smart home during a power outage when I’m on an extended vacation?

Jump to What I Did.

Since you’ll be away for a while, you need a robust failover plan to ensure continuous remote access to your smart home and Proxmox cluster. Here’s a multi-layered approach using your existing equipment:


🌐 1️⃣ Internet Failover

Since you have:

  • Primary ISP: AT&T Fiber (Nokia BGW320-505)
  • Backup ISP: T-Mobile 5G Hotspot (30GB/month before throttling)
  • Spare ASUS RT-AC68U Router (WAN Failover Capable)

🛠 Steps to Set Up Failover

  1. Enable Dual WAN Failover on ASUS Router
    • Set AT&T as primary WAN and T-Mobile Hotspot as secondary WAN
    • Choose failover mode (not load balancing)
    • Adjust health check settings to detect AT&T failures
  2. Avoid Double NAT Issues
    • If AT&T’s Nokia router is in router mode, enable bridge mode on the ASUS router
    • Assign static routes if needed to prevent conflicts

🔌 2️⃣ Power Resilience

Since you have a UPS, ensure:

  • Proxmox nodes, routers, and modem are on the UPS
  • Use a smart plug on your modem & router (in case they lock up)

🛠 Automation Ideas

  • Smart Plug Auto-Reboot
    • Use a TP-Link Kasa or Tasmota plug
    • Set up a rule: If internet is down for 10+ min, cycle power to the router/modem

🔐 3️⃣ Remote Access Setup

🛠 VPN Options

  1. Tailscale VPN (Easiest & Most Reliable)
    • Run Tailscale on your Raspberry Pi (or Proxmox VM)
    • Enables access even if your IP changes
    • No port forwarding needed
  2. PiVPN (WireGuard or OpenVPN)
    • Run on a Raspberry Pi
    • Requires port forwarding, so it may fail if your ISP changes your IP
  3. Cloudflare Tunnel (Great Backup Plan)
    • Provides a free tunnel to access your smart home services
    • Works even if your public IP changes

🚨 4️⃣ Automatic Recovery from Failures

🛠 Proxmox & Server Auto-Recovery

  • Use Smart Plugs for Power Cycling
  • Watchdog Timer on Proxmox
    • If a Proxmox node stalls, it will auto-reboot

🛠 Network Watchdog on Raspberry Pi

Run a simple script to detect network failures and auto-reboot devices:

#!/bin/bash
if ! ping -c 5 8.8.8.8 &> /dev/null; then
  echo "Internet down! Rebooting router..."
  ssh user@smartplug "turn off && sleep 10 && turn on"
fi

(Schedule with crontab -e to run every 10 minutes)


📌 Summary: Best Remote Access Plan

Failover Internet → ASUS RT-AC68U handles automatic switch to T-Mobile 5G
UPS Protection → Keeps critical devices online during power outages
Smart Plug Automation → Auto-reboots router/modem if unresponsive
VPN Access (Tailscale) → Provides secure access even if ISP changes IP
Proxmox Watchdog → Ensures servers auto-recover from crashes
Cloudflare Tunnel (Optional) → Secondary remote access method


🚀 Next Steps

  • Do a test run before your trip
  • Monitor logs remotely (Tailscale + Home Assistant)
  • Set up alerts (Home Assistant + Pushover/Telegram)

Would you like help setting up any of these steps? 🚀

I implemented dual Wan on the ASUS router and used IP passthrough on the Nokia router. Failover mode works. Most of my automation works with Alexa. I have the UPS. I’ll implement the RPi watchdog. I think I’ll shutdown Proxmox during a power outage to preserver the UPS. I think I can get the temperature from my Ambient Weather station if it’s on the UPS. Two of my blink cameras work on batteries. I’ll need an Echo on UPS.

That sounds like a solid plan for maintaining remote access and automation during an outage. If your ASUS router supports custom scripts, you might consider adding automation to gracefully shut down Proxmox when the UPS battery level gets too low. Let me know if you want help setting that up!

how would you detect the battery level?

You can detect the UPS battery level using Network UPS Tools (NUT), which allows you to monitor your UPS from a Raspberry Pi, your Proxmox servers, or another system on your network. Here’s how you can set it up:

Step 1: Install NUT on Proxmox or a Raspberry Pi

On your Proxmox node or Raspberry Pi (whichever is connected to the UPS via USB):

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nut nut-client

Step 2: Configure NUT to Read UPS Data

Edit the NUT configuration file to recognize your UPS:

sudo nano /etc/nut/ups.conf

Add an entry for your UPS. For example, if it’s an APC UPS, it may look like this:

[myups]
    driver = usbhid-ups
    port = auto
    desc = "My UPS"

Save and exit.

Restart the NUT service:

sudo systemctl restart nut-server

Step 3: Check Battery Status

Run the following command to check UPS status:

upsc myups

Look for a value like:

battery.charge: 85

This tells you the current battery percentage.

Step 4: Automate Proxmox Shutdown on Low Battery

Create a script (/usr/local/bin/ups-shutdown.sh) that will shut down Proxmox when the battery is low:

#!/bin/bash
BATTERY_LEVEL=$(upsc myups battery.charge)

if [ "$BATTERY_LEVEL" -lt 20 ]; then
    echo "Battery low ($BATTERY_LEVEL%). Shutting down Proxmox..."
    /usr/sbin/poweroff
fi

Make it executable:

chmod +x /usr/local/bin/ups-shutdown.sh

Step 5: Run This Script Periodically

Add this to cron to check the battery level every minute:

sudo crontab -e

Add this line at the bottom:

* * * * * /usr/local/bin/ups-shutdown.sh

This setup will ensure Proxmox shuts down when the UPS battery gets too low.

Would you like help with setting up email or push notifications when the power goes out?

To get email or push notifications when the power goes out, you can integrate the UPS monitoring system with sendmail (for email notifications) or use Pushover or Telegram (for mobile push notifications).


1. Send Email Notification on Power Outage

You’ll need msmtp and mailutils to send emails from the Raspberry Pi or Proxmox server.

Install Required Packages

sudo apt update
sudo apt install msmtp mailutils

Configure msmtp

Edit the configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/msmtprc

Add the following, adjusting for your SMTP provider (Gmail, Outlook, etc.):

defaults
auth           on
tls            on
tls_trust_file /etc/ssl/certs/ca-certificates.crt
logfile        /var/log/msmtp.log

account default
host smtp.gmail.com
port 587
from your-email@gmail.com
user your-email@gmail.com
password your-email-password

Save and exit.

Test Email Sending

Try sending an email:

echo "Test email from Raspberry Pi" | mail -s "UPS Test Email" your-email@example.com

If you receive the email, the setup is working.

Modify the Shutdown Script to Send an Email

Edit the /usr/local/bin/ups-shutdown.sh script to send an email when the UPS is on battery:

#!/bin/bash
BATTERY_LEVEL=$(upsc myups battery.charge)
ONLINE_STATUS=$(upsc myups ups.status)

if [[ "$ONLINE_STATUS" != "OL" ]]; then
    echo "Power outage detected! UPS running on battery. Battery level: $BATTERY_LEVEL%" | mail -s "Power Outage Alert" your-email@example.com
fi

if [ "$BATTERY_LEVEL" -lt 20 ]; then
    echo "Battery low ($BATTERY_LEVEL%). Shutting down Proxmox..." | mail -s "Critical Battery Alert - Shutting Down" your-email@example.com
    /usr/sbin/poweroff
fi


2. Push Notifications Using Telegram

If you prefer mobile push notifications, you can use Telegram bots:

Create a Telegram Bot

  1. Open Telegram and search for BotFather.
  2. Start a chat and use the command /newbot.
  3. Give your bot a name and username.
  4. Copy the API token from BotFather.

Find Your Chat ID

  1. Open https://api.telegram.org/bot<YOUR_BOT_TOKEN>/getUpdates in a browser.
  2. Send your bot a message.
  3. Refresh the browser; your chat ID will appear.

Modify the Shutdown Script to Send Telegram Messages

Edit /usr/local/bin/ups-shutdown.sh:

#!/bin/bash
BATTERY_LEVEL=$(upsc myups battery.charge)
ONLINE_STATUS=$(upsc myups ups.status)
TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN="YOUR_BOT_TOKEN"
TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID="YOUR_CHAT_ID"

send_telegram() {
    curl -s -X POST "https://api.telegram.org/bot$TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN/sendMessage" \
        -d chat_id="$TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID" \
        -d text="$1"
}

if [[ "$ONLINE_STATUS" != "OL" ]]; then
    send_telegram "⚠️ Power outage detected! UPS running on battery. Battery level: $BATTERY_LEVEL%"
fi

if [ "$BATTERY_LEVEL" -lt 20 ]; then
    send_telegram "🔴 Critical Battery Alert! Battery level: $BATTERY_LEVEL%. Shutting down Proxmox."
    /usr/sbin/poweroff
fi


3. Running the Script on a Schedule

Edit cron:

sudo crontab -e

Add this line:

* * * * * /usr/local/bin/ups-shutdown.sh

This checks the UPS status every minute.


Would you like to add any additional notification methods, like Pushover or Home Assistant alerts?

What I Did

Sure! Here’s a quick and clear guide to set up SSH key-based login from your local machine to a remote Linux server, so you can skip password prompts.


🔑 Step-by-Step: SSH Key Setup

1. Check for existing SSH keys on your local machine

ls ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

If it exists, skip to step 3.

2. Generate a new SSH key pair (if needed)

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your_email@example.com"

  • Press Enter to accept defaults.
  • You can set a passphrase (or leave it blank for no prompt).

This creates:

  • Private key: ~/.ssh/id_rsa
  • Public key: ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

3. Copy your public key to the remote server

ssh-copy-id user@remote-host

  • Replace user with your username and remote-host with the IP or hostname.
  • It will prompt for your password once to copy the key.
Alternate method (if ssh-copy-id isn’t available):
cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub | ssh user@remote-host 'mkdir -p ~/.ssh && cat >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys && chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys && chmod 700 ~/.ssh'

4. Test it

ssh user@remote-host

You should now log in without entering a password.


✅ Optional: Configure Passwordless sudo

If you want to run shutdown commands via SSH without typing the sudo password:

  1. On the remote server, run:
sudo visudo

  1. Add this line at the bottom (change user to your username):
user ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: /sbin/shutdown, /sbin/poweroff

Now your remote shutdown command works like this:

ssh user@remote-host 'sudo /sbin/shutdown -h now'


Crontab

  1. timedatectl # check time zone
  2. timedatectl set-timezone America/Chicago
  3. * * * * * date >> /home/pi/tz.txt #verify how crontab sees time

Automatic Internet Failover

I have a three node proxmox cluster running home assistant, jellyfin, file servers, pivpn, pihole for dhcp and a dozen other servers that I need to have remote access to. I have some spare raspberry pi’s and spare smart plugs. I have a T-Mobile hotspot with 30gb of monthly data before it throttles data. I have a backup UPS. I’m using a Nokia wireless router for connection to my ISP which is AT&T. I also have a spare ASUS RT-AC68U router that has a WAN failover feature. I think it may be necessary to reset the power to recover the proxmox servers. My servers will be unattended when I’m away. How can I make sure I don’t lose access to my home network.

To Do Regarding Following Responses

  1. Install Tailscale on RPi
  2. Setup ASUS router as access point with hotspot as secondary WAN
  3. Install smart plugs for AT&T router and Proxmox servers
  4. Install watchdog on RPi
  5. Install Pihole on RPi
  6. Install DDClient on RPi
  7. Simulate power outage
  8. Simulate ISP outage
  9. Simulate ISP failover
  10. Test hotspot for continuous operation
  11. Setup range extender

Solution

This is not a trivial solution. Using the AI responses from below, this is my implementation. My ASUS router supports dual WAN failover but my AT&T Nokia router connects to the internet. The best way to avoid double NAT is to put the AT&T router in bridge mode but that’s not available. However, it supports IP Passthrough.

To turn on IP Passthrough, the Nokia router needs have DHCP on the ASUS router turned on. Since I use Pihole for DHCP, I isolated my workstation and both routers to establish this with wifi off. The T-Mobile hotspot network was not configurable and conflicted with my long time 192.168 network, so I had to change my local network to a new 192.168 network. This was mostly trivial and tedious except for Proxmox. It broke my cluster and my Ceph shared storage. With some AI help, I repaired the broken cluster but not yet Ceph. I tethered my hotspot to the ASUS router, turned off the Nokia router and voilà it failed over to the hotspot. With the Nokia router back on, it failed back.

What I’m really trying to do is “harden my data center”. What’s the best combination of access and duration I can have to my “smart” home while I’m away during a power outage. Once I did a u-turn in Tucumcari when my home lost power in a cold spell. Failover to a battery backup 5G internet access is a big asset. Maybe a wifi thermometer and camera?

To avoid Double NAT when using the ASUS RT-AC68U as a failover router with your AT&T Nokia BGW320-505, you need to put the Nokia router into IP Passthrough mode.

🔧 Steps to Set Up IP Passthrough on AT&T Nokia BGW320-505

This will make the ASUS router handle all routing and NAT, preventing conflicts.


1️⃣ Connect Your ASUS Router to the Nokia Router

  • Plug an Ethernet cable from a LAN port on the Nokia BGW320-505 into the WAN port of the ASUS RT-AC68U.

2️⃣ Enable IP Passthrough on the Nokia BGW320-505

  1. Log in to the AT&T Router
    • Open a browser and go to: http://192.168.1.254
    • Sign in (default access code is on the router label)
  2. Navigate to IP Passthrough
    • Click Firewall → IP Passthrough
  3. Set Up Passthrough Mode
    • Allocation Mode: Passthrough
    • Passthrough Mode: DHCPS-Fixed
    • Passthrough MAC Address: Select the MAC address of the ASUS router’s WAN port
  4. Save & Apply Settings
    • Reboot the Nokia router and ASUS router.

3️⃣ Configure the ASUS Router

  1. Log in to ASUS RT-AC68U (http://192.168.1.1)
  2. Set WAN to Automatic IP (DHCP)
    • Go to WAN → Internet Connection
    • Set WAN Connection Type = Automatic IP
    • Disable DHCP Query Frequency
    • Click Apply
  3. Disable ASUS’s NAT Acceleration (Optional for stability)
    • Go to LAN → Switch Control
    • Set NAT Acceleration = Disabled
    • Click Apply

4️⃣ Confirm the Setup

  • On the ASUS Router, check the WAN IP Address (it should be the same as your public IP).
  • The Nokia router will no longer perform NAT, preventing Double NAT.
  • The ASUS router will now handle failover between AT&T and T-Mobile 5G.

Now, all devices will use the ASUS router as their only gateway, preventing Double NAT! 🚀

ChatGPT Response

You have a solid setup with redundancy, but since your Proxmox servers will be unattended while you’re away, here’s a fail-safe strategy to ensure remote access and automatic recovery after a power outage or network failure.


1️⃣ Ensure Remote Access

(A) VPN Access via PiVPN

  • PiVPN is great, but if your primary ISP (AT&T) goes down or changes your external IP, you might lose access.
  • Solution: Set up a Dynamic DNS (DDNS) service like DuckDNS, No-IP, or Cloudflare to track your home IP address.
  • Alternative: Have a backup VPN (e.g., Tailscale or ZeroTier) running on a Raspberry Pi.

(B) T-Mobile Hotspot for Backup Internet

  • Use the ASUS RT-AC68U as a failover router:
    • Primary WAN: Nokia (AT&T ISP)
    • Secondary WAN: T-Mobile Hotspot (Connected via USB or Ethernet)
  • This ensures automatic failover if AT&T goes down.

2️⃣ Automatic Power Cycling for Recovery

(A) Smart Plugs for Remote Power Cycling

  • Use a smart plug (e.g., TP-Link Kasa, Tasmota, or Zigbee/Z-Wave) on:
    • Proxmox servers
    • Nokia router
    • ASUS router
  • Use a cloud-managed smart plug (like Kasa or Shelly) so you can remotely reboot devices if they become unresponsive.

(B) Raspberry Pi Watchdog for Network & Server Health

  • Set up a spare Raspberry Pi to:
    • Ping your key services (Proxmox, Pi-hole, VPN, Home Assistant).
    • If a service is down for X minutes, use a smart plug API to power cycle the Proxmox servers.
  • Example Python script for the Raspberry Pi: import os import requests import time # IPs of critical devices devices = { "Proxmox": "192.168.1.100", "Router": "192.168.1.1", "Home Assistant": "192.168.1.50" } # Smart plug API (TP-Link Kasa, Shelly, etc.) SMART_PLUG_URL = "http://smartplug-ip/power" def check_device(ip): return os.system(f"ping -c 3 {ip}") == 0 while True: for name, ip in devices.items(): if not check_device(ip): print(f"{name} is down! Restarting power...") requests.post(SMART_PLUG_URL, json={"state": "off"}) time.sleep(10) requests.post(SMART_PLUG_URL, json={"state": "on"}) time.sleep(300) # Check every 5 minutes

3️⃣ Prevent Data Overages on T-Mobile Hotspot

  • Limit backups & updates to run only on AT&T.
  • Block high-bandwidth services (like Jellyfin streaming) on the failover connection.

4️⃣ Test Before Leaving

  • Simulate a power outage: Unplug everything and check if it recovers automatically.
  • Simulate an ISP outage: Disconnect AT&T to ensure failover to T-Mobile works.

Final Setup Overview

VPN Failover: PiVPN + DDNS + Tailscale/ZeroTier
Internet Failover: ASUS RT-AC68U → Primary: AT&T, Secondary: T-Mobile
Smart Power Cycling: Smart plugs controlled by a Raspberry Pi watchdog
Data Protection: Limit traffic on T-Mobile failover


Would you like help setting up any of these components in more detail? 🚀

Let’s break this down into actionable steps. I’ll guide you through each part of the setup and you can let me know if you need more details or specific instructions.


1️⃣ Set Up VPN for Remote Access

Since you already have PiVPN, you should also add a backup access method to prevent getting locked out. Here’s how:

Option A: Enable Dynamic DNS (DDNS)

  • If AT&T changes your IP address, DDNS ensures you can always reach your home network.
  • Recommended services:
    • DuckDNS (Free)
    • No-IP (Free tier available)
    • Cloudflare DDNS (If you own a domain)

Steps to set up DuckDNS:

  1. Create an account at DuckDNS.
  2. Add a new domain (e.g., yourhome.duckdns.org).
  3. Set up a Raspberry Pi or Proxmox server to update your IP: sudo apt update && sudo apt install cron curl -y echo "*/5 * * * * root curl -s 'https://www.duckdns.org/update?domains=yourhome&token=YOURTOKEN&ip='" | sudo tee /etc/cron.d/duckdns sudo systemctl restart cron
  4. Configure PiVPN to use DuckDNS instead of an IP.
    Update /etc/wireguard/wg0.conf: Endpoint = yourhome.duckdns.org:51820

Option B: Backup VPN with Tailscale

  • Why? If AT&T goes down, Tailscale works even on your T-Mobile failover.
  • How? Install Tailscale on a Raspberry Pi and your remote devices: curl -fsSL https://tailscale.com/install.sh | sh sudo tailscale up
  • Use Tailscale as a secondary way to access your home servers.

2️⃣ Set Up WAN Failover (AT&T → T-Mobile)

Your ASUS RT-AC68U supports dual WAN failover.
Steps to configure it:

  1. Connect AT&T router to the ASUS RT-AC68U’s WAN port.
  2. Connect the T-Mobile hotspot to a LAN port on the ASUS router (or via USB if supported).
  3. Log into ASUS Router (192.168.1.1).
  4. Go to WAN → Dual WAN and enable Failover Mode.
  5. Set Primary WAN: AT&T
    Set Secondary WAN: T-Mobile hotspot
  6. Set Failover detection mode: “Network monitoring” (Ping 8.8.8.8).
  7. Save and test by unplugging AT&T.

✅ Now, if AT&T fails, T-Mobile takes over automatically.


3️⃣ Remote Power Cycling (Smart Plugs)

Use a cloud-based smart plug (like Kasa or Shelly) to remotely restart devices if needed.

Steps to Set Up TP-Link Kasa Smart Plug:

  1. Install Kasa app and connect the smart plug to your home WiFi.
  2. Plug in critical devices:
    • Proxmox servers
    • Nokia router
    • ASUS router
  3. Use the Kasa app to power cycle remotely if a device is unresponsive.

✅ Now you can manually reset devices remotely via the app.


4️⃣ Automatic Power Cycling with a Raspberry Pi

Use a Raspberry Pi to detect offline servers and power cycle them automatically.

Steps:

  1. Install Python on the Raspberry Pi: sudo apt update && sudo apt install python3-pip -y pip3 install requests
  2. Monitor devices using this Python script: import os import requests import time # Devices to monitor devices = { "Proxmox": "192.168.1.100", "Home Assistant": "192.168.1.50", "Router": "192.168.1.1" } # Smart plug API (TP-Link Kasa, Shelly, or Tasmota) SMART_PLUG_URL = "http://smartplug-ip/power" def check_device(ip): return os.system(f"ping -c 3 {ip}") == 0 while True: for name, ip in devices.items(): if not check_device(ip): print(f"{name} is down! Restarting power...") requests.post(SMART_PLUG_URL, json={"state": "off"}) time.sleep(10) requests.post(SMART_PLUG_URL, json={"state": "on"}) time.sleep(300) # Check every 5 minutes

✅ This automatically reboots Proxmox if it becomes unresponsive.


5️⃣ Limit T-Mobile Data Usage

T-Mobile has a 30GB cap before throttling, so block high-traffic services like Jellyfin.

Steps to limit data:

  1. Go to ASUS router settings (192.168.1.1).
  2. Go to Traffic Manager → Bandwidth Control.
  3. Set a bandwidth rule:
    • Allow only Home Assistant, PiVPN, and critical services on T-Mobile.
    • Block Jellyfin and non-essential traffic.

✅ This prevents unnecessary data usage on your failover connection.


6️⃣ Test Before Leaving

  1. Simulate power failure: Unplug everything and check if it restarts correctly.
  2. Simulate ISP failure: Disconnect AT&T and ensure the T-Mobile failover works.
  3. Test remote access: Ensure you can connect via PiVPN, Tailscale, and DDNS.

Final Setup Recap

VPN Failover: PiVPN (AT&T) + Tailscale (T-Mobile) + DDNS
Internet Failover: ASUS Router (AT&T → T-Mobile)
Remote Power Cycling: Smart plugs + Raspberry Pi watchdog
Data Protection: Block streaming services on T-Mobile
Pre-Trip Testing: Power & ISP failure simulation


Do you need help with any of these steps? 🚀

How to Set Up Tailscale on Your Raspberry Pi for Remote Access

This guide will walk you through installing and configuring Tailscale on your Raspberry Pi to ensure you can securely access your home network remotely, even if your primary VPN fails.


📌 Step 1: Install Tailscale on Raspberry Pi

1️⃣ Update Your System

Before installing, update your system:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

2️⃣ Install Tailscale

Run the following command:

curl -fsSL https://tailscale.com/install.sh | sh

This script will automatically install the latest Tailscale package.


📌 Step 2: Start & Authenticate Tailscale

1️⃣ Start Tailscale

Enable and start the service:

sudo systemctl enable --now tailscaled

2️⃣ Authenticate Your Raspberry Pi

Run the command:

sudo tailscale up

It will provide a login link—open it in a web browser and sign in with Google, GitHub, or Microsoft.

Once authenticated, your Raspberry Pi is now part of your Tailscale network. 🎉


📌 Step 3: Access Your Home Network

  1. Get your Raspberry Pi’s Tailscale IP: tailscale ip -4 Example output: 100.99.88.77
  2. Connect from anywhere by using SSH: ssh pi@100.99.88.77 You can also access other devices on your network by enabling subnet routing.

📌 Step 4: Enable Subnet Routing (Access Entire Home Network)

By default, Tailscale only allows access to the Raspberry Pi. To access your entire home network, enable subnet routing:

1️⃣ Find Your Home Network Subnet

Run:

ip -4 addr show eth0

Example output:

inet 192.168.1.100/24 brd 192.168.1.255 scope global eth0

Here, 192.168.1.0/24 is your home network subnet.

2️⃣ Enable Subnet Routing

Run:

sudo tailscale up --advertise-routes=192.168.1.0/24

3️⃣ Approve the Route in Tailscale Admin Panel

  1. Go to https://login.tailscale.com/admin/machines
  2. Find your Raspberry Pi and approve the advertised route.

Now, you can access any device on your home network via Tailscale! 🔥


📌 Step 5: Ensure Tailscale Starts on Boot

Tailscale should already start automatically, but you can double-check with:

sudo systemctl enable tailscaled


📌 Step 6: (Optional) Use Tailscale Exit Node for Full Remote Access

If you want your Raspberry Pi to act as an exit node (allowing full internet access through your home network), enable it with:

sudo tailscale up --advertise-exit-node

Then approve it in the Tailscale Admin Panel.


🎯 Summary

Tailscale is installed and running
You can SSH into your Raspberry Pi from anywhere
Your entire home network is accessible remotely
Failover works even if your main ISP goes down

Would you like help testing the connection? 🚀

How to Test Your Tailscale Connection

Now that Tailscale is set up, let’s make sure everything is working properly. Follow these steps:


📌 Step 1: Check Tailscale Status

On your Raspberry Pi, run:

tailscale status

You should see output similar to this:

100.99.88.77   raspberrypi   online
100.101.102.50 laptop        online
100.102.103.20 phone         online

✅ If your Raspberry Pi appears as online, it’s connected to Tailscale.


📌 Step 2: Test SSH Access from Another Device

  1. Find your Raspberry Pi’s Tailscale IP: tailscale ip -4 Example output: 100.99.88.77
  2. From another device running Tailscale, try SSH: ssh pi@100.99.88.77
    • If prompted, enter your Raspberry Pi password.
    • ✅ If successful, your Tailscale setup is working!

📌 Step 3: Test Access to Other Home Network Devices (If Using Subnet Routing)

If you enabled subnet routing, try pinging a local device on your home network:

ping 192.168.1.100  # Replace with a local device's IP

✅ If you get a response, subnet routing is working.


📌 Step 4: Test Connection from Outside Your Home

  1. Turn off Wi-Fi on your phone.
  2. Use mobile data and open the Tailscale app.
  3. Try SSH into your Raspberry Pi: ssh pi@100.99.88.77 ✅ If successful, your Raspberry Pi is remotely accessible!

🚨 If Something Isn’t Working

  • Run this diagnostic command on the Pi: tailscale debug logs
  • Check firewall settings (make sure SSH is allowed).
  • Reboot the Pi and try again.

Let me know if you run into any issues! 🚀

Setting Up ddclient on a Raspberry Pi as a Backup for Namecheap DDNS

This guide will help you install ddclient on a Raspberry Pi, ensuring that your Namecheap domain (lynnhargrove.site) updates reliably, even if your Proxmox server goes down.


📌 Step 1: Install ddclient

1️⃣ Update your system:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

2️⃣ Install ddclient:

sudo apt install ddclient -y

3️⃣ Verify the installed version:

ddclient --version

You should see something like:

ddclient version 3.9.1


📌 Step 2: Configure ddclient for Namecheap

1️⃣ Open the ddclient configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/ddclient.conf

2️⃣ Replace the contents with:

# Namecheap Dynamic DNS Configuration
protocol=namecheap
use=web, web=dynamicdns.park-your-domain.com/getip
server=dynamicdns.park-your-domain.com
login=lynnhargrove.site
password='your_namecheap_ddns_password'
@  # Updates the root domain

🔹 Replace 'your_namecheap_ddns_password' with the Dynamic DNS password from Namecheap.

  • Find it under Advanced DNS settings in your Namecheap dashboard.

🔹 If you have a subdomain (e.g., home.lynnhargrove.site), change @ to home.

Save and exit: CTRL+X → Y → Enter


📌 Step 3: Enable ddclient as a Systemd Service

1️⃣ Make sure ddclient runs on boot:

sudo systemctl enable ddclient

2️⃣ Restart ddclient:

sudo systemctl restart ddclient

3️⃣ Check status:

sudo systemctl status ddclient

✅ If everything is working, you should see “active (running)”.


📌 Step 4: Verify That Your Domain Updates Correctly

1️⃣ Manually trigger an update:

sudo ddclient -force

2️⃣ Check your public IP:

curl ifconfig.me

3️⃣ Check if Namecheap updated your domain:

nslookup lynnhargrove.site

🔹 If the IP from nslookup matches ifconfig.me, your DDNS is working!


📌 Step 5: Set Up a Fallback (Optional)

If you want the Raspberry Pi only to update DDNS if your Proxmox server is offline, you can:

  • Add a cron job to check if Proxmox is reachable before running ddclient.
  • Use Tailscale or a watchdog script to automate failover.

🚀 You’re Done!

Now your Raspberry Pi will keep your lynnhargrove.site domain updated, even if your Proxmox server fails.

Let me know if you need help testing failover or setting up automation! 😊

I asked Gemini:

Can i have two wireless routers with the same ssid for automatic failover?

Yes, you can have two wireless routers with the same SSID and password for automatic failover, but it’s important to understand how this works and its limitations. The technique is commonly referred to as “roaming” or “seamless roaming.”

How It Works:

  • Same SSID and Password:
    • By configuring both routers with the exact same SSID (network name) and password, your wireless devices see them as a single network.
  • Device Decision:
    • When your device moves between the coverage areas of the two routers, it will decide which router to connect to based on signal strength and other factors.
    • Modern devices are generally quite good at this.
  • Failover:
    • If one router fails, your device should automatically connect to the other router, provided it’s within range.

Key Requirements and Considerations:

  • Same Security Settings:
    • Ensure that both routers have the same security settings (e.g., WPA2/WPA3).
  • Non-Overlapping Channels (Recommended):
    • To minimize interference, it’s best to configure the routers to use non-overlapping Wi-Fi channels.
      • For 2.4GHz, use channels 1, 6, or 11.
      • For 5GHz, choose channels that are sufficiently separated.
  • Same Network Configuration:
    • Both routers should be on the same subnet.
      • Ideally, one router should be the primary router, and the other should be configured as an access point.
      • If both routers are acting as routers, but on the same subnet, one router needs to have DHCP turned off, to avoid ip address conflicts.
  • Placement:
    • Strategically place the routers to provide overlapping coverage areas.
  • Limitations:
    • Not True Seamlessness: While your device will automatically switch, there might be a brief interruption in connectivity during the transition. This is because your device has to disconnect from one router and connect to the other.
    • Device Compatibility: Some older wireless devices might not handle roaming as smoothly as newer devices.1
    • Interference: If the routers are too close together or use overlapping channels, it can lead to interference and poor performance.2
    • Network Conflicts: If both devices are trying to act as routers, and both are running DHCP, network conflicts will occur.3

Best Practices for Reliable Failover:

  • Use Access Point Mode:
    • Configure one router as the primary router (handling DHCP and routing) and the other as an access point. This ensures that all devices get their IP addresses from the same source.
  • Use a Mesh Wi-Fi System:
    • Mesh Wi-Fi systems are designed for seamless roaming and provide a more reliable and user-friendly experience than manually configuring two separate routers.4
  • Wired Backhaul:
    • If possible, connect the routers using a wired Ethernet connection (wired backhaul). This improves performance and reliability.

In summary:

Setting up two routers with the same SSID and password can provide basic failover, but it’s essential to understand its limitations and follow best practices to minimize potential issues. Using a mesh system, or access point mode, is highly recommended for a smoother and more reliable experience.

I then asked:

I have a tmobile 5g router, an at&t fiber router, an asus rt-ac68u router not in use, and a pihole dhcp server. My wireless ssid is provided by the at&t router. I will be away for an extended period. Is there a way to configure an automatic failover from the at&t router to the 5g router?

Yes, you can configure an automatic failover from your AT&T fiber router to your T-Mobile 5G router, but it requires careful planning and a bit of technical work. Here’s a comprehensive approach:

Understanding the Challenge:

  • Different Networks: Your AT&T and T-Mobile routers are on separate networks with different public IP addresses and potentially different private IP ranges.
  • Automatic Switching: The primary challenge is to automatically switch your local network’s gateway and DNS settings when the AT&T connection fails.
  • Pi-hole as DHCP: Your Pi-hole acting as the DHCP server simplifies some things, but also adds a layer of complexity.

Configuration Steps:

  1. T-Mobile 5G Router Setup:
    • Configure LAN Settings:
      • Ensure the T-Mobile 5G router’s LAN IP range is different from your AT&T router’s. For example, if AT&T is 192.168.1.x, make the T-Mobile router 192.168.2.x.
      • Disable DHCP on the T-Mobile router. You’ll rely on Pi-hole for DHCP.
    • Wi-Fi Settings:
      • Set the T-Mobile router’s SSID to something different (e.g., “Bigbird-5G”) to avoid conflicts with your existing network.
      • Alternatively, you can have it broadcast the same SSID, but this adds complexity to the failover scripts.
    • Placement: Place the T-Mobile 5G router where it has a good 5G signal.
  2. Pi-hole Configuration:
    • Static IP: Ensure your Pi-hole has a static IP address on your AT&T network.
    • DHCP Range: Configure your Pi-hole’s DHCP range to match your AT&T router’s LAN subnet.
    • Gateway Setting:
      • This is the crucial part. You’ll need to create a script that modifies the Pi-hole’s DHCP gateway setting based on network availability.
  3. Failover Script (on Pi-hole):
    • Create a Script: Create a shell script on your Pi-hole that does the following:
      • Ping Test: Ping a reliable internet address (e.g., 8.8.8.8) to check if the AT&T connection is active.
      • Router Detection: If the ping fails, ping the AT&T router. If that fails too, assume the AT&T connection is down.
      • Modify Pi-hole DHCP:
        • If the AT&T connection is down, use pihole -a dhcp-gateway to change the Pi-hole’s DHCP gateway setting to the T-Mobile 5G router’s LAN IP address.
        • If the AT&T connection is up, change it back to the AT&T router’s LAN IP address.
      • Network Interface Check: Confirm the default route is using the correct interface.
    • Cron Job: Set up a cron job to run the script periodically (e.g., every minute).
  4. Asus RT-AC68U (Optional):
    • You could use the asus router as a wireless access point for the tmobile router. This would allow you to keep the same SSID.
    • This would require the asus router to be connected via ethernet to the tmobile router.
    • The asus router would be set to access point mode, and the wifi settings would be configured to use the same SSID and password.

Example Script (Simplified):

Bash

#!/bin/bash

ATT_ROUTER="192.168.1.1" # Replace with your AT&T router IP
TMOBILE_ROUTER="192.168.2.1" # Replace with your T-Mobile router IP

if ping -c 1 8.8.8.8 > /dev/null; then
  # AT&T connection is up
  if ping -c 1 $ATT_ROUTER > /dev/null; then
    pihole -a dhcp-gateway $ATT_ROUTER
  fi
else
  # AT&T connection is down
  pihole -a dhcp-gateway $TMOBILE_ROUTER
fi

Important Considerations:

  • IP Conflicts: Ensure your LAN subnets don’t overlap.
  • DNS: Your Pi-hole will continue to provide DNS, but if the T-Mobile connection has DNS issues, you might need to adjust Pi-hole’s upstream DNS servers.
  • Testing: Thoroughly test the failover script to ensure it works correctly.
  • Security: If you expose your network to the internet through the T-Mobile router, ensure you have appropriate security measures in place.
  • Network speed: Be aware that the tmobile 5g router may have significantly different speeds then the fiber connection.
  • Power: Ensure that both routers have uninterruptible power supplies.

By following these steps, you can create a basic automatic failover system for your network.

I asked ChatGPT the same question:

I have a tmobile 5g router, an at&t fiber router, an asus rt-ac68u router not in use, and a pihole dhcp server. My wireless ssid is provided by the at&t router. I will be away for an extended period. Is there a way to configure an automatic failover from the at&t router to the 5g router?

Yes, you can set up automatic failover using your ASUS RT-AC68U router as a dual-WAN router with WAN failover. Here’s how:


1️⃣ Connect Your Routers

  • Primary WAN (AT&T Fiber) → Plug into the WAN port of the ASUS RT-AC68U.
  • Secondary WAN (T-Mobile 5G Router) → Plug into a LAN port of the ASUS.

2️⃣ Set Up Dual WAN on ASUS RT-AC68U

  1. Log into the ASUS router (default: 192.168.1.1).
  2. Go to WAN → Dual WAN.
  3. Enable Dual WAN.
  4. Set:
    • Primary WAN = Ethernet WAN (AT&T Fiber).
    • Secondary WAN = Ethernet WAN (T-Mobile 5G Router) or USB (if using a 5G modem).
  5. Select “Failover Mode” (auto-switches when AT&T fails).
  6. Set Ping Check:
    • Target: 8.8.8.8 (Google DNS).
    • Failover after 3-5 timeouts.
    • Failback when AT&T returns.

3️⃣ Adjust Pi-hole DHCP Settings

  • If the ASUS RT-AC68U becomes your main router, update Pi-hole DHCP to point to it as the default gateway.
  • If you want AT&T to remain the DHCP source, ensure its gateway is static so ASUS can maintain failover routing.

4️⃣ Test the Failover

  • Unplug AT&T Fiber → The ASUS should switch to the T-Mobile router within a few minutes.
  • Reconnect AT&T → It should fail back automatically.

🚀 Now, Your Network Will Stay Online Even if AT&T Fails!

Would you like to add remote monitoring to check your network while you’re away? 📡

📡 Set Up Remote Monitoring for Your Failover Network

Now that failover is configured, let’s set up remote monitoring so you can check your network status while away.


1️⃣ Option 1: Use a Dynamic DNS (DDNS) Service

Since your public IP may change, use a DDNS service like No-IP or DynDNS to access your ASUS router remotely.

Set Up DDNS on ASUS Router

  1. Log into your ASUS router (192.168.1.1).
  2. Go to WAN → DDNS.
  3. Enable DDNS Client.
  4. Select a free DDNS service (ASUS provides free ones).
  5. Register a hostname (e.g., myhome.asuscomm.com).
  6. Save settings.

✅ Now, you can access your router remotely using myhome.asuscomm.com.


2️⃣ Option 2: Enable ASUS Remote Access

ASUS routers have a VPN or Remote Web Access feature:

  1. Go to Administration → System.
  2. Enable Web Access from WAN (set a strong password!).
  3. Or, enable VPN Server to connect securely.

✅ This lets you log into your router from anywhere.


3️⃣ Option 3: Use a Remote Monitoring Tool

Check Internet Status via UptimeRobot

  1. Go to UptimeRobot (free plan available).
  2. Set up a new monitor:
    • Type: Ping Monitor
    • IP: Your home DDNS hostname (myhome.asuscomm.com)
    • Check interval: Every 5 minutes
  3. Set up email/SMS alerts if your network goes down.

✅ You’ll get alerts when your internet fails and when it’s back.


4️⃣ Option 4: Use Pi-hole + Telegram Alerts

You can use your Pi-hole to detect internet outages and send an alert via Telegram or Pushbullet:

Set Up a Simple Internet Check Script

  1. Run: nano ~/internet_check.py
  2. Add this Python script: import os import requests import time # Telegram Bot Details TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN = "your_bot_token_here" TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID = "your_chat_id_here" # Function to check internet status def is_internet_up(): return os.system("ping -c 1 8.8.8.8") == 0 # Send Telegram Alert def send_telegram_alert(status): message = f"⚠️ Internet Down!" if not status else "✅ Internet Restored!" url = f"https://api.telegram.org/bot{TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN}/sendMessage" requests.post(url, data={"chat_id": TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID, "text": message}) # Check every 5 minutes prev_status = is_internet_up() while True: current_status = is_internet_up() if current_status != prev_status: send_telegram_alert(current_status) prev_status = current_status time.sleep(300) # Wait 5 minutes
  3. Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).

Run the Script on Boot

  1. Run: crontab -e
  2. Add: @reboot /usr/bin/python3 /home/pi/internet_check.py &

Now, you’ll get a Telegram message when your home internet goes down!


🚀 Your Home Network is Now Monitored & Secured!

Would you like a remote reboot option if your internet goes down? 🖥️🔄

🔄 Set Up a Remote Reboot for Your Home Network

If your internet fails while you’re away, you can remotely reboot your ASUS router or Raspberry Pi to try restoring the connection.


1️⃣ Option 1: Reboot via Smart Plug (Simple & Reliable)

A Wi-Fi smart plug (like a Kasa TP-Link or Wyze plug) can power cycle your AT&T and T-Mobile routers if they lose internet.

How It Works:

  1. Plug your router into a smart plug.
  2. Enable remote access via the Kasa/Wyze app.
  3. If your network fails, toggle the smart plug OFF & ON from your phone.

Easiest failover fix without needing complex scripts!


2️⃣ Option 2: Use a Raspberry Pi to Reboot the ASUS Router

If you have your Pi-hole running on a Raspberry Pi, you can make it reboot the ASUS router automatically when internet fails.

Step 1: Set Up a Reboot Script

On your Pi-hole Raspberry Pi, run:

nano ~/router_reboot.sh

Paste this:

#!/bin/bash
ROUTER_IP="192.168.1.1" # ASUS Router IP
ROUTER_USER="admin"      # Router Login Username
ROUTER_PASS="yourpassword"  # Router Password

# Check Internet Connection
ping -c 3 8.8.8.8 > /dev/null
if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
    echo "Internet down! Rebooting router..."
    curl -u $ROUTER_USER:$ROUTER_PASS "http://$ROUTER_IP/reboot.asp"
fi

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).

Step 2: Make the Script Executable

Run:

chmod +x ~/router_reboot.sh

Step 3: Run the Script Automatically Every 10 Minutes

Run:

crontab -e

Add this line:

*/10 * * * * /home/pi/router_reboot.sh

✅ Now, if internet fails, your Pi will automatically reboot the router.


3️⃣ Option 3: Remotely SSH Into Your Pi to Reboot the Router

If you set up DDNS or a VPN earlier, you can SSH into your Pi from anywhere and run:

curl -u admin:yourpassword "http://192.168.1.1/reboot.asp"

This manually forces the ASUS router to reboot.


🚀 Now You Have Remote Control Over Your Network!

Would you like to automate switching your Pi-hole DNS when failover happens? 🌐🔁

Raspberry Pi Water Flow Meter Notes

What started out as a simple Python program to read and power a Hall Effect Flowmeter for my water filter ballooned into a major project. My original request was to write a Python program to record waterflow using a Digiten flowmeter. I envisioned a log file that I could view using SSH to the RPi. Each step of the way, ChatGPT suggested an improvement. I followed these improvements that included a web interface, weekly reports and https:// access with secure certificates. Wow!

I’ve recorded each of these improvements and plan to step through each iteration.

Basic Measurement with Log

I added the first version of the python program, installed the prerequisite libraries and ran the script hoping to see the log file it generated. Since the flowmeter sensor was not connected, it failed. I’ll connect it and try again.

The Gredia GR-208B registers 2,200 pulses per liter of water. The first program works!

Add Web Interface with Flask

ChatGPT suggested visual graphs and a web dashboard. The python 3 package manager, pip3, failed to install flask because created a conflict between pip3 and the linux package manager, apt. The best solution was to run flask inside a virtual environment. There is a new section in “Raspberry PI Water Flow Meter Installation”. This involved setting flask up as systemd service so that it starts automatically at boot.

The web version had an error that caused a “GPIO busy” error. Using the argument “debug=True” makes all GPIO’s busy. Removing it resolves the problem. The second program works!

Activate_this.py missing. Use:

activator = 'some/path/to/activate_this.py'  # Looted from virtualenv; should not require modification, since it's defined relatively
with open(activator) as f:
    exec(f.read(), {'__file__': activator})

What is Flask?

After a few fumbles, I corrected some errors and got a functioning web page. However, I didn’t understand the code, especially the Flask part. I found an excellent video with 2 million hits but it was five years old. Almost half way through, the examples didn’t work. I may try this video. This video from Udemy helped a lot. As much as ChatGPT and Gemini have helped, I need a better foundation. It’s probably time to go back to basics with the excellent 100 Days of Code: The Complete Python Pro Bootcamp with Dr. Angela Yu.

Sending Email from Python (Gemini)

The absolute simplest way to send a message from Python, without relying on external services or complex setups, is to send an email. While not an SMS, it’s often a suitable alternative for simple notifications. Here’s how:

Using Python’s smtplib and email modules:

Python

import smtplib
from email.mime.text import MIMEText

def send_email(sender_email, sender_password, recipient_email, subject, message):
    """Sends an email message."""

    msg = MIMEText(message)
    msg['Subject'] = subject
    msg['From'] = sender_email
    msg['To'] = recipient_email

    try:
        with smtplib.SMTP_SSL('smtp.gmail.com', 465) as server: #Or your email server
            server.login(sender_email, sender_password)
            server.send_message(msg)
        print("Email sent successfully!")
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"Error sending email: {e}")

# Example usage (replace with your details)
sender_email = "your_email@gmail.com" # Or other email provider
sender_password = "your_email_password" # Or app password.
recipient_email = "recipient@example.com"
subject = "Python Message"
message = "This is a simple message from Python."

send_email(sender_email, sender_password, recipient_email, subject, message)


Explanation and Important Notes:

  1. Import Modules:
    • smtplib: For sending emails using the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP).
    • email.mime.text.MIMEText: For creating email messages.
  2. send_email Function:
    • Takes sender, recipient, subject, and message as input.
    • Creates a MIMEText object to represent the email.
    • Sets the subject, sender, and recipient headers.
    • Uses smtplib.SMTP_SSL to connect to an SMTP server (in this example, Gmail’s).
    • Logs in using the sender’s email and password.
    • Sends the message using server.send_message().
    • Includes error handling using a try...except block.
  3. Example Usage:
    • Replace the placeholder email addresses and password with your actual credentials.
    • Change the subject and message as needed.

Key Considerations:

  • Email Provider:
    • You’ll need to use the correct SMTP server and port for your email provider (e.g., smtp.outlook.com for Outlook, smtp.mail.yahoo.com for Yahoo).
    • Port 465 is commonly used for SMTP over SSL.
  • Security:
    • Never hardcode your actual email password directly into your scripts. This is a major security risk.
    • For Gmail, you’ll likely need to generate an “app password” in your Google account settings. This is a password specifically for applications.
    • Consider using environment variables or a configuration file to store your credentials more securely.
  • Two-Factor Authentication (2FA):
    • If you have 2FA enabled on your email account, you’ll need to use an app password.
  • Spam Filters:
    • Emails sent from scripts might sometimes end up in spam folders.

Advantages:

  • Simplicity: No external services or complex configurations are required.
  • Built-in Modules: Python’s standard library provides the necessary tools.

Disadvantages:

Security: Requires care to protect your email credentials.

Not SMS: This sends emails, not SMS messages.

Configuration: Requires some configuration related to your email provider.

Raspberry Pi Water Flow Meter Installation

First, I should admit that I’ve lost all control with ChatGPT. Second, programming a Raspberry Pi with Python to read the output of an inexpensive Hall Effect Flow Meter so I know when to change my water filter is a really cool project. Third, I could just replace my water filter every six months and not worry about it, but that’s not me. So I’ll probably exceed my WordPress and ChatGPT limits, but here goes. First, a list of the sections:

Basic Water Flow Monitor
Water Flow Monitor with Web Access
Water Flow Monitor with Alerts
Water Flow Monitor with Email Notifications
Water Flow Monitor with Logging
Water Flow Monitor with Graphing
Water Flow Monitor with Email Alerts
Water Flow Monitor with Reports
How to Power Water Flow Sensor
Gredia Sensor Changes from Digiten Sensor
Implement Virtual Environment for Flask
Set Program as Systemd Service
Set Up Reverse Proxy
Set Up SSL Certificate and Authentication
Set Up Login Page in Flask
Restrict Access to Logged-in Users
Deployment with Gunicorn & Nginx
How to backup an image of the Raspberry Pi SD (from Gemini)

I say:

Write a python program for a raspberry pi that uses a Digiten water hall effect flow sensor meter that records water flow.

Basic Water Flow Monitor

ChatGPT says:

Here’s a Python program for a Raspberry Pi that reads data from a DIGITEN water flow sensor (Hall effect sensor) and records the water flow in real-time.

🔹 How It Works:

  • Uses GPIO interrupts to count pulses from the Hall effect sensor.
  • Calculates the flow rate (L/min) and total water used (Liters).
  • Records data to a CSV file for logging.

🔹 Hardware Setup:

  • Connect the flow sensor’s wires to the Raspberry Pi:
    • Red3.3V or 5V
    • BlackGround (GND)
    • YellowGPIO pin (e.g., GPIO 17)

🔹 Python Code for Raspberry Pi

import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
import time
import csv

# GPIO pin connected to the yellow signal wire of the flow sensor
FLOW_SENSOR_PIN = 17  

# Flow sensor calibration factor (from manufacturer, usually ~7.5 pulses per liter)
CALIBRATION_FACTOR = 7.5  

# Variables
pulse_count = 0
total_liters = 0.0

# Setup GPIO
GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
GPIO.setup(FLOW_SENSOR_PIN, GPIO.IN, pull_up_down=GPIO.PUD_UP)

def pulse_callback(channel):
    """ Interrupt function to count pulses from flow sensor """
    global pulse_count
    pulse_count += 1

# Attach interrupt to count pulses
GPIO.add_event_detect(FLOW_SENSOR_PIN, GPIO.FALLING, callback=pulse_callback)

# CSV logging setup
csv_filename = "water_flow_log.csv"
with open(csv_filename, "a", newline="") as file:
    writer = csv.writer(file)
    writer.writerow(["Timestamp", "Flow Rate (L/min)", "Total Liters"])

try:
    print("Monitoring water flow... Press Ctrl+C to stop.")
    while True:
        start_time = time.time()
        pulse_count = 0  # Reset pulse count
        
        time.sleep(1)  # Measure over 1-second intervals
        
        # Calculate flow rate (L/min)
        flow_rate = (pulse_count / CALIBRATION_FACTOR) * 60  
        
        # Update total liters used
        total_liters += (pulse_count / CALIBRATION_FACTOR)
        
        # Log data
        timestamp = time.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
        with open(csv_filename, "a", newline="") as file:
            writer = csv.writer(file)
            writer.writerow([timestamp, round(flow_rate, 2), round(total_liters, 2)])
        
        # Display in terminal
        print(f"[{timestamp}] Flow Rate: {flow_rate:.2f} L/min | Total: {total_liters:.2f} L")

except KeyboardInterrupt:
    print("\nStopping water flow monitoring.")
finally:
    GPIO.cleanup()


🔹 How to Use the Program

  1. Connect the flow sensor to your Raspberry Pi.
  2. Install required libraries (old Raspberry Pi): sudo apt update sudo apt install python3-rpi.gpio
  3. Install required libraries (new Raspberry Pi): sudo apt update sudo apt install python3-rpi.lgpio
  4. Run the script: python3 flow_sensor.py
  5. View data log in water_flow_log.csv.
  6. Add pip3: sudo apt-get install python3-pip

🔹 Features

✅ Uses GPIO interrupts for accurate counting.
✅ Calculates flow rate (L/min) and total water usage (Liters).
Logs data in a CSV file with timestamps.
Efficient & real-time monitoring with minimal CPU usage.

Would you like to extend this with visual graphs or a web dashboard? 🚀

Water Flow Monitor with Web Access

Because of a conflict between apt and pip3, Flask should be installed in a virtual environment. Jump forward for how to setup the virtual environment.

To extend the Raspberry Pi water flow monitoring system with real-time graphs and a web dashboard, we can use Flask (for a web interface) and Plotly/Dash for dynamic graphs.


🔹 Plan for the Web Dashboard

  1. Backend (Flask): Reads data from the flow sensor and stores it in a CSV file.
  2. Frontend (Dash/Plotly): Displays real-time graphs of flow rate and total water usage.
  3. Web Access: You can view live data from any device on the same network.

🔹 Install Required Libraries

Before running the new version, install the necessary Python packages:

sudo apt update
pip3 install flask dash pandas plotly RPi.GPIO #for older RPi's
pip3 install flask dash pandas plotly rpi-lgpio # for newer RPi's


🔹 Updated Python Code (with Flask & Dash for Graphs)

This script runs both the water flow sensor and a web dashboard for real-time monitoring.

import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
import time
import csv
import pandas as pd
from flask import Flask
import dash
import dash_core_components as dcc
import dash_html_components as html
from dash.dependencies import Input, Output

# GPIO Setup
FLOW_SENSOR_PIN = 17  
CALIBRATION_FACTOR = 7.5  

pulse_count = 0
total_liters = 0.0
csv_filename = "water_flow_log.csv"

GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
GPIO.setup(FLOW_SENSOR_PIN, GPIO.IN, pull_up_down=GPIO.PUD_UP)

def pulse_callback(channel):
    """ Interrupt function to count pulses from flow sensor """
    global pulse_count
    pulse_count += 1

# Attach interrupt to count pulses
GPIO.add_event_detect(FLOW_SENSOR_PIN, GPIO.FALLING, callback=pulse_callback)

# Initialize Flask and Dash
server = Flask(__name__)
app = dash.Dash(__name__, server=server)

# Dash Layout
app.layout = html.Div(children=[
    html.H1("Water Flow Monitoring Dashboard"),
    dcc.Graph(id="live-graph"),
    dcc.Interval(id="interval-component", interval=3000, n_intervals=0)  # Updates every 3 sec
])

# Background function to log data
def log_data():
    global pulse_count, total_liters
    with open(csv_filename, "a", newline="") as file:
        writer = csv.writer(file)
        writer.writerow(["Timestamp", "Flow Rate (L/min)", "Total Liters"])

    try:
        while True:
            start_time = time.time()
            pulse_count = 0
            time.sleep(1)
            
            flow_rate = (pulse_count / CALIBRATION_FACTOR) * 60
            total_liters += (pulse_count / CALIBRATION_FACTOR)

            timestamp = time.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
            with open(csv_filename, "a", newline="") as file:
                writer = csv.writer(file)
                writer.writerow([timestamp, round(flow_rate, 2), round(total_liters, 2)])
            
            print(f"[{timestamp}] Flow Rate: {flow_rate:.2f} L/min | Total: {total_liters:.2f} L")

    except KeyboardInterrupt:
        GPIO.cleanup()

# Dash Callback for Graph Update
@app.callback(
    Output("live-graph", "figure"),
    Input("interval-component", "n_intervals")
)
def update_graph(n):
    df = pd.read_csv(csv_filename)
    fig = {
        "data": [
            {"x": df["Timestamp"], "y": df["Flow Rate (L/min)"], "type": "line", "name": "Flow Rate"},
            {"x": df["Timestamp"], "y": df["Total Liters"], "type": "line", "name": "Total Usage"}
        ],
        "layout": {"title": "Water Flow Data"}
    }
    return fig

if __name__ == "__main__":
    from threading import Thread
    Thread(target=log_data, daemon=True).start()
    app.run_server(debug=True, host="0.0.0.0", port=8050)


🔹 How to Use

  1. Run the script on your Raspberry Pi: python3 flow_monitor_dashboard.py
  2. Access the dashboard from any device on the same network: http://<Raspberry_Pi_IP>:8050 (Replace <Raspberry_Pi_IP> with your Pi’s local IP address, e.g., 192.168.1.10:8050)

🔹 Features of This System

Live Water Flow Graphs
Historical Data Logging in CSV
Access Dashboard from Any Device
Efficient & Real-Time Updates

Would you like any additional features, such as alerts or mobile notifications? 🚀

Water Flow Monitor with Alerts

You can add alerts and mobile notifications to your Raspberry Pi water flow monitoring system using different methods. Here are some simple approaches:


🔹 Option 1: Send Notifications via Telegram (Recommended)

Why Telegram?

✅ Free & easy to set up
✅ Works on Android, iOS, PC, and Web
✅ Supports messages and images
✅ No need for extra apps if you already use Telegram

🔹 Steps to Set Up Telegram Alerts

1️⃣ Create a Telegram Bot

  1. Open Telegram and search for @BotFather.
  2. Start the chat and send: /newbot
  3. Follow the prompts and name your bot.
  4. Copy the bot token provided (e.g., 123456789:ABCdefGhIjklMNO).

2️⃣ Get Your Chat ID

  1. Open https://api.telegram.org/bot<TOKEN>/getUpdates
    (Replace <TOKEN> with your bot token.)
  2. Send a message to your bot.
  3. Reload the URL above; your chat ID will be in the response ("chat": {"id": XXXXXXX}).

3️⃣ Add Telegram Notifications to Your Python Code

Modify your script to send an alert if the water flow exceeds a threshold:

import requests

# Replace with your Telegram bot token and chat ID
TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN = "123456789:ABCdefGhIjklMNO"
CHAT_ID = "XXXXXXXXX"

def send_telegram_alert(message):
    url = f"https://api.telegram.org/bot{TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN}/sendMessage"
    payload = {"chat_id": CHAT_ID, "text": message}
    requests.post(url, json=payload)

# Example: Send alert if flow rate exceeds 10 L/min
if flow_rate > 10:
    send_telegram_alert(f"🚨 High Water Flow Alert! 🚰 Rate: {flow_rate:.2f} L/min")


🔹 Option 2: Email Alerts via Gmail

Steps:

  1. Enable “Less Secure Apps” on your Gmail account.
  2. Install smtplib (already included in Python).
  3. Modify your script to send emails:
import smtplib

EMAIL = "your-email@gmail.com"
PASSWORD = "your-email-password"
TO_EMAIL = "recipient-email@gmail.com"

def send_email_alert(message):
    subject = "🚨 Water Flow Alert!"
    body = f"Alert: {message}"
    email_message = f"Subject: {subject}\n\n{body}"

    with smtplib.SMTP_SSL("smtp.gmail.com", 465) as server:
        server.login(EMAIL, PASSWORD)
        server.sendmail(EMAIL, TO_EMAIL, email_message)

# Example usage
if flow_rate > 10:
    send_email_alert(f"High water flow detected: {flow_rate:.2f} L/min")


🔹 Option 3: Push Notifications via Pushover

Why Pushover?

✅ Simple setup
✅ Works on all devices
✅ Free for basic use

Steps:

  1. Create a Pushover account at pushover.net.
  2. Get an API Key and User Key.
  3. Install requests: pip3 install requests
  4. Add this function to send notifications:
import requests

PUSHOVER_USER_KEY = "your-user-key"
PUSHOVER_API_KEY = "your-api-key"

def send_pushover_alert(message):
    url = "https://api.pushover.net/1/messages.json"
    payload = {
        "token": PUSHOVER_API_KEY,
        "user": PUSHOVER_USER_KEY,
        "message": message
    }
    requests.post(url, data=payload)

# Example usage
if flow_rate > 10:
    send_pushover_alert(f"High Water Flow: {flow_rate:.2f} L/min 🚰")


🔹 Which One Should You Use?

  • ✅ Telegram: Easiest and most flexible
  • ✅ Email: Good if you prefer inbox notifications
  • ✅ Pushover: Great for mobile push notifications

Water Flow Monitor with Email Notifications

Would you like me to integrate one of these directly into your water monitoring script? 🚀

I’ll integrate Telegram notifications into your Raspberry Pi water flow monitoring script since it’s the easiest and most reliable method. Here’s the full script:


🔹 Features

✅ Reads flow rate from the DIGITEN water flow sensor
✅ Sends Telegram alerts when water flow exceeds a threshold
✅ Runs on a Raspberry Pi using GPIO & interrupts
Customizable threshold for alerts


🔹 Steps to Use

1️⃣ Get a Telegram Bot Token

  1. Open Telegram and search for @BotFather.
  2. Send /newbot and follow the instructions.
  3. Copy the bot token (e.g., 123456789:ABCdefGhIjklMNO).

2️⃣ Get Your Chat ID

  1. Visit: https://api.telegram.org/bot<TOKEN>/getUpdates (Replace <TOKEN> with your bot token.)
  2. Send a message to your bot.
  3. Reload the URL above and find your "chat": {"id": XXXXXXX}.

3️⃣ Install Required Libraries

Run this command on your Raspberry Pi:

pip3 install RPi.GPIO requests


4️⃣ Full Python Script

import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
import time
import requests

# Telegram Bot Credentials
TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN = "123456789:ABCdefGhIjklMNO"  # Replace with your bot token
CHAT_ID = "XXXXXXXXX"  # Replace with your Telegram chat ID

# Flow Sensor Setup
FLOW_SENSOR_PIN = 17  # GPIO pin where the sensor signal is connected
FLOW_CALIBRATION = 7.5  # Adjust based on your sensor (L/pulse)
flow_rate = 0
pulse_count = 0

def send_telegram_alert(message):
    """ Sends an alert message via Telegram """
    url = f"https://api.telegram.org/bot{TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN}/sendMessage"
    payload = {"chat_id": CHAT_ID, "text": message}
    requests.post(url, json=payload)

def pulse_callback(channel):
    """ Interrupt function that counts pulses """
    global pulse_count
    pulse_count += 1

# GPIO Setup
GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
GPIO.setup(FLOW_SENSOR_PIN, GPIO.IN, pull_up_down=GPIO.PUD_UP)
GPIO.add_event_detect(FLOW_SENSOR_PIN, GPIO.FALLING, callback=pulse_callback)

try:
    print("🔹 Water Flow Monitoring Started...")
    while True:
        pulse_count = 0  # Reset count
        time.sleep(1)  # Wait 1 second
        flow_rate = (pulse_count / FLOW_CALIBRATION) * 60  # Convert pulses to L/min
        
        # Print flow rate to console
        print(f"💧 Flow Rate: {flow_rate:.2f} L/min")
        
        # Send alert if flow rate is too high
        if flow_rate > 10:  # Change threshold as needed
            send_telegram_alert(f"🚨 High Water Flow Alert! 🚰 {flow_rate:.2f} L/min")

except KeyboardInterrupt:
    print("\n🔻 Stopping Monitoring...")
    GPIO.cleanup()


🔹 How It Works

  1. Reads pulses from the DIGITEN water flow sensor.
  2. Converts pulses into liters per minute (L/min).
  3. If flow exceeds 10 L/min, sends a Telegram alert.
  4. Runs continuously until stopped (Ctrl + C).

🔹 Customization

  • Change the flow threshold in this line: if flow_rate > 10: (Example: Set it to 15 if you want alerts at 15 L/min.)
  • Change GPIO pin (FLOW_SENSOR_PIN = 17) if using a different pin.

🔹 Running the Script

Save the script as flow_monitor.py and run it with:

python3 flow_monitor.py

Your Raspberry Pi will now monitor water flow and send alerts to Telegram! 🚀

Would you like me to add logging to a file or historical tracking?

Water Flow Monitor with Logging

I’ll modify the script to log water flow data to a CSV file and track historical records. This will allow you to analyze trends over time.


🔹 New Features

Saves flow data to flow_log.csv
Includes timestamp, flow rate, and alert status
Keeps track of max flow rate
Telegram alerts still work


🔹 Full Python Script with Logging

import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
import time
import requests
import csv
import os
from datetime import datetime

# Telegram Bot Credentials
TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN = "123456789:ABCdefGhIjklMNO"  # Replace with your bot token
CHAT_ID = "XXXXXXXXX"  # Replace with your Telegram chat ID

# Flow Sensor Setup
FLOW_SENSOR_PIN = 17  # GPIO pin where the sensor signal is connected
FLOW_CALIBRATION = 7.5  # Adjust based on your sensor (L/pulse)
flow_rate = 0
pulse_count = 0
MAX_FLOW_RATE = 0  # Track highest recorded flow rate

# CSV Log File
LOG_FILE = "flow_log.csv"

def send_telegram_alert(message):
    """ Sends an alert message via Telegram """
    url = f"https://api.telegram.org/bot{TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN}/sendMessage"
    payload = {"chat_id": CHAT_ID, "text": message}
    requests.post(url, json=payload)

def pulse_callback(channel):
    """ Interrupt function that counts pulses """
    global pulse_count
    pulse_count += 1

def log_data(timestamp, flow_rate, alert_sent):
    """ Logs water flow data to CSV file """
    file_exists = os.path.isfile(LOG_FILE)

    with open(LOG_FILE, mode="a", newline="") as file:
        writer = csv.writer(file)
        
        # Write header if file is new
        if not file_exists:
            writer.writerow(["Timestamp", "Flow Rate (L/min)", "Alert Sent"])
        
        # Write data row
        writer.writerow([timestamp, flow_rate, alert_sent])

# GPIO Setup
GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
GPIO.setup(FLOW_SENSOR_PIN, GPIO.IN, pull_up_down=GPIO.PUD_UP)
GPIO.add_event_detect(FLOW_SENSOR_PIN, GPIO.FALLING, callback=pulse_callback)

try:
    print("🔹 Water Flow Monitoring Started...")
    
    while True:
        pulse_count = 0  # Reset count
        time.sleep(1)  # Wait 1 second
        flow_rate = (pulse_count / FLOW_CALIBRATION) * 60  # Convert pulses to L/min
        
        # Track max flow rate
        global MAX_FLOW_RATE
        if flow_rate > MAX_FLOW_RATE:
            MAX_FLOW_RATE = flow_rate
        
        # Print to console
        print(f"{datetime.now()} 💧 Flow Rate: {flow_rate:.2f} L/min (Max: {MAX_FLOW_RATE:.2f} L/min)")

        # Check for high flow rate and send alert
        alert_sent = "No"
        if flow_rate > 10:  # Adjust threshold as needed
            alert_sent = "Yes"
            send_telegram_alert(f"🚨 High Water Flow Alert! 🚰 {flow_rate:.2f} L/min")

        # Log data
        log_data(datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S"), flow_rate, alert_sent)

except KeyboardInterrupt:
    print("\n🔻 Stopping Monitoring...")
    GPIO.cleanup()


🔹 How It Works

  1. Reads water flow rate every second.
  2. Saves data to flow_log.csv with a timestamp.
  3. Tracks the highest recorded flow rate.
  4. Sends a Telegram alert if the flow rate exceeds 10 L/min.

🔹 Example CSV Output (flow_log.csv)

Timestamp,Flow Rate (L/min),Alert Sent
2025-03-03 12:00:01,3.50,No
2025-03-03 12:00:02,4.20,No
2025-03-03 12:00:03,12.10,Yes
2025-03-03 12:00:04,11.75,Yes


🔹 Running the Script

Run this command on your Raspberry Pi:

python3 flow_monitor.py

Your Raspberry Pi will now log all water flow data and track the highest flow rate.

Would you like me to add graphing capabilities so you can visualize the data? 📊

Water Flow Monitor with Graphing

I’ll add graphing capabilities using Matplotlib so you can visualize your water flow data. The script will:

Generate real-time graphs of water flow
Plot historical data from flow_log.csv
Automatically update the graph every few seconds


🔹 Install Matplotlib

Run this on your Raspberry Pi:

pip3 install matplotlib pandas


🔹 Updated Script with Graphing

import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
import time
import requests
import csv
import os
import pandas as pd
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import matplotlib.animation as animation
from datetime import datetime

# Telegram Bot Credentials
TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN = "123456789:ABCdefGhIjklMNO"  # Replace with your bot token
CHAT_ID = "XXXXXXXXX"  # Replace with your Telegram chat ID

# Flow Sensor Setup
FLOW_SENSOR_PIN = 17  # GPIO pin where the sensor signal is connected
FLOW_CALIBRATION = 7.5  # Adjust based on your sensor (L/pulse)
flow_rate = 0
pulse_count = 0
MAX_FLOW_RATE = 0  # Track highest recorded flow rate

# CSV Log File
LOG_FILE = "flow_log.csv"

def send_telegram_alert(message):
    """ Sends an alert message via Telegram """
    url = f"https://api.telegram.org/bot{TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN}/sendMessage"
    payload = {"chat_id": CHAT_ID, "text": message}
    requests.post(url, json=payload)

def pulse_callback(channel):
    """ Interrupt function that counts pulses """
    global pulse_count
    pulse_count += 1

def log_data(timestamp, flow_rate, alert_sent):
    """ Logs water flow data to CSV file """
    file_exists = os.path.isfile(LOG_FILE)

    with open(LOG_FILE, mode="a", newline="") as file:
        writer = csv.writer(file)
        
        # Write header if file is new
        if not file_exists:
            writer.writerow(["Timestamp", "Flow Rate (L/min)", "Alert Sent"])
        
        # Write data row
        writer.writerow([timestamp, flow_rate, alert_sent])

def read_csv_data():
    """ Reads CSV file and returns data as a DataFrame """
    if os.path.exists(LOG_FILE):
        df = pd.read_csv(LOG_FILE)
        return df
    return None

# Graphing Function
def update_graph(frame):
    """ Updates the real-time graph from CSV data """
    plt.clf()
    df = read_csv_data()
    
    if df is not None and not df.empty:
        df["Timestamp"] = pd.to_datetime(df["Timestamp"])
        df["Flow Rate (L/min)"] = df["Flow Rate (L/min)"].astype(float)
        
        plt.plot(df["Timestamp"], df["Flow Rate (L/min)"], label="Flow Rate (L/min)", color="b")
        plt.axhline(y=10, color='r', linestyle='--', label="Alert Threshold (10 L/min)")
        
        plt.xlabel("Time")
        plt.ylabel("Flow Rate (L/min)")
        plt.title("Water Flow Monitoring")
        plt.xticks(rotation=45)
        plt.legend()
        plt.grid()

# GPIO Setup
GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
GPIO.setup(FLOW_SENSOR_PIN, GPIO.IN, pull_up_down=GPIO.PUD_UP)
GPIO.add_event_detect(FLOW_SENSOR_PIN, GPIO.FALLING, callback=pulse_callback)

try:
    print("🔹 Water Flow Monitoring Started...")
    
    fig = plt.figure()
    ani = animation.FuncAnimation(fig, update_graph, interval=5000)  # Update every 5 seconds
    plt.show(block=False)

    while True:
        pulse_count = 0  # Reset count
        time.sleep(1)  # Wait 1 second
        flow_rate = (pulse_count / FLOW_CALIBRATION) * 60  # Convert pulses to L/min
        
        # Track max flow rate
        global MAX_FLOW_RATE
        if flow_rate > MAX_FLOW_RATE:
            MAX_FLOW_RATE = flow_rate
        
        # Print to console
        print(f"{datetime.now()} 💧 Flow Rate: {flow_rate:.2f} L/min (Max: {MAX_FLOW_RATE:.2f} L/min)")

        # Check for high flow rate and send alert
        alert_sent = "No"
        if flow_rate > 10:  # Adjust threshold as needed
            alert_sent = "Yes"
            send_telegram_alert(f"🚨 High Water Flow Alert! 🚰 {flow_rate:.2f} L/min")

        # Log data
        log_data(datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S"), flow_rate, alert_sent)

except KeyboardInterrupt:
    print("\n🔻 Stopping Monitoring...")
    GPIO.cleanup()


🔹 How It Works

  1. Monitors water flow and logs it to flow_log.csv
  2. Plots real-time water flow data in a graph
  3. Red dashed line at 10 L/min shows the alert threshold
  4. Graph updates every 5 seconds
  5. Runs in the background while monitoring

🔹 Running the Script

Run this command on your Raspberry Pi:

python3 flow_monitor.py

You’ll see a real-time graph pop up tracking the water flow over time. 📈

Would you like an email alert option too? 📩

Water Flow Monitor with Email Alerts

I’ll add email alerts using SMTP with Gmail so you can receive notifications when water flow exceeds a set threshold.


🔹 What’s New?

Email alerts when water flow is high 🚨
Works alongside Telegram alerts 📲
Uses SMTP for Gmail or any other provider


🔹 Setup Email Alerts

Before running the script, enable “Less Secure Apps” or create an App Password in your email settings.

For Gmail, go to: Google App Passwords
Generate a password and use it instead of your regular password in the script.


🔹 Install Required Package

Run this on your Raspberry Pi:

pip3 install smtplib


🔹 Updated Python Script with Email Alerts

import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
import time
import requests
import csv
import os
import smtplib
import pandas as pd
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import matplotlib.animation as animation
from datetime import datetime
from email.mime.text import MIMEText
from email.mime.multipart import MIMEMultipart

# Telegram Bot Credentials
TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN = "123456789:ABCdefGhIjklMNO"  # Replace with your bot token
CHAT_ID = "XXXXXXXXX"  # Replace with your Telegram chat ID

# Email Credentials
SMTP_SERVER = "smtp.gmail.com"  # Change if using Outlook, Yahoo, etc.
SMTP_PORT = 587
EMAIL_ADDRESS = "your_email@gmail.com"  # Replace with your email
EMAIL_PASSWORD = "your_app_password"  # Replace with App Password

# Flow Sensor Setup
FLOW_SENSOR_PIN = 17  # GPIO pin where the sensor signal is connected
FLOW_CALIBRATION = 7.5  # Adjust based on your sensor (L/pulse)
flow_rate = 0
pulse_count = 0
MAX_FLOW_RATE = 0  # Track highest recorded flow rate

# CSV Log File
LOG_FILE = "flow_log.csv"

def send_telegram_alert(message):
    """ Sends an alert message via Telegram """
    url = f"https://api.telegram.org/bot{TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN}/sendMessage"
    payload = {"chat_id": CHAT_ID, "text": message}
    requests.post(url, json=payload)

def send_email_alert(subject, body):
    """ Sends an email alert """
    try:
        msg = MIMEMultipart()
        msg["From"] = EMAIL_ADDRESS
        msg["To"] = EMAIL_ADDRESS  # Send email to yourself (or modify to send to others)
        msg["Subject"] = subject
        msg.attach(MIMEText(body, "plain"))

        server = smtplib.SMTP(SMTP_SERVER, SMTP_PORT)
        server.starttls()
        server.login(EMAIL_ADDRESS, EMAIL_PASSWORD)
        server.sendmail(EMAIL_ADDRESS, EMAIL_ADDRESS, msg.as_string())
        server.quit()
        
        print("📧 Email Alert Sent!")
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"❌ Email Alert Failed: {e}")

def pulse_callback(channel):
    """ Interrupt function that counts pulses """
    global pulse_count
    pulse_count += 1

def log_data(timestamp, flow_rate, alert_sent):
    """ Logs water flow data to CSV file """
    file_exists = os.path.isfile(LOG_FILE)

    with open(LOG_FILE, mode="a", newline="") as file:
        writer = csv.writer(file)
        
        # Write header if file is new
        if not file_exists:
            writer.writerow(["Timestamp", "Flow Rate (L/min)", "Alert Sent"])
        
        # Write data row
        writer.writerow([timestamp, flow_rate, alert_sent])

def read_csv_data():
    """ Reads CSV file and returns data as a DataFrame """
    if os.path.exists(LOG_FILE):
        df = pd.read_csv(LOG_FILE)
        return df
    return None

# Graphing Function
def update_graph(frame):
    """ Updates the real-time graph from CSV data """
    plt.clf()
    df = read_csv_data()
    
    if df is not None and not df.empty:
        df["Timestamp"] = pd.to_datetime(df["Timestamp"])
        df["Flow Rate (L/min)"] = df["Flow Rate (L/min)"].astype(float)
        
        plt.plot(df["Timestamp"], df["Flow Rate (L/min)"], label="Flow Rate (L/min)", color="b")
        plt.axhline(y=10, color='r', linestyle='--', label="Alert Threshold (10 L/min)")
        
        plt.xlabel("Time")
        plt.ylabel("Flow Rate (L/min)")
        plt.title("Water Flow Monitoring")
        plt.xticks(rotation=45)
        plt.legend()
        plt.grid()

# GPIO Setup
GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
GPIO.setup(FLOW_SENSOR_PIN, GPIO.IN, pull_up_down=GPIO.PUD_UP)
GPIO.add_event_detect(FLOW_SENSOR_PIN, GPIO.FALLING, callback=pulse_callback)

try:
    print("🔹 Water Flow Monitoring Started...")
    
    fig = plt.figure()
    ani = animation.FuncAnimation(fig, update_graph, interval=5000)  # Update every 5 seconds
    plt.show(block=False)

    while True:
        pulse_count = 0  # Reset count
        time.sleep(1)  # Wait 1 second
        flow_rate = (pulse_count / FLOW_CALIBRATION) * 60  # Convert pulses to L/min
        
        # Track max flow rate
        global MAX_FLOW_RATE
        if flow_rate > MAX_FLOW_RATE:
            MAX_FLOW_RATE = flow_rate
        
        # Print to console
        print(f"{datetime.now()} 💧 Flow Rate: {flow_rate:.2f} L/min (Max: {MAX_FLOW_RATE:.2f} L/min)")

        # Check for high flow rate and send alerts
        alert_sent = "No"
        if flow_rate > 10:  # Adjust threshold as needed
            alert_sent = "Yes"
            message = f"🚨 High Water Flow Alert! 🚰 {flow_rate:.2f} L/min"
            send_telegram_alert(message)
            send_email_alert("🚨 Water Flow Alert!", message)

        # Log data
        log_data(datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S"), flow_rate, alert_sent)

except KeyboardInterrupt:
    print("\n🔻 Stopping Monitoring...")
    GPIO.cleanup()


🔹 How It Works

  1. Monitors water flow and logs it to flow_log.csv
  2. Plots real-time water flow data 📈
  3. Sends alerts via Telegram and Email if water flow exceeds 10 L/min
  4. Automatically updates the graph every 5 seconds

🔹 Running the Script

Run this command on your Raspberry Pi:

python3 flow_monitor.py

Your Raspberry Pi will now log all water flow data, track alerts, and notify you via Telegram & Email.


🔹 Example Email Alert

Subject: 🚨 Water Flow Alert!
Body:

🚨 High Water Flow Alert! 🚰 12.5 L/min


Now, you’ve got a fully automated monitoring system! Want weekly reports emailed with summary stats? 📊📧

Water Flow Monitor with Reports

I’ll add weekly email reports that summarize water usage and include a graph. The report will:

✅ Show total water usage for the week
✅ Include highest & average flow rates
✅ Attach a graph of water flow trends


🔹 Install Required Packages

Before running the script, install the required dependencies:

pip3 install pandas matplotlib smtplib


🔹 Updated Script with Weekly Email Reports

import os
import csv
import pandas as pd
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import smtplib
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
from email.mime.text import MIMEText
from email.mime.multipart import MIMEMultipart
from email.mime.base import MIMEBase
from email import encoders

# Email Credentials
SMTP_SERVER = "smtp.gmail.com"
SMTP_PORT = 587
EMAIL_ADDRESS = "your_email@gmail.com"  # Replace with your email
EMAIL_PASSWORD = "your_app_password"  # Use App Password

# CSV Log File
LOG_FILE = "flow_log.csv"
REPORT_IMAGE = "weekly_report.png"

def generate_weekly_report():
    """ Reads CSV data, calculates stats, and generates a weekly graph. """
    if not os.path.exists(LOG_FILE):
        print("❌ No log data found!")
        return None

    # Load data
    df = pd.read_csv(LOG_FILE)
    df["Timestamp"] = pd.to_datetime(df["Timestamp"])
    
    # Filter for the last 7 days
    last_week = datetime.now() - timedelta(days=7)
    df = df[df["Timestamp"] >= last_week]

    if df.empty:
        print("❌ No data available for the past week!")
        return None

    # Calculate statistics
    total_usage = df["Flow Rate (L/min)"].sum()
    avg_flow = df["Flow Rate (L/min)"].mean()
    max_flow = df["Flow Rate (L/min)"].max()

    # Generate graph
    plt.figure(figsize=(10, 5))
    plt.plot(df["Timestamp"], df["Flow Rate (L/min)"], label="Flow Rate", color="b")
    plt.axhline(y=10, color='r', linestyle='--', label="Alert Threshold (10 L/min)")
    
    plt.xlabel("Date")
    plt.ylabel("Flow Rate (L/min)")
    plt.title("Weekly Water Flow Report")
    plt.xticks(rotation=45)
    plt.legend()
    plt.grid()
    plt.savefig(REPORT_IMAGE)
    plt.close()

    return total_usage, avg_flow, max_flow

def send_weekly_email():
    """ Sends a weekly email with stats and an attached graph. """
    stats = generate_weekly_report()
    if not stats:
        return

    total_usage, avg_flow, max_flow = stats

    # Email Content
    subject = "💧 Weekly Water Flow Report"
    body = (
        f"Here is your water usage summary for the past week:\n\n"
        f"📊 Total Water Usage: {total_usage:.2f} L\n"
        f"📉 Average Flow Rate: {avg_flow:.2f} L/min\n"
        f"🚀 Highest Flow Rate: {max_flow:.2f} L/min\n\n"
        f"See the attached graph for trends. 📈"
    )

    msg = MIMEMultipart()
    msg["From"] = EMAIL_ADDRESS
    msg["To"] = EMAIL_ADDRESS  # Send to yourself
    msg["Subject"] = subject
    msg.attach(MIMEText(body, "plain"))

    # Attach the graph
    with open(REPORT_IMAGE, "rb") as attachment:
        part = MIMEBase("application", "octet-stream")
        part.set_payload(attachment.read())
        encoders.encode_base64(part)
        part.add_header("Content-Disposition", f"attachment; filename={REPORT_IMAGE}")
        msg.attach(part)

    # Send Email
    try:
        server = smtplib.SMTP(SMTP_SERVER, SMTP_PORT)
        server.starttls()
        server.login(EMAIL_ADDRESS, EMAIL_PASSWORD)
        server.sendmail(EMAIL_ADDRESS, EMAIL_ADDRESS, msg.as_string())
        server.quit()
        print("📧 Weekly Report Sent!")
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"❌ Email Failed: {e}")

# Schedule to run once a week
if __name__ == "__main__":
    send_weekly_email()


🔹 How It Works

  1. Runs once a week (you can automate this with a cron job)
  2. Reads the past 7 days of water flow data
  3. Calculates total, average, and max flow rate
  4. Generates a graph 📈
  5. Sends an email with stats + graph attachment

🔹 Automate with Cron Job

To send the report every Monday at 8 AM, edit your crontab:

crontab -e

Add this line:

0 8 * * 1 python3 /home/pi/send_weekly_email.py


🔹 Example Email Report

Subject: 💧 Weekly Water Flow Report

Here is your water usage summary for the past week:

📊 Total Water Usage: 320.5 L  
📉 Average Flow Rate: 4.8 L/min  
🚀 Highest Flow Rate: 12.3 L/min  

See the attached graph for trends. 📈

📎 Attachment: weekly_report.png (Graph of water flow trends)


Now you’ll get automatic weekly reports summarizing your water usage! Let me know if you want custom thresholds or other features. 🚀

How should i provide power to the sensor?

How to Power Water Flow Sensor

The DIGITEN water flow sensor is typically powered by 5V DC, which is compatible with the Raspberry Pi’s 5V pin. Here’s how you can provide power safely:


🔹 Recommended Wiring for Raspberry Pi

Flow Sensor WireConnect To
Red (Power)5V pin on Raspberry Pi
Black (Ground)GND pin on Raspberry Pi
Yellow (Signal)GPIO 17 (or your chosen GPIO pin)

🔹 Powering the Sensor Directly from Raspberry Pi

  1. Use the Raspberry Pi’s 5V Pin
    • The 5V pin on the Raspberry Pi can provide enough power for the sensor.
    • Connect the Red wire of the sensor to the 5V pin.
  2. Connect Ground (GND)
    • The Black wire should go to a GND pin on the Raspberry Pi.
  3. Signal to GPIO
    • The Yellow wire carries the pulses from the Hall effect sensor.
    • Connect it to GPIO 17 (or another available GPIO pin).

🔹 Alternative: External 5V Power Supply (If Needed)

If you’re using multiple sensors or don’t want to draw power from the Raspberry Pi, you can:

  • Use a separate 5V power supply (USB adapter or battery pack).
  • Common ground is required: Connect the GND of the external power supply to the GND of the Raspberry Pi.

Would you like a wiring diagram for better clarity? 🚀

Here’s a simple wiring diagram to help you connect your DIGITEN water flow sensor to a Raspberry Pi properly.


🔹 Wiring Guide

Option 1: Powering the Sensor from Raspberry Pi (Recommended)

  • Red wire (Power) → Raspberry Pi 5V (Pin 2 or 4)
  • Black wire (Ground) → Raspberry Pi GND (Pin 6, 9, 14, 20, etc.)
  • Yellow wire (Signal) → Raspberry Pi GPIO 17 (Pin 11)
+------------------------+
|  Raspberry Pi (GPIO)   |
+------------------------+
| 5V (Pin 2)   ──── Red  │  → Power to sensor
| GND (Pin 6)  ──── Black│  → Ground
| GPIO17 (Pin 11) ── Yellow │  → Signal from sensor
+------------------------+


Option 2: Powering the Sensor with an External 5V Power Supply

  • Red wire → External 5V Power Supply (+)
  • Black wire → External Power Supply GND & Raspberry Pi GND
  • Yellow wire → Raspberry Pi GPIO 17
+------------------------+         +--------------------+
|  Raspberry Pi (GPIO)   |         |  External 5V PSU  |
+------------------------+         +--------------------+
| GND (Pin 6)  ───────────┐        | GND (Black)       |
| GPIO17 (Pin 11) ─── Yellow │      | 5V  (Red)        |
|                         │────────|                  |
+------------------------+        +--------------------+

Important: Make sure the Raspberry Pi GND and external GND are connected together.


🔹 Wiring Diagram (Visual Representation)

I’ll generate an image of the wiring diagram for better clarity. Give me a moment.

Here is a wiring diagram showing how to connect a DIGITEN water flow sensor to a Raspberry Pi. Let me know if you need any modifications or further explanations! 🚀

How do i start this program when the rpi boots?

Start Program at Boot

You can set up your Raspberry Pi to run the script at boot using one of these methods:

Method 1: Use systemd (Recommended)

Systemd is the most reliable way to start a script at boot and restart it if it crashes.

1️⃣ Create a systemd Service File

Run the following command to create a new service file:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/flow_monitor.service

Paste this into the file (update the paths if needed):

[Unit]
Description=Water Flow Monitor
After=network.target

[Service]
ExecStart=/usr/bin/python3 /home/pi/send_weekly_email.py
WorkingDirectory=/home/pi
Restart=always
User=pi

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Save the file (CTRL + X, then Y, then Enter).

2️⃣ Enable the Service

Run these commands to start the service at boot:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable flow_monitor.service
sudo systemctl start flow_monitor.service

Check if it’s running:

sudo systemctl status flow_monitor.service

To restart manually:

sudo systemctl restart flow_monitor.service

To stop it:

sudo systemctl stop flow_monitor.service


Method 2: Use Cron (Simple but Less Reliable)

  1. Open the crontab editor: crontab -e
  2. Add this line at the bottom to run the script at boot: @reboot python3 /home/pi/send_weekly_email.py &
  3. Save and exit.

Which Method to Use?

  • Use systemd if you want automatic restarts and better reliability.
  • Use cron if you need a quick and simple setup.

Let me know if you need help with any step! 🚀

The Digiten sensor wasn’t available so I got a Gredia GR-402B sensor. Will there be any changes?

Changes for Gredia Sensor Instead of Digiten Sensor

Yes, the program should work almost the same with a GREDIA water flow sensor, as it also uses a Hall-effect sensor to measure water flow. However, you may need to adjust the calibration factor (pulse-per-liter value) depending on the specific model of your GREDIA sensor.


🔹 What to Check?

  1. Pinout: Ensure you connect the GREDIA sensor’s VCC, GND, and Signal (Yellow/Green) wire correctly to your Raspberry Pi.
  2. Operating Voltage: Most GREDIA sensors work with 5V, while some also support 3.3V.
  3. Pulse-per-Liter Factor: Different flow sensors have different pulse-per-liter ratios.
    • DIGITEN sensors often use 450 pulses per liter.
    • GREDIA sensors could have 450, 500, or 550 pulses per liter, depending on the model.

To find the correct pulse-per-liter for your sensor, check its datasheet or do a manual calibration.


🔹 Adjusting the Code for a GREDIA Sensor

Find this line in your script:

pulse_per_liter = 450  # Adjust based on sensor model

Change this value based on your GREDIA sensor’s specifications.


🔹 How to Manually Calibrate?

  1. Run the script and measure how much water you actually use.
  2. Compare it to what the program records.
  3. Adjust the pulse_per_liter value until the recorded water usage matches real-world usage.

🔹 Will Alerts & Email Reports Still Work?

Yes! The rest of the program (data logging, alerts, and email reports) will work the same. The only thing that needs adjusting is the pulse-per-liter value.

Would you like help finding the correct value for your specific GREDIA sensor? 🚀

the flask install had the error: externally-managed-environment

The externally-managed-environment error occurs because you’re trying to install Flask (or another package) in a system-managed Python environment, like the one on Raspberry Pi OS (Debian-based Linux). This happens because newer versions of pip prevent modifying system-wide Python packages.

🔹 How to Fix It

You have a few options to install Flask properly:


✅ Option 1: Use a Virtual Environment (Recommended)

This is the best method because it keeps your Python packages separate and avoids system conflicts.

1️⃣ Create a Virtual Environment

Run these commands:

cd /home/pi  # Go to your working directory
python3 -m venv venv  # Create a virtual environment named 'venv'

2️⃣ Activate the Virtual Environment

source venv/bin/activate

You should see (venv) appear in your terminal.

3️⃣ Install Flask

pip install flask

4️⃣ Run Your Flask App

Now, when running your Flask script, make sure the virtual environment is activated:

python your_flask_script.py

💡 To exit the virtual environment, type:

deactivate


✅ Option 2: Use pip install --break-system-packages

If you really want to install Flask system-wide (not recommended), use:

pip install flask --break-system-packages

⚠️ Warning: This could break system dependencies.


✅ Option 3: Use --user Flag (Less Recommended)

pip install --user flask

This installs Flask in the user’s home directory, avoiding system conflicts.


🔹 Which Method to Use?

  • Use a Virtual Environment if you’re working on a project.
  • Use --break-system-packages only if you fully control your Raspberry Pi and don’t mind breaking things.
  • Use --user for a quick fix, but it’s not as clean as a virtual environment.

Would you like me to update your Python script to run inside a virtual environment automatically? 🚀


I’ll update your Python script to automatically activate a virtual environment and install dependencies if needed. Here’s how to do it:


🔹 Updated Python Script

Replace your existing script with this version:

import os
import sys
import subprocess

# Define the virtual environment path
VENV_PATH = os.path.expanduser("~/venv")

# Function to check if Flask is installed
def check_flask():
    try:
        import flask
    except ImportError:
        return False
    return True

# Function to set up the virtual environment
def setup_virtualenv():
    if not os.path.exists(VENV_PATH):
        print("Creating virtual environment...")
        subprocess.run([sys.executable, "-m", "venv", VENV_PATH], check=True)

    # Install Flask if not present
    activate_script = os.path.join(VENV_PATH, "bin", "activate")
    pip_path = os.path.join(VENV_PATH, "bin", "pip")

    if not check_flask():
        print("Installing Flask in virtual environment...")
        subprocess.run([pip_path, "install", "flask"], check=True)

# Setup virtual environment
setup_virtualenv()

# Activate the virtual environment
activate_script = os.path.join(VENV_PATH, "bin", "activate_this.py")
exec(open(activate_script).read(), dict(__file__=activate_script))

# Now you can safely import Flask and run your app
from flask import Flask

app = Flask(__name__)

@app.route("/")
def home():
    return "Flask is running in a virtual environment!"

if __name__ == "__main__":
    app.run(host="0.0.0.0", port=5000)


🔹 How This Works

  1. Automatically creates a virtual environment in ~/venv if it doesn’t exist.
  2. Installs Flask inside the virtual environment if it’s not already installed.
  3. Activates the virtual environment before running the Flask app.
  4. Starts a simple Flask web server on http://0.0.0.0:5000.

🔹 How to Run It

Save the script as app.py and run:

python3 app.py

Flask will now run inside the virtual environment automatically!

Would you like help setting this up as a systemd service so it starts at boot? 🚀

Would you like help setting this up as a systemd service so it starts at boot? 🚀

Set Program as Systemd Service

Set Up Flask as a Systemd Service on Raspberry Pi

This will ensure your Flask app starts automatically at boot and keeps running in the background.


🔹 Step 1: Create a systemd Service File

Run this command to open a new service file:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/flask_app.service

Paste the following inside (update the User, WorkingDirectory, and ExecStart paths if needed):

[Unit]
Description=Flask Web Application
After=network.target

[Service]
User=pi
WorkingDirectory=/home/pi
ExecStart=/home/pi/venv/bin/python3 /home/pi/app.py
Restart=always

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Save the file: Press CTRL + X, then Y, then Enter.


🔹 Step 2: Enable and Start the Service

Run these commands:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable flask_app.service
sudo systemctl start flask_app.service


🔹 Step 3: Check If Flask is Running

To check the status:

sudo systemctl status flask_app.service

You should see output indicating that Flask is active (running).

If there’s an error, check the logs:

journalctl -u flask_app.service --no-pager --lines=50


🔹 Step 4: Restarting or Stopping Flask

To restart manually:

sudo systemctl restart flask_app.service

To stop it:

sudo systemctl stop flask_app.service


🔹 Step 5: Test Flask in a Web Browser

Open a browser and go to:

http://<Your-Raspberry-Pi-IP>:5000

If running locally, use:

http://localhost:5000


🚀 Your Flask App Now Starts at Boot!

Would you like help setting up nginx as a reverse proxy for better performance and HTTPS support?

Set Up Reverse Proxy

Set Up Nginx as a Reverse Proxy for Flask on Raspberry Pi

This will allow your Flask app to be accessible using port 80 (HTTP) instead of port 5000 and make it more efficient. It also allows for SSL encryption if you add a certificate later.


🔹 Step 1: Install Nginx

Run:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nginx -y


🔹 Step 2: Create an Nginx Configuration File

  1. Open a new configuration file: sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/flask_app
  2. Paste this configuration (adjust server_name if needed): server { listen 80; server_name _; # Change this to your domain if using one location / { proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:5000; proxy_set_header Host $host; proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr; proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for; proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme; } error_page 404 /404.html; location = /404.html { internal; } }
  3. Save and exit: Press CTRL + X, then Y, then Enter.

🔹 Step 3: Enable the Configuration

  1. Create a symbolic link to enable the configuration: sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/flask_app /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
  2. Remove the default configuration (optional but recommended): sudo rm /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/default
  3. Test Nginx for errors: sudo nginx -t ✅ If you see syntax is OK, you’re good to go!
  4. Restart Nginx: sudo systemctl restart nginx

🔹 Step 4: Test the Setup

  • Open your browser and visit: http://<Your-Raspberry-Pi-IP>/ or if you set up a domain: http://yourdomain.com/
  • Your Flask app should now be accessible without :5000.

🔹 Step 5: Optional – Enable HTTPS with Let’s Encrypt (Recommended)

If you have a domain, you can secure your site with Let’s Encrypt SSL:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y
sudo certbot --nginx -d yourdomain.com

This automatically configures Nginx to use HTTPS.


🚀 Flask is Now Running Behind Nginx!

Would you like me to help with auto-renewing SSL certificates or adding authentication to your Flask app?

Set Up SSL Certificate and Authentication

🔹 Auto-Renew SSL Certificates & Add Authentication to Your Flask App

Now that your Flask app runs behind Nginx with HTTPS, let’s ensure:
SSL certificates auto-renew
Your Flask app is protected with authentication (optional)


1️⃣ Auto-Renew SSL Certificates

Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates expire every 90 days, but we can automate renewal.

🔹 Step 1: Test Manual Renewal

Run this command to test renewing your SSL certificate:

sudo certbot renew --dry-run

✅ If no errors appear, the renewal process is working.


🔹 Step 2: Set Up Automatic Renewal

Certbot already installs a systemd timer for renewal. But to be sure:

  1. Edit the crontab to check renewal daily: sudo crontab -e
  2. Add this line at the bottom to renew certificates automatically and reload Nginx: 0 2 * * * certbot renew --quiet && systemctl reload nginx 🔹 This runs every day at 2 AM (0 2 * * *).
  3. Save and exit (CTRL + X, then Y, then Enter).

✅ Now, SSL auto-renews when needed!


2️⃣ Add Authentication to Your Flask App

If you only want authorized users to access the Flask app, you can require a login using Basic Authentication in Nginx.

🔹 Step 1: Install apache2-utils

This provides the htpasswd command to create a username/password file:

sudo apt install apache2-utils -y


🔹 Step 2: Create a User for Authentication

Replace yourusername with your preferred login name:

sudo htpasswd -c /etc/nginx/.htpasswd yourusername

🔹 Enter a secure password when prompted.

✅ This stores the credentials securely in /etc/nginx/.htpasswd.


🔹 Step 3: Update the Nginx Config

Edit your Flask app’s Nginx configuration:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/flask_app

Find this section:

location / {
    proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:5000;
    proxy_set_header Host $host;
    proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
}

🔹 Modify it to require authentication:

location / {
    auth_basic "Restricted Access";
    auth_basic_user_file /etc/nginx/.htpasswd;

    proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:5000;
    proxy_set_header Host $host;
    proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
}

✅ This forces users to enter a username and password before accessing the Flask app.


🔹 Step 4: Restart Nginx

Apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart nginx


3️⃣ Testing Your Secure Setup

🛠 Test Auto-Renewal

Run:

sudo certbot renew --dry-run

If no errors appear, it’s set to auto-renew!

🔑 Test Authentication

  1. Open your browser and go to: http://yourdomain.com/ or http://<Your-Raspberry-Pi-IP>/
  2. You should see a username/password prompt.

✅ Enter your htpasswd credentials to access your Flask app.


🎯 Your Flask App is Now:

Running behind Nginx
Secured with SSL
Auto-renewing certificates
Password-protected (if enabled)

Would you like me to help with OAuth (Google Login) or adding a custom login page in Flask? 🚀

Set Up Login Page in Flask

🔹 Add OAuth (Google Login) to Your Flask App

Instead of using basic authentication, let’s allow users to log in with Google! This method is more secure, user-friendly, and scalable.


1️⃣ Set Up Google OAuth Credentials

Google provides OAuth authentication via Google Cloud Console.

🔹 Step 1: Create a Google OAuth App

  1. Go to Google Cloud Console and sign in.
  2. Click “Select a Project”“New Project”.
  3. Give it a name (e.g., FlaskOAuthApp) and click “Create”.
  4. In the left sidebar, go to APIs & Services > Credentials.
  5. Click “Create Credentials” → “OAuth 2.0 Client ID”.
  6. Select “Web Application” as the application type.
  7. Under “Authorized Redirect URIs”, add: http://yourdomain.com/login/callback or, if testing locally: http://localhost:5000/login/callback
  8. Click “Create”, then copy your:
    • Client ID
    • Client Secret

2️⃣ Install Required Python Packages

Your Flask app needs the Flask-OAuthlib package:

pip install flask flask-oauthlib


3️⃣ Modify Your Flask App to Use Google Login

Update your app.py to include Google OAuth authentication:

from flask import Flask, redirect, url_for, session
from flask_oauthlib.client import OAuth
import os

app = Flask(__name__)
app.secret_key = os.urandom(24)  # Change this to a fixed secret key in production

oauth = OAuth(app)

google = oauth.remote_app(
    'google',
    consumer_key='YOUR_GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID',
    consumer_secret='YOUR_GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET',
    request_token_params={
        'scope': 'email profile'
    },
    base_url='https://www.googleapis.com/oauth2/v1/',
    request_token_url=None,
    access_token_method='POST',
    access_token_url='https://accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/token',
    authorize_url='https://accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/auth'
)

@app.route('/')
def home():
    return 'Welcome! <a href="/login">Login with Google</a>'

@app.route('/login')
def login():
    return google.authorize(callback=url_for('authorized', _external=True))

@app.route('/login/callback')
def authorized():
    response = google.authorized_response()
    if response is None or response.get('access_token') is None:
        return 'Access Denied'
    
    session['google_token'] = (response['access_token'], '')
    user_info = google.get('userinfo')  # Get user details
    return f"Hello, {user_info.data['name']}! You are logged in."

@google.tokengetter
def get_google_oauth_token():
    return session.get('google_token')

@app.route('/logout')
def logout():
    session.pop('google_token', None)
    return redirect(url_for('home'))

if __name__ == '__main__':
    app.run(debug=True)

🔹 Replace:

  • YOUR_GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID
  • YOUR_GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET
    with your credentials.

4️⃣ Restart Flask & Test Login

  1. Run the Flask app: python3 app.py
  2. Open your browser and visit: http://localhost:5000/
  3. Click “Login with Google”.
  4. Sign in with Google.
  5. You should see a welcome message with your name!

5️⃣ Secure OAuth in Production

  • Use a fixed secret key in app.secret_key.
  • Deploy behind Nginx & use HTTPS.
  • Restrict Google OAuth to trusted domains (in Google Cloud settings).

🚀 Google Login is Now Enabled!

Would you like to: ✅ Store user data in a database
Restrict access to logged-in users
Add logout redirection?

Restrict Access to Logged-in Users

🔹 Store User Data & Restrict Access in Your Flask App

Now that Google OAuth is working, let’s:
Store user data in a database
Restrict access to logged-in users
Add logout redirection


1️⃣ Install & Set Up SQLite (or Use MySQL/PostgreSQL)

We’ll use SQLite for simplicity, but this can be replaced with MySQL/PostgreSQL.

🔹 Install SQLite & Flask-SQLAlchemy

Run:

pip install flask-sqlalchemy


🔹 Modify app.py to Use a Database

Update your Flask app to store user details:

from flask import Flask, redirect, url_for, session, render_template
from flask_sqlalchemy import SQLAlchemy
from flask_oauthlib.client import OAuth
import os

app = Flask(__name__)
app.secret_key = os.urandom(24)  # Change this for production

# Configure SQLite Database
app.config['SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URI'] = 'sqlite:///users.db'
app.config['SQLALCHEMY_TRACK_MODIFICATIONS'] = False
db = SQLAlchemy(app)

# Define User Model
class User(db.Model):
    id = db.Column(db.Integer, primary_key=True)
    google_id = db.Column(db.String(100), unique=True, nullable=False)
    name = db.Column(db.String(100), nullable=False)
    email = db.Column(db.String(100), unique=True, nullable=False)

# OAuth Setup
oauth = OAuth(app)
google = oauth.remote_app(
    'google',
    consumer_key='YOUR_GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID',
    consumer_secret='YOUR_GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET',
    request_token_params={'scope': 'email profile'},
    base_url='https://www.googleapis.com/oauth2/v1/',
    request_token_url=None,
    access_token_method='POST',
    access_token_url='https://accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/token',
    authorize_url='https://accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/auth'
)

@app.route('/')
def home():
    if 'google_token' in session:
        user = User.query.filter_by(google_id=session['google_id']).first()
        return f"Hello, {user.name}! <a href='/logout'>Logout</a>"
    return '<a href="/login">Login with Google</a>'

@app.route('/login')
def login():
    return google.authorize(callback=url_for('authorized', _external=True))

@app.route('/login/callback')
def authorized():
    response = google.authorized_response()
    if response is None or response.get('access_token') is None:
        return 'Access Denied'

    session['google_token'] = (response['access_token'], '')
    user_info = google.get('userinfo').data

    # Store User Info in Database
    user = User.query.filter_by(google_id=user_info['id']).first()
    if not user:
        user = User(google_id=user_info['id'], name=user_info['name'], email=user_info['email'])
        db.session.add(user)
        db.session.commit()

    # Store user details in session
    session['google_id'] = user_info['id']
    session['name'] = user_info['name']

    return redirect(url_for('home'))

@google.tokengetter
def get_google_oauth_token():
    return session.get('google_token')

@app.route('/logout')
def logout():
    session.pop('google_token', None)
    session.pop('google_id', None)
    session.pop('name', None)
    return redirect(url_for('home'))

# Initialize Database
with app.app_context():
    db.create_all()

if __name__ == '__main__':
    app.run(debug=True)


2️⃣ Run Your Flask App & Test

  1. Initialize the database (Run this once): python3 app.py This creates users.db to store logged-in users.
  2. Start Flask again: python3 app.py
  3. Open your browser and visit: http://localhost:5000/
  4. Login with Google.
  5. Your name should appear, and your details will be stored in the database.
  6. Logout and try logging in again—your data is now persistent!

3️⃣ Restrict Access to Logged-In Users

If you want to protect certain routes (e.g., a dashboard), modify your Flask app:

from functools import wraps

def login_required(f):
    @wraps(f)
    def decorated_function(*args, **kwargs):
        if 'google_id' not in session:
            return redirect(url_for('login'))
        return f(*args, **kwargs)
    return decorated_function

@app.route('/dashboard')
@login_required
def dashboard():
    return f"Welcome to your dashboard, {session['name']}!"

Now, if users visit /dashboard, they must log in first.


🚀 Your Flask App Now Has:

Google OAuth login
User database storage
Restricted access for logged-in users
Logout functionality

Would you like help deploying this on your Raspberry Pi server with Gunicorn & Nginx?

Deployment with Gunicorn & Nginx

🚀 Deploy Your Flask App on a Raspberry Pi with Gunicorn & Nginx

Now that your Flask app is working, let’s deploy it properly on your Raspberry Pi. This setup ensures that your app:
✅ Runs in the background without needing to manually start it
✅ Is accessible over the network
✅ Uses Nginx as a reverse proxy for better performance


1️⃣ Install Required Packages

Run the following on your Raspberry Pi:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install python3-pip python3-venv nginx -y


2️⃣ Set Up a Virtual Environment

Navigate to your Flask project directory and create a virtual environment:

cd /home/pi/my_flask_app
python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate

🔹 Install Dependencies

Reinstall Flask and other required packages inside the virtual environment:

pip install flask flask-oauthlib flask-sqlalchemy gunicorn


3️⃣ Test Gunicorn

Gunicorn is a production-ready WSGI server that will serve your Flask app.

Run:

gunicorn -w 3 -b 0.0.0.0:8000 app:app

This:

  • Runs 3 worker processes (-w 3) for handling requests
  • Binds to port 8000 (-b 0.0.0.0:8000)

Test by opening:

http://<YOUR_RPI_IP>:8000

If it’s working, press Ctrl+C to stop it.


4️⃣ Create a Systemd Service

To automatically start the app at boot, create a systemd service:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/flask_app.service

Paste this inside:

[Unit]
Description=Gunicorn instance to serve Flask app
After=network.target

[Service]
User=pi
Group=pi
WorkingDirectory=/home/pi/my_flask_app
Environment="PATH=/home/pi/my_flask_app/venv/bin"
ExecStart=/home/pi/my_flask_app/venv/bin/gunicorn -w 3 -b 0.0.0.0:8000 app:app

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).

🔹 Enable & Start the Service

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable flask_app
sudo systemctl start flask_app

Check if it’s running:

sudo systemctl status flask_app

If you see “active (running)”, the app is working!


5️⃣ Set Up Nginx as a Reverse Proxy

Now, we’ll configure Nginx to serve the Flask app.

🔹 Create an Nginx Config File

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/flask_app

Paste this inside:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name _;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8000;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
    }
}

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).

🔹 Enable the Nginx Config

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/flask_app /etc/nginx/sites-enabled
sudo systemctl restart nginx


6️⃣ Test Your Deployment

Now, open your browser and visit:

http://<YOUR_RPI_IP>

If everything is set up correctly, you should see your Flask app!


7️⃣ Optional: Use a Custom Domain

If you have a domain, update server_name in the Nginx config:

server_name yourdomain.com;

Then restart Nginx:

sudo systemctl restart nginx


🚀 Your Flask App Is Now Deployed!

✔ Runs automatically on boot
✔ Uses Gunicorn for performance
✔ Uses Nginx as a reverse proxy

Would you like to secure it with HTTPS using Let’s Encrypt? 🔐

🔐 Secure Your Flask App with HTTPS (Let’s Encrypt & Certbot)

Now that your Flask app is running with Nginx, let’s secure it with free SSL certificates from Let’s Encrypt using Certbot.


1️⃣ Install Certbot

Run the following on your Raspberry Pi:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y


2️⃣ Obtain an SSL Certificate

Replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain and run:

sudo certbot --nginx -d yourdomain.com -d www.yourdomain.com

🔹 What Happens Here?

  • Certbot will automatically configure Nginx for HTTPS.
  • It will redirect HTTP traffic to HTTPS.
  • It will ask for your email for renewal reminders.

If the setup is successful, you’ll see a message like:

Congratulations! Your certificate and chain have been saved at: /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/fullchain.pem


3️⃣ Test Your HTTPS Setup

Open a browser and visit:

https://yourdomain.com

Your site should now be secure with a padlock icon! 🔒


4️⃣ Auto-Renew SSL Certificates

Let’s Encrypt certificates expire every 90 days, but Certbot can automatically renew them.

Run:

sudo certbot renew --dry-run

If everything looks good, Certbot will renew your certificates automatically in the background.


🚀 Your Flask App Is Now Fully Secured with HTTPS!

Runs on boot
Uses Gunicorn & Nginx for performance
Automatically renews SSL certificates

Would you like to set up a custom firewall (UFW) to further secure your Raspberry Pi? 🔥

🔥 Secure Your Raspberry Pi with a Firewall (UFW)

Now that your Flask app is running securely with HTTPS, let’s set up a firewall using UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) to protect your Raspberry Pi from unwanted access.


1️⃣ Install UFW

First, make sure UFW is installed:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install ufw -y


2️⃣ Allow Essential Services

We’ll allow only the necessary ports for your Flask app and system management:

  • SSH (22) – If you connect remotely via SSH
  • HTTP (80) – Needed for the initial Certbot challenge
  • HTTPS (443) – Secured access to your Flask app

Run these commands:

sudo ufw allow OpenSSH  # Allow SSH access
sudo ufw allow 80/tcp    # Allow HTTP (needed for Let's Encrypt renewal)
sudo ufw allow 443/tcp   # Allow HTTPS for secure access


3️⃣ Enable the Firewall

Once you’ve added the rules, enable UFW:

sudo ufw enable

Important: If you’re connected via SSH, make sure you’ve allowed SSH (sudo ufw allow OpenSSH) before enabling the firewall. Otherwise, you might get locked out!

To check the firewall status:

sudo ufw status

You should see something like:

Status: active

To                         Action      From
--                         ------      ----
OpenSSH                    ALLOW       Anywhere
80/tcp                     ALLOW       Anywhere
443/tcp                    ALLOW       Anywhere


4️⃣ (Optional) Allow Local Network Access

If you want to allow access from devices on your home network (but not the internet), find your local subnet (e.g., 192.168.1.0/24) and allow it:

sudo ufw allow from 192.168.1.0/24


🚀 Your Raspberry Pi is Now Secure!

Firewall is enabled
Only necessary ports are open
Protects against unauthorized access

Would you like to set up logging & alerts for potential threats? 📊🔔

📊 Set Up Logging & Alerts for Security on Raspberry Pi

Now that your firewall is active, let’s enable logging and set up email alerts for potential threats. This will help you track any unauthorized access attempts.


1️⃣ Enable UFW Logging

By default, UFW logs blocked connections, but we’ll make sure logging is enabled.

Run:

sudo ufw logging on

To check logs, use:

sudo journalctl -u ufw --no-pager | tail -20

Or, check the log file directly:

sudo cat /var/log/ufw.log | tail -20


2️⃣ Install & Configure Fail2Ban

Fail2Ban blocks repeated failed login attempts (e.g., SSH brute force attacks).

🔹 Install Fail2Ban

sudo apt install fail2ban -y

🔹 Configure Fail2Ban

Create a custom config file:

sudo nano /etc/fail2ban/jail.local

Paste this inside:

[DEFAULT]
bantime = 1h
findtime = 10m
maxretry = 5
destemail = your-email@example.com
sender = fail2ban@yourdomain.com
mta = sendmail
action = %(action_mwl)s

[sshd]

enabled = true

  • bantime = 1h → Bans IPs for 1 hour after multiple failed attempts
  • maxretry = 5 → Blocks an IP after 5 failed attempts
  • destemail → Change to your email for notifications

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).

🔹 Restart Fail2Ban

sudo systemctl restart fail2ban
sudo systemctl enable fail2ban

🔹 Check If It’s Running

sudo fail2ban-client status sshd

If working, you’ll see:

Status for the jail: sshd
|- Filter
|  |- Currently failed: 0
|  |- Total failed: 10
|  `- File list: /var/log/auth.log
`- Actions
   |- Currently banned: 0
   |- Total banned: 3


3️⃣ Get Email Alerts for SSH Login Attempts

If you want email alerts when someone logs into your Raspberry Pi via SSH:

🔹 Install Mail Client

sudo apt install mailutils -y

🔹 Edit SSH Login Notification Script

sudo nano /etc/profile.d/ssh-notify.sh

Paste this inside:

#!/bin/bash
echo "SSH Login Alert: User $USER from $(who | awk '{print $5}')" | mail -s "SSH Login Alert" your-email@example.com

Replace your-email@example.com with your actual email.

🔹 Make It Executable

sudo chmod +x /etc/profile.d/ssh-notify.sh

Now, whenever someone logs into your Raspberry Pi via SSH, you’ll get an email notification. 📩


🚀 Your Raspberry Pi Is Now Extra Secure!

UFW logging is enabled
Fail2Ban prevents brute-force attacks
SSH login alerts notify you of logins

Would you like to monitor system performance & logs remotely using a tool like Grafana? 📊🔍

📊 Monitor Raspberry Pi Performance & Logs Remotely with Grafana

Now that we’ve secured your Raspberry Pi, let’s set up Grafana with Prometheus to monitor:
✅ CPU & memory usage
✅ Disk & network activity
✅ Uptime & system logs
✅ Firewall & security events


1️⃣ Install Prometheus for System Metrics

Prometheus is a powerful monitoring system that collects system performance data.

🔹 Install Prometheus & Node Exporter

Run:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install prometheus prometheus-node-exporter -y

🔹 Enable and Start Services

sudo systemctl enable prometheus prometheus-node-exporter
sudo systemctl start prometheus prometheus-node-exporter

To check if they are running:

sudo systemctl status prometheus
sudo systemctl status prometheus-node-exporter

Your Raspberry Pi is now collecting system metrics! 🚀


2️⃣ Install Grafana for Data Visualization

Grafana provides a beautiful web-based dashboard to visualize Prometheus data.

🔹 Install Grafana

sudo apt install -y grafana

🔹 Enable and Start Grafana

sudo systemctl enable grafana-server
sudo systemctl start grafana-server

To check if it’s running:

sudo systemctl status grafana-server

🔹 Access Grafana Dashboard

Open a browser and go to:

http://your_raspberry_pi_ip:3000

  • Default username: admin
  • Default password: admin (You’ll be asked to change it after first login)

3️⃣ Connect Prometheus to Grafana

  1. In Grafana, go to Configuration → Data Sources
  2. Click “Add data source”
  3. Select Prometheus
  4. Set the URL to: http://localhost:9090
  5. Click Save & Test (It should confirm the connection)

4️⃣ Import a Raspberry Pi Dashboard

  1. Go to Dashboards → Import
  2. Enter 1860 (Official Raspberry Pi dashboard ID)
  3. Click Load, then Import

🎉 Now you have a live monitoring dashboard for your Raspberry Pi!


5️⃣ (Optional) Monitor Security Logs in Grafana

If you want to monitor firewall (UFW) & Fail2Ban logs in Grafana:

  1. Install Loki (Grafana’s log system) sudo apt install -y loki
  2. Configure UFW logs in Loki
  3. Add Loki as a data source in Grafana
  4. Visualize firewall blocks & SSH login attempts

🚀 Your Raspberry Pi Now Has:

Live performance monitoring
Security event tracking
Beautiful, remote dashboards

Would you like to set up alerts in Grafana for CPU spikes, low disk space, or security threats? 🔔

🔔 Set Up Alerts in Grafana for CPU, Disk, and Security Events

Now that your Raspberry Pi is being monitored in Grafana, let’s set up real-time alerts for:
✅ High CPU usage 🚀
✅ Low disk space 💾
✅ Network overload 📶
✅ Security threats (SSH attempts, firewall blocks) 🔐


1️⃣ Enable Grafana Alerting

By default, Grafana alerting is disabled on Raspberry Pi. Enable it with:

sudo nano /etc/grafana/grafana.ini

Find the section [alerting] and set:

enabled = true

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter), then restart Grafana:

sudo systemctl restart grafana-server


2️⃣ Configure Notification Channels

Grafana supports Email, Telegram, Slack, Discord, Webhooks, etc.

🔹 Set Up Email Alerts

  1. In Grafana, go to Alerting → Notification Channels
  2. Click “Add Channel”
  3. Set:
  4. Click Save

If you prefer Telegram, Slack, or Discord, let me know! 🤖


3️⃣ Create an Alert for High CPU Usage

  1. Open your Raspberry Pi System Dashboard
  2. Find the CPU Usage graph
  3. Click the panel title → Edit
  4. Go to the Alert tab
  5. Click “Create Alert”, then set:
    • Condition: If CPU > 85% for 5 minutes
    • Evaluate every: 1m
    • Notification Channel: System Alerts
  6. Click Save

4️⃣ Add Alerts for Disk Space & Security Logs

🔹 Low Disk Space Alert

  1. Open the Disk Usage panel
  2. Set an alert: If disk space < 2GB for 5 minutes
  3. Save

🔹 Security Alerts (SSH & Firewall Logs)

If you set up Loki for logs, you can create alerts for:
Multiple failed SSH logins
IP bans by Fail2Ban
Blocked IPs by UFW


5️⃣ Test Your Alerts!

  1. Go to Alerting → Alert Rules
  2. Click “Test Rule” on your alerts
  3. If set up correctly, you should receive an email alert 📩

🚀 Your Raspberry Pi Now Has:

Live monitoring in Grafana
Real-time alerts for system health & security
Notifications via Email (or Telegram/Slack)

Would you like to automate actions (e.g., restart a service if CPU is too high)? 🔄

🔄 Automate Actions Based on Alerts on Your Raspberry Pi

Now that Grafana can send alerts, let’s automate responses!
Restart a service if CPU is too high 🚀
Block an IP after repeated SSH login failures 🔐
Send a custom notification (e.g., text message)


1️⃣ Auto-Restart a Service if CPU is Too High

We’ll create a script that restarts a service when Grafana detects high CPU usage.

🔹 Step 1: Create the Auto-Restart Script

Run:

sudo nano /usr/local/bin/restart_service.sh

Paste this inside:

#!/bin/bash

CPU_USAGE=$(top -bn1 | grep "Cpu(s)" | awk '{print $2 + $4}')
THRESHOLD=85.0

if (( $(echo "$CPU_USAGE > $THRESHOLD" | bc -l) )); then
    echo "$(date) - High CPU detected: $CPU_USAGE%" >> /var/log/cpu_alert.log
    sudo systemctl restart your-service-name
    echo "Restarted your-service-name" >> /var/log/cpu_alert.log
fi

Replace your-service-name with the actual service (e.g., nginx, grafana-server).

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).

🔹 Step 2: Make the Script Executable

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/restart_service.sh

🔹 Step 3: Set Up a Cron Job

Run:

crontab -e

Add this line at the bottom:

*/5 * * * * /usr/local/bin/restart_service.sh

✅ This checks CPU usage every 5 minutes and restarts the service if needed.


2️⃣ Auto-Ban an IP After Multiple SSH Failures

Let’s automate IP banning when Grafana detects multiple failed SSH attempts.

🔹 Step 1: Create a Fail2Ban Rule for Auto-Banning

Run:

sudo nano /etc/fail2ban/jail.local

Add:

[sshd]
enabled = true
filter = sshd
logpath = /var/log/auth.log
maxretry = 5
bantime = 1h

Save & restart Fail2Ban:

sudo systemctl restart fail2ban

🔹 Step 2: Check Banned IPs

sudo fail2ban-client status sshd

🚀 Now, after 5 failed login attempts, the attacker’s IP will be automatically blocked.


3️⃣ Send a Custom Notification (Telegram or SMS)

If you want to receive a Telegram or SMS alert, we can do that too!

Would you like Telegram notifications, Twilio SMS, or both? 📲

📲 Automate Telegram & SMS Notifications for Alerts

Now, let’s set up both Telegram and SMS (via Twilio) notifications when an alert is triggered.


1️⃣ Send a Telegram Message When an Alert is Triggered

🔹 Step 1: Create a Telegram Bot

  1. Open Telegram and search for BotFather
  2. Send the command: /newbot
  3. Follow the instructions and get your bot token (It looks like 123456:ABC-DEF1234ghIkl-zyx57W2v1u123ew11).
  4. Get your chat ID:
    • Go to https://api.telegram.org/bot<your-bot-token>/getUpdates
    • Send a message to your bot and refresh the link above.
    • Find your chat ID (a number like -123456789).

🔹 Step 2: Create a Telegram Alert Script

Run:

sudo nano /usr/local/bin/telegram_alert.sh

Paste this:

#!/bin/bash

BOT_TOKEN="your-telegram-bot-token"
CHAT_ID="your-chat-id"
MESSAGE="🚨 Alert! High CPU usage detected on your Raspberry Pi!"

curl -s -X POST "https://api.telegram.org/bot$BOT_TOKEN/sendMessage" -d chat_id=$CHAT_ID -d text="$MESSAGE"

Replace your-telegram-bot-token and your-chat-id with your actual values.

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).

Make it executable:

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/telegram_alert.sh


2️⃣ Send an SMS Alert Using Twilio

🔹 Step 1: Create a Twilio Account

  1. Sign up at Twilio
  2. Get your Twilio Account SID, Auth Token, and Twilio Phone Number

🔹 Step 2: Install Twilio Python Library

Run:

pip install twilio

🔹 Step 3: Create an SMS Alert Script

Run:

sudo nano /usr/local/bin/sms_alert.py

Paste this:

from twilio.rest import Client

# Twilio credentials
ACCOUNT_SID = "your-account-sid"
AUTH_TOKEN = "your-auth-token"
TWILIO_NUMBER = "+your-twilio-number"
TO_NUMBER = "+your-phone-number"

# Alert message
message_body = "🚨 Alert! High CPU usage detected on your Raspberry Pi!"

# Send SMS
client = Client(ACCOUNT_SID, AUTH_TOKEN)
message = client.messages.create(
    body=message_body,
    from_=TWILIO_NUMBER,
    to=TO_NUMBER
)

print(f"SMS sent: {message.sid}")

Replace your-account-sid, your-auth-token, your-twilio-number, and your-phone-number.

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).

Make it executable:

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/sms_alert.py


3️⃣ Link Alerts to Grafana

Now, configure Grafana to trigger these scripts when alerts occur.

🔹 Step 1: Modify the Auto-Restart Script

Edit:

sudo nano /usr/local/bin/restart_service.sh

Update it:

#!/bin/bash

CPU_USAGE=$(top -bn1 | grep "Cpu(s)" | awk '{print $2 + $4}')
THRESHOLD=85.0

if (( $(echo "$CPU_USAGE > $THRESHOLD" | bc -l) )); then
    echo "$(date) - High CPU detected: $CPU_USAGE%" >> /var/log/cpu_alert.log
    sudo systemctl restart your-service-name
    echo "Restarted your-service-name" >> /var/log/cpu_alert.log

    # Send Telegram Alert
    /usr/local/bin/telegram_alert.sh

    # Send SMS Alert
    python3 /usr/local/bin/sms_alert.py
fi

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).


4️⃣ Test Your Alerts

  1. Manually run the script: /usr/local/bin/restart_service.sh
  2. You should receive both a Telegram message and an SMS alert! 📲

🚀 Your Raspberry Pi Now Has:

Real-time alerts in Telegram & SMS
Automated service restarts
IP banning for security threats

Would you like to log all alerts into a file for tracking? 📜

📜 Log All Alerts for Tracking

Now, let’s make sure every alert (CPU spikes, service restarts, IP bans, etc.) is logged into a file so you can review past alerts.


1️⃣ Create a Log File for Alerts

We’ll use /var/log/alert_log.log to store alerts.

Run:

sudo touch /var/log/alert_log.log
sudo chmod 666 /var/log/alert_log.log

✅ This creates the log file and allows any script to write to it.


2️⃣ Modify the Restart Script to Log Alerts

Run:

sudo nano /usr/local/bin/restart_service.sh

Update it:

#!/bin/bash

CPU_USAGE=$(top -bn1 | grep "Cpu(s)" | awk '{print $2 + $4}')
THRESHOLD=85.0
LOG_FILE="/var/log/alert_log.log"

if (( $(echo "$CPU_USAGE > $THRESHOLD" | bc -l) )); then
    TIMESTAMP=$(date "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
    echo "$TIMESTAMP - 🚨 High CPU detected: $CPU_USAGE%" | tee -a $LOG_FILE
    sudo systemctl restart your-service-name
    echo "$TIMESTAMP - 🔄 Restarted your-service-name" | tee -a $LOG_FILE

    # Send Telegram Alert
    /usr/local/bin/telegram_alert.sh
    echo "$TIMESTAMP - 📩 Telegram alert sent" | tee -a $LOG_FILE

    # Send SMS Alert
    python3 /usr/local/bin/sms_alert.py
    echo "$TIMESTAMP - 📲 SMS alert sent" | tee -a $LOG_FILE
fi

✅ This logs every action taken (CPU spike, service restart, alerts sent).

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).


3️⃣ Modify IP Ban Script to Log Banned IPs

If you want to track banned IPs, update Fail2Ban logging.

Run:

sudo nano /etc/fail2ban/action.d/log_ban.conf

Paste this:

[Definition]
actionstart =
actionstop =
actioncheck =
actionban = echo "$(date "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S") - 🚫 IP Banned: <ip>" >> /var/log/alert_log.log
actionunban = echo "$(date "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S") - ✅ IP Unbanned: <ip>" >> /var/log/alert_log.log

Save & restart Fail2Ban:

sudo systemctl restart fail2ban

✅ Now, banned/unbanned IPs will be logged.


4️⃣ View & Monitor Logs

To see logs in real time, run:

tail -f /var/log/alert_log.log

This will show updates as they happen.

🚀 Now every alert is logged! Would you like logs to be emailed to you daily? 📧

📧 Daily Email Reports for Alerts

Now, let’s set up automatic daily email reports so you get a summary of all alerts, service restarts, and banned IPs every day.


1️⃣ Install Mail Utilities on Raspberry Pi

Run:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install postfix mailutils -y

During setup, select “Internet Site” and set your system mail name (usually your Pi’s hostname).


2️⃣ Create a Script to Send the Email

Run:

sudo nano /usr/local/bin/send_alert_email.sh

Paste this:

#!/bin/bash

LOG_FILE="/var/log/alert_log.log"
EMAIL="your-email@example.com"
SUBJECT="🚨 Daily Alert Report from Raspberry Pi"

# Get log summary
LOG_SUMMARY=$(tail -n 50 $LOG_FILE)

# Send email
echo -e "Hello,\n\nHere is your daily alert report:\n\n$LOG_SUMMARY\n\n- Raspberry Pi Alert System" | mail -s "$SUBJECT" $EMAIL

Replace your-email@example.com with your actual email.

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).

Make it executable:

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/send_alert_email.sh


3️⃣ Automate Daily Email Using Cron

Run:

crontab -e

At the bottom, add:

0 8 * * * /usr/local/bin/send_alert_email.sh

✅ This will send the email every day at 8 AM. Change the time as needed.


4️⃣ Test the Email Setup

Run manually:

/usr/local/bin/send_alert_email.sh

Check your email! 📩


🚀 Now, you’ll receive a daily report of all alerts, restarts, and security events!

Would you like the report to include system stats like CPU, RAM, and disk usage? 📊

📊 Add System Stats to Daily Email Reports

Now, we’ll enhance your daily email to include CPU, RAM, and disk usage, so you get a complete system health report.


1️⃣ Update the Email Script to Include System Stats

Run:

sudo nano /usr/local/bin/send_alert_email.sh

Replace the previous script with this:

#!/bin/bash

LOG_FILE="/var/log/alert_log.log"
EMAIL="your-email@example.com"
SUBJECT="🚨 Daily Alert & System Report from Raspberry Pi"

# Get system stats
HOSTNAME=$(hostname)
TIMESTAMP=$(date "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
UPTIME=$(uptime -p)
CPU_USAGE=$(top -bn1 | grep "Cpu(s)" | awk '{print $2 + $4}')
MEMORY_USAGE=$(free -m | awk 'NR==2{printf "%.2f%% (Used: %sMB / Total: %sMB)", $3*100/$2, $3, $2}')
DISK_USAGE=$(df -h / | awk 'NR==2{print $5 " (Used: " $3 " / Total: " $2 ")"}')
LOG_SUMMARY=$(tail -n 50 $LOG_FILE)

# Email body
EMAIL_BODY="Hello,\n\nHere is your daily alert & system report:\n
📅 Date: $TIMESTAMP  
🖥️ Hostname: $HOSTNAME  
⏳ Uptime: $UPTIME  

🔹 **System Stats:**  
🔥 CPU Usage: $CPU_USAGE%  
💾 Memory Usage: $MEMORY_USAGE  
📀 Disk Usage: $DISK_USAGE  

🔹 **Recent Alerts & Events:**  
$LOG_SUMMARY  

- Raspberry Pi Alert System"

# Send email
echo -e "$EMAIL_BODY" | mail -s "$SUBJECT" $EMAIL

✅ This adds CPU, RAM, and disk usage to the email.

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).


2️⃣ Test the New Report

Run:

/usr/local/bin/send_alert_email.sh

Check your email! 📩 It should now include system stats along with alerts.


3️⃣ Ensure the Daily Email is Scheduled

If you haven’t already set up a cron job, run:

crontab -e

Add this line at the bottom:

0 8 * * * /usr/local/bin/send_alert_email.sh

✅ This automates the report every day at 8 AM.


🚀 Now, you’ll get a daily system health and alert report!
Would you like me to include network status (IP, speed test, etc.) in the report too? 🌐📡

🌐 Add Network Status to Daily Email Reports

Now, we’ll enhance your daily email to include:
Current IP Address (Public & Local)
Wi-Fi or Ethernet Connection Status
Internet Speed Test (Download & Upload speeds)


1️⃣ Install Speedtest Tool

Run:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install speedtest-cli -y

✅ This installs a command-line tool to check your internet speed.


2️⃣ Update the Email Script to Include Network Info

Run:

sudo nano /usr/local/bin/send_alert_email.sh

Replace the script with this:

#!/bin/bash

LOG_FILE="/var/log/alert_log.log"
EMAIL="your-email@example.com"
SUBJECT="🚨 Daily Alert & System Report from Raspberry Pi"

# Get system stats
HOSTNAME=$(hostname)
TIMESTAMP=$(date "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
UPTIME=$(uptime -p)
CPU_USAGE=$(top -bn1 | grep "Cpu(s)" | awk '{print $2 + $4}')
MEMORY_USAGE=$(free -m | awk 'NR==2{printf "%.2f%% (Used: %sMB / Total: %sMB)", $3*100/$2, $3, $2}')
DISK_USAGE=$(df -h / | awk 'NR==2{print $5 " (Used: " $3 " / Total: " $2 ")"}')

# Get network info
LOCAL_IP=$(hostname -I | awk '{print $1}')
PUBLIC_IP=$(curl -s https://api64.ipify.org)
CONNECTION_TYPE=$(ip route get 8.8.8.8 | grep -o "dev .*" | awk '{print $2}')
SPEEDTEST_RESULT=$(speedtest-cli --simple)

# Get latest log summary
LOG_SUMMARY=$(tail -n 50 $LOG_FILE)

# Email body
EMAIL_BODY="Hello,\n\nHere is your daily alert & system report:\n
📅 Date: $TIMESTAMP  
🖥️ Hostname: $HOSTNAME  
⏳ Uptime: $UPTIME  

🔹 **System Stats:**  
🔥 CPU Usage: $CPU_USAGE%  
💾 Memory Usage: $MEMORY_USAGE  
📀 Disk Usage: $DISK_USAGE  

🔹 **Network Status:**  
🌐 Local IP: $LOCAL_IP  
🌍 Public IP: $PUBLIC_IP  
🔗 Connection Type: $CONNECTION_TYPE  

📶 **Internet Speed Test:**  
$SPEEDTEST_RESULT  

🔹 **Recent Alerts & Events:**  
$LOG_SUMMARY  

- Raspberry Pi Alert System"

# Send email
echo -e "$EMAIL_BODY" | mail -s "$SUBJECT" $EMAIL

Replace your-email@example.com with your actual email.

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).


3️⃣ Test the New Report

Run:

/usr/local/bin/send_alert_email.sh

Check your email—it should now include network details & speed test results.


4️⃣ Ensure the Daily Email is Scheduled

If you haven’t already set up a cron job, run:

crontab -e

Add this line at the bottom:

0 8 * * * /usr/local/bin/send_alert_email.sh

✅ This automates the report every day at 8 AM.


🚀 Now, you’ll get a full system health + network report daily!
Would you like to include disk space alerts if storage gets low? 📀🔴

📀 Add Disk Space Alerts to Daily Email Reports

Now, we’ll add disk space alerts to your daily report. If your storage drops below 10% free space, the email will include a ⚠️ warning.


1️⃣ Update the Email Script to Check Disk Space

Run:

sudo nano /usr/local/bin/send_alert_email.sh

Replace the script with this:

#!/bin/bash

LOG_FILE="/var/log/alert_log.log"
EMAIL="your-email@example.com"
SUBJECT="🚨 Daily Alert & System Report from Raspberry Pi"

# Get system stats
HOSTNAME=$(hostname)
TIMESTAMP=$(date "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
UPTIME=$(uptime -p)
CPU_USAGE=$(top -bn1 | grep "Cpu(s)" | awk '{print $2 + $4}')
MEMORY_USAGE=$(free -m | awk 'NR==2{printf "%.2f%% (Used: %sMB / Total: %sMB)", $3*100/$2, $3, $2}')
DISK_USAGE=$(df -h / | awk 'NR==2{print $5 " (Used: " $3 " / Total: " $2 ")"}')

# Check disk space percentage
DISK_PERCENT=$(df -h / | awk 'NR==2 {print $5}' | sed 's/%//')
DISK_ALERT=""
if [ "$DISK_PERCENT" -gt 90 ]; then
    DISK_ALERT="⚠️ Warning: Low Disk Space! Only $((100 - DISK_PERCENT))% free."
fi

# Get network info
LOCAL_IP=$(hostname -I | awk '{print $1}')
PUBLIC_IP=$(curl -s https://api64.ipify.org)
CONNECTION_TYPE=$(ip route get 8.8.8.8 | grep -o "dev .*" | awk '{print $2}')
SPEEDTEST_RESULT=$(speedtest-cli --simple)

# Get latest log summary
LOG_SUMMARY=$(tail -n 50 $LOG_FILE)

# Email body
EMAIL_BODY="Hello,\n\nHere is your daily alert & system report:\n
📅 Date: $TIMESTAMP  
🖥️ Hostname: $HOSTNAME  
⏳ Uptime: $UPTIME  

🔹 **System Stats:**  
🔥 CPU Usage: $CPU_USAGE%  
💾 Memory Usage: $MEMORY_USAGE  
📀 Disk Usage: $DISK_USAGE  
$DISK_ALERT  

🔹 **Network Status:**  
🌐 Local IP: $LOCAL_IP  
🌍 Public IP: $PUBLIC_IP  
🔗 Connection Type: $CONNECTION_TYPE  

📶 **Internet Speed Test:**  
$SPEEDTEST_RESULT  

🔹 **Recent Alerts & Events:**  
$LOG_SUMMARY  

- Raspberry Pi Alert System"

# Send email
echo -e "$EMAIL_BODY" | mail -s "$SUBJECT" $EMAIL

Replace your-email@example.com with your actual email.

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).


2️⃣ Test the New Report

Run:

/usr/local/bin/send_alert_email.sh

Check your email—you should now see a disk space warning if your storage is low.


3️⃣ Ensure the Daily Email is Scheduled

If you haven’t already set up a cron job, run:

crontab -e

Add this line at the bottom:

0 8 * * * /usr/local/bin/send_alert_email.sh

✅ This automates the report every day at 8 AM.


🚀 Now, your daily email includes disk space alerts!
Would you like to add temperature monitoring for your Raspberry Pi’s CPU? 🌡️🔥

🌡️ Add Raspberry Pi CPU Temperature Monitoring

Now, we’ll add CPU temperature monitoring to your daily report. If the temperature goes above 70°C, the email will include a ⚠️ high-temperature warning.


1️⃣ Update the Email Script to Include CPU Temperature

Run:

sudo nano /usr/local/bin/send_alert_email.sh

Replace the script with this:

#!/bin/bash

LOG_FILE="/var/log/alert_log.log"
EMAIL="your-email@example.com"
SUBJECT="🚨 Daily Alert & System Report from Raspberry Pi"

# Get system stats
HOSTNAME=$(hostname)
TIMESTAMP=$(date "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
UPTIME=$(uptime -p)
CPU_USAGE=$(top -bn1 | grep "Cpu(s)" | awk '{print $2 + $4}')
MEMORY_USAGE=$(free -m | awk 'NR==2{printf "%.2f%% (Used: %sMB / Total: %sMB)", $3*100/$2, $3, $2}')
DISK_USAGE=$(df -h / | awk 'NR==2{print $5 " (Used: " $3 " / Total: " $2 ")"}')

# Check disk space percentage
DISK_PERCENT=$(df -h / | awk 'NR==2 {print $5}' | sed 's/%//')
DISK_ALERT=""
if [ "$DISK_PERCENT" -gt 90 ]; then
    DISK_ALERT="⚠️ Warning: Low Disk Space! Only $((100 - DISK_PERCENT))% free."
fi

# Get CPU temperature
CPU_TEMP_RAW=$(cat /sys/class/thermal/thermal_zone0/temp)
CPU_TEMP_C=$((CPU_TEMP_RAW / 1000))
CPU_TEMP_ALERT=""
if [ "$CPU_TEMP_C" -gt 70 ]; then
    CPU_TEMP_ALERT="🔥 Warning: High CPU Temperature! $CPU_TEMP_C°C"
fi

# Get network info
LOCAL_IP=$(hostname -I | awk '{print $1}')
PUBLIC_IP=$(curl -s https://api64.ipify.org)
CONNECTION_TYPE=$(ip route get 8.8.8.8 | grep -o "dev .*" | awk '{print $2}')
SPEEDTEST_RESULT=$(speedtest-cli --simple)

# Get latest log summary
LOG_SUMMARY=$(tail -n 50 $LOG_FILE)

# Email body
EMAIL_BODY="Hello,\n\nHere is your daily alert & system report:\n
📅 Date: $TIMESTAMP  
🖥️ Hostname: $HOSTNAME  
⏳ Uptime: $UPTIME  

🔹 **System Stats:**  
🔥 CPU Usage: $CPU_USAGE%  
🌡️ CPU Temperature: $CPU_TEMP_C°C  
$CPU_TEMP_ALERT  
💾 Memory Usage: $MEMORY_USAGE  
📀 Disk Usage: $DISK_USAGE  
$DISK_ALERT  

🔹 **Network Status:**  
🌐 Local IP: $LOCAL_IP  
🌍 Public IP: $PUBLIC_IP  
🔗 Connection Type: $CONNECTION_TYPE  

📶 **Internet Speed Test:**  
$SPEEDTEST_RESULT  

🔹 **Recent Alerts & Events:**  
$LOG_SUMMARY  

- Raspberry Pi Alert System"

# Send email
echo -e "$EMAIL_BODY" | mail -s "$SUBJECT" $EMAIL

Replace your-email@example.com with your actual email.

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).


2️⃣ Test the New Report

Run:

/usr/local/bin/send_alert_email.sh

Check your email—you should now see a CPU temperature reading, and if it’s high, a warning message.


3️⃣ Ensure the Daily Email is Scheduled

If you haven’t already set up a cron job, run:

crontab -e

Add this line at the bottom:

0 8 * * * /usr/local/bin/send_alert_email.sh

✅ This automates the report every day at 8 AM.


🚀 Now, your daily report includes CPU temperature alerts!
Would you like to add automatic shutdown or throttling if the CPU temperature gets dangerously high? 🔥🛑

🛑 Automatically Throttle or Shutdown Raspberry Pi If CPU Overheats

If your Raspberry Pi’s CPU temperature goes above 80°C, it will automatically throttle performance.
If it reaches 85°C, the system will shut down to prevent damage.


1️⃣ Create a Temperature Monitoring Script

Run:

sudo nano /usr/local/bin/temp_monitor.sh

Paste this code:

#!/bin/bash

LOG_FILE="/var/log/temperature_log.log"
MAX_TEMP=85  # Shutdown threshold
THROTTLE_TEMP=80  # Throttle warning threshold

while true; do
    # Get CPU temperature
    CPU_TEMP_RAW=$(cat /sys/class/thermal/thermal_zone0/temp)
    CPU_TEMP=$((CPU_TEMP_RAW / 1000))

    # Log temperature
    TIMESTAMP=$(date "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
    echo "$TIMESTAMP - CPU Temp: $CPU_TEMP°C" >> $LOG_FILE

    # Check for throttling
    if [ "$CPU_TEMP" -ge "$THROTTLE_TEMP" ] && [ "$CPU_TEMP" -lt "$MAX_TEMP" ]; then
        echo "$TIMESTAMP - ⚠️ Warning: CPU is overheating ($CPU_TEMP°C). Consider reducing load!" | mail -s "⚠️ Raspberry Pi High Temperature Alert" your-email@example.com
    fi

    # Check for shutdown condition
    if [ "$CPU_TEMP" -ge "$MAX_TEMP" ]; then
        echo "$TIMESTAMP - 🚨 Critical: CPU temperature reached $CPU_TEMP°C! Shutting down..." | mail -s "🚨 Raspberry Pi Overheat Shutdown" your-email@example.com
        sudo shutdown -h now
    fi

    sleep 60  # Check every minute
done

Replace your-email@example.com with your actual email.

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).


2️⃣ Make the Script Executable

Run:

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/temp_monitor.sh


3️⃣ Run the Script at Startup

Run:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/temp_monitor.service

Paste this:

[Unit]
Description=Raspberry Pi Temperature Monitor
After=network.target

[Service]
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/temp_monitor.sh
Restart=always
User=root

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).


4️⃣ Enable and Start the Service

Run:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable temp_monitor.service
sudo systemctl start temp_monitor.service

✅ The script will now run automatically at startup and check the temperature every minute.


🚀 Now, Your Raspberry Pi is Protected from Overheating!

If the CPU temperature exceeds 80°C, you’ll get a warning email.
If it reaches 85°C, the Pi will shut down automatically.

Would you like to also log all temperature data for later analysis? 📊

📊 Log All Raspberry Pi CPU Temperature Data for Analysis

Now, we’ll store all temperature data in a CSV file so you can analyze trends over time.


1️⃣ Modify the Temperature Monitoring Script

Run:

sudo nano /usr/local/bin/temp_monitor.sh

Replace the script with this updated version:

#!/bin/bash

LOG_FILE="/var/log/temperature_log.log"
CSV_FILE="/var/log/cpu_temp_data.csv"
MAX_TEMP=85  # Shutdown threshold
THROTTLE_TEMP=80  # Throttle warning threshold

# Create CSV file with headers if it doesn't exist
if [ ! -f "$CSV_FILE" ]; then
    echo "Timestamp,CPU_Temperature_C" > "$CSV_FILE"
fi

while true; do
    # Get CPU temperature
    CPU_TEMP_RAW=$(cat /sys/class/thermal/thermal_zone0/temp)
    CPU_TEMP=$((CPU_TEMP_RAW / 1000))
    
    # Get current timestamp
    TIMESTAMP=$(date "+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")

    # Log to CSV
    echo "$TIMESTAMP,$CPU_TEMP" >> "$CSV_FILE"

    # Log to text file
    echo "$TIMESTAMP - CPU Temp: $CPU_TEMP°C" >> "$LOG_FILE"

    # Check for overheating
    if [ "$CPU_TEMP" -ge "$THROTTLE_TEMP" ] && [ "$CPU_TEMP" -lt "$MAX_TEMP" ]; then
        echo "$TIMESTAMP - ⚠️ Warning: CPU is overheating ($CPU_TEMP°C). Consider reducing load!" | mail -s "⚠️ Raspberry Pi High Temperature Alert" your-email@example.com
    fi

    # Check for shutdown condition
    if [ "$CPU_TEMP" -ge "$MAX_TEMP" ]; then
        echo "$TIMESTAMP - 🚨 Critical: CPU temperature reached $CPU_TEMP°C! Shutting down..." | mail -s "🚨 Raspberry Pi Overheat Shutdown" your-email@example.com
        sudo shutdown -h now
    fi

    sleep 60  # Check every minute
done

This logs CPU temperature to:

  • CSV file (/var/log/cpu_temp_data.csv) – For analysis in Excel or Python
  • Log file (/var/log/temperature_log.log) – For quick checking
  • Email Alerts if the temperature exceeds 80°C or 85°C

2️⃣ Make the Script Executable

Run:

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/temp_monitor.sh


3️⃣ Restart the Service

Run:

sudo systemctl restart temp_monitor.service

✅ The script will now log temperature every minute and keep a history.


4️⃣ View Your Logged Temperature Data

To see the last 10 entries:

tail -n 10 /var/log/cpu_temp_data.csv

To open the CSV file in Excel, Google Sheets, or Python, copy it to your computer:

scp pi@your-pi-ip:/var/log/cpu_temp_data.csv .


🚀 Your Raspberry Pi Now Logs and Alerts for Overheating!

Would you like a graph to visualize the temperature history? 📈

📈 Graph Raspberry Pi CPU Temperature History

Now, let’s create a Python script to generate a temperature graph from the logged data.


1️⃣ Install Required Libraries

Run:

pip install pandas matplotlib


2️⃣ Create the Python Script

Run:

nano ~/plot_temp.py

Paste this code:

import pandas as pd
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

# File path of the temperature log
CSV_FILE = "/var/log/cpu_temp_data.csv"

# Read the CSV file
df = pd.read_csv(CSV_FILE, parse_dates=["Timestamp"])

# Plot the data
plt.figure(figsize=(10, 5))
plt.plot(df["Timestamp"], df["CPU_Temperature_C"], label="CPU Temp (°C)", color="red", linewidth=2)
plt.axhline(y=80, color="orange", linestyle="--", label="Throttle Temp (80°C)")
plt.axhline(y=85, color="red", linestyle="--", label="Shutdown Temp (85°C)")

# Formatting
plt.xlabel("Time")
plt.ylabel("CPU Temperature (°C)")
plt.title("Raspberry Pi CPU Temperature Over Time")
plt.legend()
plt.xticks(rotation=45)
plt.grid(True)

# Show the plot
plt.show()

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).


3️⃣ Run the Graph Script

Run:

python3 ~/plot_temp.py

You’ll see a graph of your CPU temperature over time!


🚀 Your Raspberry Pi Now Logs, Alerts & Graphs Temperature Trends!

Would you like to automate this graph generation and save it as an image for easy access? 🖼️

📊 Automate CPU Temperature Graph Generation & Save as Image

Now, we’ll modify the script to automatically generate and save the graph every hour.


1️⃣ Update the Python Script

Run:

nano ~/plot_temp.py

Replace with:

import pandas as pd
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from datetime import datetime

# File path of the temperature log
CSV_FILE = "/var/log/cpu_temp_data.csv"
OUTPUT_IMAGE = f"/var/log/cpu_temp_graph_{datetime.now().strftime('%Y-%m-%d_%H-%M-%S')}.png"

# Read the CSV file
df = pd.read_csv(CSV_FILE, parse_dates=["Timestamp"])

# Plot the data
plt.figure(figsize=(10, 5))
plt.plot(df["Timestamp"], df["CPU_Temperature_C"], label="CPU Temp (°C)", color="red", linewidth=2)
plt.axhline(y=80, color="orange", linestyle="--", label="Throttle Temp (80°C)")
plt.axhline(y=85, color="red", linestyle="--", label="Shutdown Temp (85°C)")

# Formatting
plt.xlabel("Time")
plt.ylabel("CPU Temperature (°C)")
plt.title("Raspberry Pi CPU Temperature Over Time")
plt.legend()
plt.xticks(rotation=45)
plt.grid(True)

# Save the graph as an image
plt.savefig(OUTPUT_IMAGE, bbox_inches="tight")
plt.close()

print(f"✅ Graph saved as {OUTPUT_IMAGE}")

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).


2️⃣ Automate Graph Generation with Cron Job

Run:

crontab -e

At the bottom, add this line:

0 * * * * /usr/bin/python3 /home/pi/plot_temp.py

This will generate and save the graph every hour.


3️⃣ View the Latest Graph

To check the latest saved graph:

ls -lt /var/log/cpu_temp_graph_*.png | head -n 1

To open it on your Raspberry Pi:

xdg-open $(ls -t /var/log/cpu_temp_graph_*.png | head -n 1)


🚀 Now, Your Raspberry Pi Automatically Logs, Alerts & Saves Temperature Graphs!

Would you like to send the graph via email or access it from a web interface? 📧🌍

📧 Send the Temperature Graph via Email & Access via Web Interface

Now, we’ll automate email notifications with the latest graph and serve it via a simple web page.


1️⃣ Install Required Packages

Run:

pip install yagmail flask

  • yagmail → For sending emails
  • Flask → For hosting the web interface

2️⃣ Set Up Email Alerts

Run:

nano ~/send_graph_email.py

Paste this code:

import yagmail
import glob
import os

# Email Configuration
EMAIL_USER = "your-email@gmail.com"  # Use your Gmail
EMAIL_PASS = "your-app-password"  # Generate an app password in Gmail settings
EMAIL_TO = "recipient-email@example.com"

# Find the latest graph image
latest_graph = max(glob.glob("/var/log/cpu_temp_graph_*.png"), key=os.path.getctime)

# Email setup
yag = yagmail.SMTP(EMAIL_USER, EMAIL_PASS)

# Send email with the latest graph
yag.send(
    to=EMAIL_TO,
    subject="📊 Raspberry Pi CPU Temperature Report",
    contents="Here is the latest CPU temperature graph.",
    attachments=latest_graph,
)

print(f"✅ Email sent with attachment: {latest_graph}")

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).


3️⃣ Automate Email Sending

Run:

crontab -e

Add this line to send an email every morning at 8 AM:

0 8 * * * /usr/bin/python3 /home/pi/send_graph_email.py

Your Pi will now email the latest temperature graph daily!


4️⃣ Create a Simple Web Interface

Run:

nano ~/web_server.py

Paste this code:

from flask import Flask, send_file
import glob
import os

app = Flask(__name__)

@app.route("/")
def serve_latest_graph():
    # Find the latest graph image
    latest_graph = max(glob.glob("/var/log/cpu_temp_graph_*.png"), key=os.path.getctime)
    return send_file(latest_graph, mimetype="image/png")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    app.run(host="0.0.0.0", port=5000)

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).


5️⃣ Start the Web Server on Boot

Run:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/web_server.service

Paste this:

[Unit]
Description=Raspberry Pi CPU Temp Web Server
After=network.target

[Service]
ExecStart=/usr/bin/python3 /home/pi/web_server.py
Restart=always
User=pi

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Save & exit.

Then run:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable web_server
sudo systemctl start web_server

Your Raspberry Pi is now hosting the latest CPU temperature graph at:
📌 http://your-pi-ip:5000


🚀 Now You Can Receive & View Your Pi’s Temperature Graphs Anytime!

Would you like to add mobile notifications (Telegram or Pushbullet) for real-time alerts? 📲

📲 Get Real-Time Mobile Notifications for High CPU Temperature

Now, let’s set up Telegram or Pushbullet to receive instant alerts when your Raspberry Pi CPU temperature gets too high.


1️⃣ Choose Your Notification Method

You can use Telegram (recommended) or Pushbullet:

  • Telegram → Free, secure, and works on all devices.
  • Pushbullet → Easier setup but limits free messages.

I’ll walk you through Telegram first—let me know if you prefer Pushbullet instead.


2️⃣ Set Up a Telegram Bot

🔹 Create a Telegram Bot

  1. Open Telegram and search for BotFather.
  2. Type /newbot and follow the prompts:
    • Choose a name (e.g., “RaspberryPiMonitor”).
    • Choose a username (must end in bot, e.g., “RPiTempBot”).
  3. Copy the API token that BotFather gives you.

🔹 Get Your Chat ID

  1. Open Telegram and search for @userinfobot.
  2. Type /start and note your Chat ID (a number like 123456789).

3️⃣ Install Telegram Library on Raspberry Pi

Run:

pip install python-telegram-bot


4️⃣ Add Telegram Alerts to Your Script

Run:

nano ~/cpu_temp_alert.py

Paste this code:

import os
import requests

# Telegram Bot API Token (from BotFather)
TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN = "your_bot_token_here"

# Your Telegram Chat ID
TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID = "your_chat_id_here"

# Read CPU temperature
def get_cpu_temperature():
    temp_output = os.popen("vcgencmd measure_temp").readline()
    return float(temp_output.replace("temp=", "").replace("'C\n", ""))

# Send Telegram Alert
def send_telegram_alert(temp):
    message = f"⚠️ *Raspberry Pi Overheating!*\n\nCPU Temperature: {temp}°C"
    url = f"https://api.telegram.org/bot{TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN}/sendMessage"
    data = {"chat_id": TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID, "text": message, "parse_mode": "Markdown"}
    requests.post(url, data=data)

# Check CPU Temp and Alert if Over 80°C
cpu_temp = get_cpu_temperature()
if cpu_temp > 80:
    send_telegram_alert(cpu_temp)

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).


5️⃣ Automate Alerts with Cron

Run:

crontab -e

Add this line to check the temperature every 5 minutes:

*/5 * * * * /usr/bin/python3 /home/pi/cpu_temp_alert.py

Now, you’ll get a Telegram alert if your Raspberry Pi overheats!


🚀 Your Raspberry Pi Now Logs, Graphs, and Sends Alerts!

Would you also like Pushbullet alerts as an alternative? 📱

📲 Set Up Pushbullet for CPU Temperature Alerts

Pushbullet is another great way to receive real-time notifications when your Raspberry Pi overheats.


1️⃣ Set Up Pushbullet

🔹 Get a Pushbullet API Key

  1. Go to Pushbullet.com and sign in.
  2. Click on your profile picture → Settings.
  3. Go to Access Tokens and click Create Access Token.
  4. Copy the token (you’ll need it in the next step).

2️⃣ Install Pushbullet Python Library

Run:

pip install pushbullet.py


3️⃣ Create the Pushbullet Alert Script

Run:

nano ~/cpu_temp_alert_pushbullet.py

Paste this code:

import os
from pushbullet import Pushbullet

# Pushbullet API Token (replace with your actual token)
PUSHBULLET_API_KEY = "your_pushbullet_token_here"

# Read CPU temperature
def get_cpu_temperature():
    temp_output = os.popen("vcgencmd measure_temp").readline()
    return float(temp_output.replace("temp=", "").replace("'C\n", ""))

# Send Pushbullet Alert
def send_pushbullet_alert(temp):
    pb = Pushbullet(PUSHBULLET_API_KEY)
    title = "⚠️ Raspberry Pi Overheating!"
    message = f"CPU Temperature: {temp}°C - Check your system!"
    pb.push_note(title, message)

# Check CPU Temp and Alert if Over 80°C
cpu_temp = get_cpu_temperature()
if cpu_temp > 80:
    send_pushbullet_alert(cpu_temp)

Save & exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).


4️⃣ Automate Alerts with Cron

Run:

crontab -e

Add this line to check the temperature every 5 minutes:

*/5 * * * * /usr/bin/python3 /home/pi/cpu_temp_alert_pushbullet.py

Now, you’ll get Pushbullet notifications when your Raspberry Pi overheats!


🚀 Your Pi Now Supports Telegram & Pushbullet Alerts!

Would you like to customize alert thresholds or send alerts to multiple devices? 📱🔥

How to backup an image of the Raspberry Pi SD (from Gemini)

Creating an image of your Raspberry Pi’s SD card is essential for backups, cloning, or restoring your system. Here’s how you can do it, depending on your operating system:

1. On Linux:

  • Using dd (Disk Dump):
    • This is a powerful command-line tool for copying disk images.
    • Identify the SD card:
      • Use lsblk or sudo fdisk -l to list your connected drives. Identify the SD card’s device name (e.g., /dev/sdb, /dev/mmcblk0). Be very careful to select the correct device, as dd can overwrite data.
    • Create the image:
      • sudo dd bs=4M if=/dev/sdX of=rpi-image.img status=progress
        • Replace /dev/sdX with your SD card’s device name.
        • rpi-image.img is the name of the image file.
        • bs=4M sets the block size to 4MB for faster copying.
        • status=progress shows the copy progress.
    • Compress the image (optional):
      • gzip rpi-image.img
        • This will create a compressed image file (rpi-image.img.gz), which is smaller and easier to store.

2. On macOS:

  • Using dd (similar to Linux):
    • Identify the SD card:
      • Use diskutil list in the Terminal to find the SD card’s device identifier (e.g., /dev/disk2).
    • Unmount the SD card:
      • diskutil unmountDisk /dev/disk2 (replace /dev/disk2 with your SD card’s identifier).
    • Create the image:
      • sudo dd bs=4m if=/dev/rdisk2 of=rpi-image.img
        • Note the use of /dev/rdisk2 (raw disk) for faster copying.
    • Compress the image (optional):
      • gzip rpi-image.img

3. On Windows:

  • Using Raspberry Pi Imager:
    • The Raspberry Pi Imager is a user-friendly tool that can create images and restore them.1
    • Download and install the Raspberry Pi Imager from the official Raspberry Pi website.2
    • Insert your SD card into your computer.
    • Open the Raspberry Pi Imager.
    • Click “Choose Storage” and select your SD card.
    • Click the gear icon in the lower right corner, and select “Save image to file”.
    • Choose a location and filename for the image.
    • Click “Write” to create the image.
  • Using Win32 Disk Imager:
    • Win32 Disk Imager is another popular tool for creating and restoring disk images.3
    • Download and install Win32 Disk Imager.
    • Insert your SD card into your computer.
    • Open Win32 Disk Imager.
    • Select your SD card’s drive letter.
    • Choose a location and filename for the image.
    • Click “Read” to create the image.

Important Notes:

  • SD Card Size: The image file will be the same size as your SD card, regardless of the amount of data it contains.
  • Backup Data: Before creating an image, ensure you have backed up any important data on the SD card.
  • Verification: After creating the image, you can verify it by comparing its checksum with the original SD card.
  • Restoring the Image: You can use the same tools (Raspberry Pi Imager, Win32 Disk Imager, or dd) to restore the image to another SD card.
  • Power Down: Always properly power down your raspberry pi before removing the SD card.
  • Unmount: Always unmount the SD card before removing it from a computer.

How Did I Get Here?

I am chronicling a thread of my life to improve my self-knowledge and improve my memory. This has a lot to do with computers.

Public school came easy for me and I failed to develop good study habits. I was good in math and science and enrolled in the School of Engineering at The Ohio State University. I scraped through Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industral Engineering before finishing in Computer Science.

In the late 1970’s, I finally found my passion – personal computing. I learned to progam in Basic on a DEC PDP11 at Tulsa Junior College. I learned how to use the Time Sharing Option (TSO) at Cities Service Oil Company. I got an Atari 800 and I could play games and write Basic programs at home. I was a single father and treasured early Saturday and Sunday mornings when it was just me and my Atari.

I used TSO far more than the stated restrictions and soon became the local expert. With no special privileges, I triggered a bug that deleted the VSAM master catalog that took down the IBM mainframe computer. This affected hundreds of active Cities Service workers and got me a visit to Systems Engineering to explain what I was doing when the system went down. It also got me a new job as Timesharing Coordinator. That started my journey through many versions of operating system software.

To be continued…

Cool Things I’m Doing with Alexa

  1. Voice update of shopping list
  2. “Alexa, good morning” to start my lights-on routine early
  3. “Alexa, good night” to start my lights-off routine early
  4. “Alexa, goodbye” to turn off the lights and start robovac
  5. “Alexa, hello” to turn on the lights and send robovac home
  6. Announce when washer or dryer is done
  7. Turn on humidifier when humidity is low
  8. Turn on diffuser as part of “good morning”
  9. Turn off diffuser after two hours
  10. Announce when the garage door opens
  11. Set lights to low, medium or maximum brightness
  12. Turn yard light on at sunset and off at sunrise
  13. Announce “hello” at sunset and sunrise
  14. My garage door closes after two hours

Migrate Windows 11 to NVME

Let’s walk through migrating your Windows 11 hard drive to a new NVMe drive! I’ll break it down step-by-step.


What you’ll need:

  • Your new NVMe drive installed in your PC (or an external NVMe enclosure).
  • Cloning software (free options: Macrium Reflect, AOMEI Backupper, or EaseUS Todo Backup).
  • A backup of important data (just in case).

⚙️ Step 1: Install the NVMe drive

  • If your motherboard has an M.2 NVMe slot, install the drive.
  • If not, you can use an external NVMe enclosure connected via USB.

🧵 Step 2: Format and initialize the new drive (if needed)

  • Open Disk Management (Windows key → type diskmgmt.msc → Enter).
  • If prompted to initialize the disk, use GPT (for Windows 11, since MBR doesn’t support Secure Boot or TPM 2.0).
    • This process does NOT format the drive — it just sets it up for use.
  • Don’t create partitions — the cloning software will handle that.

🔄 Step 3: Clone your Windows 11 drive
1️⃣ Download Macrium Reflect Free (or another cloning tool).
2️⃣ Open the software and select your current Windows 11 hard drive as the source disk.
3️⃣ Select the new NVMe drive as the destination disk.
4️⃣ Make sure to copy all partitions (including EFI, Recovery, and System partitions).
5️⃣ Start the cloning process — this might take some time.


🖥️ Step 4: Set the NVMe drive as the boot drive

  1. After cloning, reboot and enter your BIOS/UEFI (usually by pressing Del or F2 during startup).
  2. Set the NVMe drive as the first boot device.
  3. Save and exit.

🧹 Step 5: Verify and clean up

  • Boot into Windows from the NVMe drive.
  • Check that everything works properly (apps, files, Windows activation).
  • If all is good, you can format your old drive to use as extra storage.

Alternative: Fresh install option
If cloning isn’t your style, you can always do a fresh install of Windows 11 on the NVMe drive, then copy your data manually — sometimes this yields better performance and avoids issues with hidden partition mismatches.


Would you like to dive into BIOS/NVMe-specific settings for faster boot times? Let me know! 🚀

Optimizing BIOS/UEFI for your new NVMe boot drive can significantly improve performance and ensure a smooth boot process. Here’s how to do it!


⚙️ Step 1: Enter BIOS/UEFI

  • Restart your computer and repeatedly press Del, F2, or the key specific to your motherboard during boot.
  • Once inside BIOS, look for Boot, Storage, or Advanced settings (menu names may vary by motherboard).

🚀 Step 2: Optimize Boot Settings for NVMe

Set NVMe as the Primary Boot Drive

  • Navigate to the Boot Order or Boot Priority section.
  • Set your NVMe drive as the first boot device.
  • Disable the old hard drive in the boot list (if necessary).

Enable UEFI Mode

  • Windows 11 requires UEFI, not Legacy BIOS (CSM).
  • Find Boot Mode or CSM (Compatibility Support Module):
    • Set Boot Mode to UEFI (disable Legacy/CSM if you see it).
    • If you installed Windows 11 in GPT mode, UEFI must be enabled.

Enable NVMe Support (if applicable)

  • Some older motherboards require NVMe support to be manually enabled in BIOS.
  • Look for NVMe Configuration or PCIe Storage Support.
  • Ensure it is set to Enabled or Auto.

⚡ Step 3: Improve NVMe Performance

Enable PCIe 3.0 or 4.0 (if applicable)

  • Locate PCIe Configuration under Advanced settings.
  • Set PCIe mode to the highest supported version (e.g., Gen 3 or Gen 4).

Enable AHCI for SSDs (instead of RAID)

  • If your BIOS has SATA Mode, set it to AHCI instead of RAID/IDE.
  • AHCI ensures better performance for SSDs.

Enable Fast Boot (Optional)

  • Some BIOS versions offer Fast Boot, which reduces boot times.
  • Enable it, but disable it temporarily if you need to access BIOS frequently.

🔄 Step 4: Save and Reboot

  • Press F10 and select Save & Exit.
  • Your system should now boot quickly from the NVMe drive.

🔥 Extra Performance Tweaks in Windows

Once booted into Windows 11: 1️⃣ Enable Write Caching

  • Open Device Manager → Expand Disk Drives → Right-click your NVMe drive → Properties → Policies.
  • Enable Write Caching for better speed.

2️⃣ Enable TRIM for SSD Longevity

  • Open Command Prompt (Admin) and run: fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify
  • If it returns 0, TRIM is enabled. If 1, enable it with: fsutil behavior set DisableDeleteNotify 0

3️⃣ Disable Hibernation (Optional, if space is a concern)

  • Run: powercfg -h off in Command Prompt (Admin).
  • Saves several GB of space on the NVMe drive.

🎯 Final Check

✅ Boot speed improved?
✅ Windows 11 running smoothly?
✅ No old drives interfering?

You’re all set! 🚀 Let me know if you need deeper tuning! 😃

It sounds like your Windows 11 boot process is tied to the M.2 SATA drive, even though your Kingston SA400 SSD is your main C: drive. Here’s how to troubleshoot and fix it:


🔍 Step 1: Check Boot Order in BIOS

  1. Enter BIOS/UEFI
    • Restart your computer and press F2, Del, or Esc (depends on your motherboard).
  2. Go to Boot Priority/Boot Order
    • Make sure your Kingston SA400 SSD is set as the first boot device.
    • If your M.2 SATA drive is missing, the system might default to BIOS because it cannot find a valid boot drive.

🔎 Step 2: Check If Bootloader Is on the M.2 SATA Drive

Your bootloader (Windows Boot Manager) may have been installed on your M.2 SATA drive instead of your Kingston SSD.
To check:

  1. Plug the M.2 SATA drive back in and boot into Windows.
  2. Open Disk Management
    • Press Win + X → Click Disk Management.
  3. Identify the “System Reserved” or EFI Partition
    • Look at both drives.
    • If the EFI System Partition (ESP, ~100-500MB, FAT32) is on the M.2 SATA drive, Windows relies on it to boot.

🛠 Step 3: Repair Bootloader on Kingston SSD

If your bootloader is missing from your Kingston SSD, you’ll need to recreate it.

Option 1: Automatic Repair

  1. Boot from a Windows 11 USB Installer.
  2. Select Repair your computerTroubleshootStartup Repair.
  3. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Option 2: Manually Rebuild Bootloader

If automatic repair doesn’t work:

  1. Boot from a Windows 11 USB Installer.
  2. Select Repair your computerTroubleshootCommand Prompt.
  3. Run these commands: diskpart list disk select disk X (Replace X with your Kingston SSD) list partition select partition Y (Replace Y with the EFI partition, if it exists) assign letter=Z exit
  4. Now rebuild the bootloader: bcdboot C:\Windows /s Z: /f UEFI
  5. Restart the computer and remove the M.2 SATA drive.

🔄 Step 4: Try Booting Without M.2 SATA

  1. Shut down and physically remove the M.2 SATA drive.
  2. Boot into BIOS and confirm Kingston SSD is the primary boot device.
  3. Save changes and restart.

✅ Expected Result

  • If successful, your system should boot directly from Kingston SSD without the M.2 drive.
  • If it still boots to BIOS, check if your Kingston SSD is recognized in BIOS.

Let me know if this works or if you need more troubleshooting! 🚀

Ceph Storage Weight Adjusted

Yes, you can absolutely use a 256GB and two 512GB devices for Ceph storage in your Proxmox cluster — but there are a few things to consider for performance and redundancy! Let’s break this down.

Ceph doesn’t require identical drives:

  • Ceph treats each device as an OSD (Object Storage Daemon), and the cluster will balance data across them.
  • Mixed drive sizes are fine, but Ceph’s performance and usable capacity will be influenced by the smallest drive and overall distribution.

⚠️ Capacity imbalance:

  • Since Ceph tries to evenly distribute objects across all OSDs, the smaller 256GB drive will fill up faster than the two 512GB drives.
  • Once the 256GB device reaches capacity, Ceph won’t be able to place new data on it, even if the larger drives have space — this could cause cluster warnings or degraded performance.

⭐️ Workarounds:

  1. Weighting OSDs:
    • In Ceph, you can set the weight of each OSD to reflect its capacity — this helps the cluster balance data more intelligently.
    • Example: Assign a weight of 1.0 to the 512GB drives and 0.5 to the 256GB drive.
  2. Separate pools:
    • If performance or balance becomes a concern, you could create different storage pools — one for the 256GB drive and another for the 512GB drives — though this adds complexity.

Redundancy and performance:

  • Ceph replication or erasure coding will still work, but keep in mind that losing the smaller drive would affect the cluster more quickly since it’s likely to fill up first.
  • If you’re running 3-replica redundancy, the cluster will ensure data is distributed across all three nodes, even with mismatched drive sizes.

👉 Bottom line: It’ll work fine, but adjusting the OSD weights in Proxmox (via the Ceph GUI or CLI) would help avoid issues. I can walk you through setting that up if you’d like! 🚀

Let’s get your Ceph OSD weights adjusted! I’ll break this down step-by-step.


Step 1: Check current OSDs and weights

  1. Open Proxmox Web GUI.
  2. Navigate to Datacenter → Ceph → OSD.
  3. Here, you should see your three OSDs (one for each drive). Take note of their IDs.

👉 Alternatively, from the Proxmox shell:

ceph osd tree

This shows the OSDs, their weights, and which nodes they’re on.


Step 2: Set the OSD weights

The goal:

  • Set the two 512GB devices to a weight of 1.0.
  • Set the 256GB device to a weight of 0.5 (reflecting its smaller capacity).

👉 From the Proxmox shell on any node:

ceph osd crush reweight osd.<ID_of_256GB_drive> 0.5
ceph osd crush reweight osd.<ID_of_512GB_drive_1> 1.0
ceph osd crush reweight osd.<ID_of_512GB_drive_2> 1.0

✅ To confirm the changes:

ceph osd tree

You should now see the updated weights.


Step 3: Monitor Ceph health

  1. Check the Ceph health status:
ceph health

  1. Make sure there are no warnings like “near full OSD” or “backfilling issues.” Ceph should automatically rebalance the data across your drives based on the new weights.

Step 4: Automate monitoring (optional)

Since the 256GB drive could still fill up faster, you might want to set up Proxmox alerts to notify you if the drive is getting close to full.

👉 Check OSD utilization:

ceph osd df


Why this works:

  • Ceph uses the CRUSH algorithm to distribute data — weights help guide how much data each OSD should hold relative to the others.
  • By lowering the weight on the 256GB OSD, you’re telling Ceph to store less data there, preventing it from filling up before the larger drives.

🚀 Need help fine-tuning Ceph pools, redundancy, or troubleshooting warnings? Let me know how the rebalancing goes!

Proxmox Powersave at Night

Let’s create a simple automation to switch between performance and powersave modes on your Proxmox servers based on the time of day! Here’s how you can set it up:


Step 1: Install cpufrequtils

First, ensure you have cpufrequtils installed on each Proxmox node:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install cpufrequtils


Step 2: Create the scripts

Script 1: Set performance mode (for daytime)

sudo nano /usr/local/bin/cpu_performance.sh

Add this:

#!/bin/bash
bash -c 'for((i=0;i<$(nproc);i++)); do cpufreq-set -c $i -g performance; done'

Save and exit.

Script 2: Set powersave mode (for nighttime)

sudo nano /usr/local/bin/cpu_powersave.sh

Add this:

#!/bin/bash
bash -c 'for((i=0;i<$(nproc);i++)); do cpufreq-set -c $i -g powersave; done'


Step 3: Make scripts executable

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/cpu_performance.sh
sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/cpu_powersave.sh


Step 4: Add cron jobs

Edit your crontab:

sudo crontab -e

Add these lines (adjust times as needed):

0 8 * * * /usr/local/bin/cpu_performance.sh  # Set to performance at 8 AM
0 22 * * * /usr/local/bin/cpu_powersave.sh    # Set to powersave at 10 PM


Step 5: Verify

Check the CPU governor:

cat /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu*/cpufreq/scaling_governor

This setup keeps your servers snappy when you’re using them and more power-efficient overnight! Let me know if you’d like to fine-tune it further—maybe add logging or a health check? 🚀

File Server Synchronization with rsync

You can use rsync with the --delete option to synchronize two drives and remove any extra files from the target drive that aren’t on the source drive! Let’s break it down.

Basic command:

rsync -av --delete /path/to/source/ /path/to/target/

✨ Explanation:

  • -a (archive): Preserves symbolic links, file permissions, modification times, and more.
  • -v (verbose): Shows what’s happening during the sync.
  • --delete: Removes files from the target that no longer exist in the source.
    • Important: Use with care—this option deletes extra files on the target!

Dry run (recommended before running for real):

rsync -av --delete --dry-run /path/to/source/ /path/to/target/

This shows what would happen without making any changes.

Excluding files:
If you want to avoid deleting certain files on the target:

rsync -av --delete --exclude='folder_or_file_to_keep' /path/to/source/ /path/to/target/

Logging the sync:

rsync -av --delete /path/to/source/ /path/to/target/ --log-file=/path/to/rsync.log

Automating with a cron job:
Edit your crontab with crontab -e and add:

0 2 * * * rsync -a --delete /path/to/source/ /path/to/target/

This runs the sync daily at 2 AM.

Would you like to fine-tune it, like setting up email notifications if the sync fails? I can help with that too! 🚀

DHCP Failover with Pi-hole

I

Let’s get that Pi-hole DHCP reservation syncing set up! I’ll walk you through creating a sync script to keep the DHCP reservations (and any other Pi-hole configurations) identical between your Proxmox VM and Raspberry Pi 4. Here’s how we’ll do it!


Step 1: Set up SSH key-based authentication

To allow the Raspberry Pi to pull the DHCP config from the Proxmox VM without a password:

👉 On the Raspberry Pi 4, generate an SSH key (if you haven’t already):

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "pi-hole-sync"

  • Press Enter to save it to the default location (~/.ssh/id_rsa).
  • No passphrase is needed for this.

👉 Copy the key to your Proxmox Pi-hole VM:

ssh-copy-id <username>@<proxmox_vm_ip>

  • This allows the Raspberry Pi to SSH into the Proxmox VM without a password.

Step 2: Create the sync script

👉 On the Raspberry Pi, create a script (e.g., pi-hole-sync.sh):

#!/bin/bash

# Define variables
PRIMARY_PIHOLE="<proxmox_vm_ip>"
PIHOLE_CONFIG_DIR="/etc/dnsmasq.d"
LOCAL_BACKUP_DIR="/home/pi/pihole_backup"

# Create backup directory if it doesn't exist
mkdir -p $LOCAL_BACKUP_DIR

# Sync DHCP reservations and Pi-hole config files
rsync -avz --delete $PRIMARY_PIHOLE:$PIHOLE_CONFIG_DIR/ $LOCAL_BACKUP_DIR/
rsync -avz --delete $LOCAL_BACKUP_DIR/ $PIHOLE_CONFIG_DIR/

# Restart Pi-hole to apply changes
pihole restartdns

👉 Make the script executable:

chmod +x pi-hole-sync.sh


Step 3: Schedule automatic syncing with cron

👉 Open the crontab on the Raspberry Pi:

crontab -e

👉 Add a cron job to sync every 5 minutes (or whatever interval you prefer):

*/5 * * * * /path/to/pi-hole-sync.sh


Step 4: Test the setup

👉 Run the sync script manually to confirm it works:

./pi-hole-sync.sh

👉 Check the DHCP reservations on the Raspberry Pi Pi-hole to ensure they match the Proxmox VM.


Step 5: DHCP failover

👉 Now that both Pi-hole instances have the same DHCP reservations:

  • Set the Proxmox Pi-hole as the primary DHCP server.
  • Keep the Raspberry Pi Pi-hole DHCP disabled by default.
  • Use a failover script (as mentioned before) to detect when the primary goes down and enable DHCP on the Pi dynamically.

Final result:

  • DHCP reservations stay synced automatically.
  • No more IP conflicts or lost reservations during a failover!
  • Your network stays resilient even if the Proxmox node goes down.

👉 Let me know if you’d like to add monitoring or notifications to this — we can polish this home lab setup to perfection! 🚀

Failover Script

Let’s set that up! I’ll give you a failover script that’ll:
✅ Periodically check if the primary Pi-hole VM is online.
✅ Enable DHCP on the Raspberry Pi if the primary goes down.
✅ Disable DHCP on the Raspberry Pi when the primary comes back online.


Step 1: Create the failover script

👉 On the Raspberry Pi, create a new file:

nano /home/pi/dhcp-failover.sh

👉 Add the following code:

#!/bin/bash

# Primary Pi-hole VM IP address
PRIMARY_PIHOLE_IP="<proxmox_vm_ip>"

# Check if the primary Pi-hole is online
if ping -c 3 $PRIMARY_PIHOLE_IP &> /dev/null; then
    echo "$(date) - Primary Pi-hole is up."
    
    # Check if DHCP is running on the Pi - if so, disable it
    if pihole-FTL dhcp-discover | grep -q "Pi-hole DHCP server: active"; then
        echo "$(date) - Disabling DHCP on the Raspberry Pi (primary is up)."
        pihole disable-dhcp
    fi
else
    echo "$(date) - Primary Pi-hole is DOWN."
    
    # Check if DHCP is running on the Pi - if not, enable it
    if ! pihole-FTL dhcp-discover | grep -q "Pi-hole DHCP server: active"; then
        echo "$(date) - Enabling DHCP on the Raspberry Pi (primary is down)."
        pihole enable-dhcp
    fi
fi

✅ This script:

  • Pings the Proxmox Pi-hole VM.
  • Enables DHCP on the Pi-hole (Raspberry Pi) if the VM is unreachable.
  • Disables DHCP on the Pi-hole (Raspberry Pi) when the VM is back online.

👉 Save and exit the file (CTRL + X → Y → Enter).


Step 2: Make the script executable

chmod +x /home/pi/dhcp-failover.sh


Step 3: Set up a cron job for periodic checking

👉 Open the crontab:

crontab -e

👉 Add this line to check every 5 minutes:

*/5 * * * * /home/pi/dhcp-failover.sh >> /var/log/dhcp-failover.log 2>&1

✅ This logs the DHCP failover status to /var/log/dhcp-failover.log.


Step 4: Test the failover

👉 Run the script manually to verify it works:

/home/pi/dhcp-failover.sh

👉 Then, simulate a failure by shutting down the Proxmox Pi-hole VM and checking if the Raspberry Pi takes over DHCP.


Final result:

  • Primary Pi-hole VM on Proxmox runs DHCP under normal conditions.
  • Secondary Pi-hole (Raspberry Pi) automatically enables DHCP if the primary goes offline.
  • DHCP is disabled again when the primary comes back online — no IP conflicts, just smooth failover!

👉 Let me know if you want to add email alerts or system monitoring to this! 🚀

Learning Proxmox

Some of the best Proxmox videos are a series provided by Jay LaCroix on the Learn Linux TV YouTube channel. I followed along with the videos on my own Proxmox server. There was so much good information that rather than take notes, I decided to work through the entire series then repeat while taking notes.

Virtual Machines (VMs)

When defining VM, discard (for ssd) and qemu agent should be checked
use scsi hard disk for Windows
cloud-init

sudo apt install qemu-guest-agent
sudo systemctl start qemu-guest-agent
sudo systemctl status qemu-guest-agent
sudo systemctl enable qemu-guest-agent

sudo systemctl s qemu-guest-agent

Windows VMs

For disk, use SCSI bus and cache write back and discard for ssd

Templates

When creating a template there needs to be some tidying up:

sudo apt clean
sudo apt autoremove
sudo rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_*
sudo truncate -s 0 /etc/machine-id
verify that: /var/lib/dbus/machine-id -> /etc/machine-id
sudo apt install cloud-init
sudo poweroff
add Cloud-Init drive to template hardware
edit cloud-init to add user, password and SSH public key

clone CT template with Mode: Full Clone
cloud-init not available for containers
sudo dpkg-reconfigure openssh-server
change /etc/hosts
change /etc/hostname



Containers

Proxmox uses linux containers or LXCs (lex-see)

The user created in a container is root so you need to add your own user:

adduser lynn
usermod -aG sudo lynn

One limitation of containers is that live migration is not supported. The container must be stopped before migrating it to a different node.

Firewall

Todo

Command Line

qm list
qm start 101
qm stop 101
qm reboot 101
qm reset 101 (last resort)
qm stop 101 (last resort)

Ubuntu Server Template Checklist

install nano
install up.sh



Data Backup on a Budget

I have a lot of data that I’d hate to lose. Anyone with a hard drive failure really appreciates the value of having another copy of the lost data. I suppose cloud storage would be a logical place to backup data. With all my personal audio and video files, I might need as much as 10 TB of storage. That would be too expensive for me. My strategy has been to buy enough USB external hard drives to keep two copies of all my data. This has always been a manual process. I am working to automate my backup processes.

There are a couple of options when syncing two file directories. One is to simply copy all new files from the source to the target. Another is to additionally remove all the files from the target that have been removed from the source. I’ll automate the first procedure. If you accidentally remove all files from the source, the second procedure will also remove all files from the target. This option will only be used manually and very carefully.

Personal Documents

stub…

Audio, Video and Pictures

stub…

Duplicate Files

stub…

Server Backups

stub…

Rsync (ChatGPT)

I have three external USB drives: 4 TB, 5 TB, and 12 TB

You can use the following rsync command to synchronize the /documents directory from fileserver1 to fileserver2, ensuring that extra files on fileserver2 are removed:

rsync -av --delete fileserver1:/documents/ fileserver2:/documents/

Explanation of Options:

  • -a → Archive mode (preserves permissions, timestamps, symbolic links, etc.).
  • -v → Verbose output (optional, shows progress).
  • --delete → Removes extra files on fileserver2 that are not present on fileserver1.
  • The trailing / after /documents/ ensures correct directory syncing.

Additional Options (If Needed):

  • Dry run before actual execution (to preview changes): rsync -av --delete --dry-run fileserver1:/documents/ fileserver2:/documents/
  • Use SSH for secure transfer (if servers are remote): rsync -av --delete -e ssh fileserver1:/documents/ fileserver2:/documents/
  • Limit bandwidth to avoid overloading network (e.g., limit to 5MB/s): rsync -av --delete --bwlimit=5000 fileserver1:/documents/ fileserver2:/documents/

You can automate the rsync synchronization using a cron job.

Step 1: Edit the Crontab

On fileserver1, open the crontab editor:

crontab -e

Step 2: Add the Rsync Command

Add the following line to schedule synchronization every day at 2 AM:

0 2 * * * rsync -av --delete fileserver1:/documents/ fileserver2:/documents/ >> /var/log/rsync.log 2>&1

This will:

  • Run rsync at 2:00 AM daily.
  • Log output to /var/log/rsync.log for debugging.

Step 3: Save and Exit

Save the file and exit the editor.

Step 4: Verify the Cron Job

After a day, check if the job ran:

cat /var/log/rsync.log

Would you like email notifications for failures?

Robocopy

stub…

Local Copy of WordPress Site (ChatGPT)

Yes! You can create a local copy of your WordPress site for backup, testing, or development purposes. Here are the steps:

Method 1: Using Localhost (XAMPP, LocalWP, or Docker)

If you want to run WordPress locally, you can use tools like XAMPP, LocalWP, or Docker.

Step 1: Backup Your Live Site

  1. Download Website Files
    • Use an FTP client (like FileZilla) or your hosting’s file manager to download all files from the public_html (or WordPress root) directory.
  2. Export the Database
    • In your hosting’s control panel, open phpMyAdmin.
    • Select your WordPress database and click Export → Choose SQL format → Click Go.

Step 2: Set Up a Local Server

  • Install XAMPP (Windows/Mac/Linux) or LocalWP (easier for beginners).
  • Start Apache and MySQL services.

Step 3: Copy Files to Local Server

  • Move your WordPress files to C:\xampp\htdocs\your-site (if using XAMPP).
  • For LocalWP, simply create a new site and replace its wp-content folder with your backup.

Step 4: Import the Database

  • Open phpMyAdmin at http://localhost/phpmyadmin/.
  • Create a new database.
  • Import your .sql file.

Step 5: Update wp-config.php

Edit the wp-config.php file to match your local database credentials:

define('DB_NAME', 'your_local_db');
define('DB_USER', 'root');
define('DB_PASSWORD', '');
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');

Step 6: Fix URLs in Database

Your local site URL may differ from the live site, so update it:

  1. Run this SQL query in phpMyAdmin: UPDATE wp_options SET option_value = 'http://localhost/your-site' WHERE option_name = 'siteurl' OR option_name = 'home';
  2. Alternatively, use the Better Search Replace plugin to change URLs.

Now, visit http://localhost/your-site to access your local WordPress copy!

Would you like to automate backups or sync changes between local and live sites?

Proxmox High Availability

To experiment with Proxmox High Availability (HA), I tried it out using nested hosts. To validate that nested virtualization is supported, the following command should return a ‘Y’.

cat /sys/module/kvm_intel/paramaters/nested

I created guest VMs pve1, pve2 and pve3 on my main Proxmox server. Note that when creating the VMs, the CPU type needs to be ‘host’ in order to enable virtualization on the nested servers. I cloned the first VM twice changing the host names and the machine ids. My main clusters run on 4th generation Intel systems that are inexpensive and very low power. For the first time, creation of these guest VMs pushed the limits of my system and took a long time to complete.

On the nested hosts, enter the following commands. Note that pve1 summary will show “Guest Agent not running” in the IPs section. After these commands, this section wil show the IP address.

apt install qemu-guest-agent
systemctl start qemu-guest-agent
systemctl enable qemu-guest-agent

Before enabling HA, you must enable shared storage using Ceph, the name of which is derived from the marine animals cephalopods. Ceph uses storage from each of the nodes, three in this case, such that you can remove any one of the nodes and the remaining two still have a complete set of the data. The VM hard drive must be moved to the Ceph storage pool. Brandon Lee has an excellent video for enabling Ceph.

Cloning Proxmox VMs

I’ve implemented a three-node Proxmox cluster. It’s making it very easy to deploy backup servers and copies of servers for testing. Servers can easily be migrated from one node to another. It doesn’t take long to right click a node and clone it. It’s much faster to convert a node to a template then create a new node from the template.

After making a clone the server has the same hostname (/etc/hostname) and hosts files (/etc/hosts) of the original. These two files must be edited to reflect a new host name. Another setting that must be changed is the machine id (/etc/machine-id). I use the Pi-hole DHCP server and it uses the machine id to assign IP addresses. If this is not changed, the original server and cloned server will get the same IP address.

These four steps will make the machine-id file empty; remove the symbolic link to the machine-id file, give the file a random machine id and restore the symbolic link to the machine-id file.

sudo truncate -s 0 /etc/machine-id
sudo rm -f /var/lib/dbus/machine-id
sudo systemd-machine-id-setup
sudo ln -s /etc/machine-id /var/lib/dbus/machine

sudo sed -i s/us.archive/old-releases/ /etc/apt/sources.list

These commands are executed in ~/bin/clone.


Back up Pi-hole on a Schedule

To back up Pi-hole on a schedule, you can use its built-in configuration export tools combined with a cron job. This allows you to save the configuration and restore it if needed. Here’s how to set it up:


1. Pi-hole Configuration Backup

Pi-hole provides a pihole -a command to export and import settings.

Backup Command:

To back up Pi-hole settings, run:

pihole -a -t

This creates a tarball of Pi-hole settings in the current directory, containing:

  • DNS configuration
  • Whitelist/Blacklist
  • Static DHCP leases
  • Query logs (optional)

Restore Command:

To restore from the backup:

pihole -a -r


2. Automate Backup with a Cron Job

Step 1: Create a Backup Directory

Choose where to store the backup files (e.g., /home/pi/pihole-backups):

mkdir -p /home/pi/pihole-backups

Step 2: Write a Backup Script

Create a script to handle the backup process.

Example script: /home/pi/backup_pihole.sh

#!/bin/bash

# Define backup directory
BACKUP_DIR="/home/pi/pihole-backups"

# Create a timestamp
TIMESTAMP=$(date +"%Y-%m-%d_%H-%M-%S")

# Backup file path
BACKUP_FILE="$BACKUP_DIR/pihole-backup-$TIMESTAMP.tar.gz"

# Run Pi-hole backup
pihole -a -t > /dev/null 2>&1

# Move the tarball to the backup directory with a timestamp
mv /etc/pihole/*.tar.gz "$BACKUP_FILE"

# Delete old backups (optional, e.g., keep 7 days)
find "$BACKUP_DIR" -type f -mtime +7 -exec rm {} \;

Make the script executable:

chmod +x /home/pi/backup_pihole.sh

Step 3: Add a Cron Job

Edit the crontab to schedule the script:

crontab -e

Add a line to schedule the script (e.g., daily at 2:00 AM):

0 2 * * * /home/pi/backup_pihole.sh


3. (Optional) Sync Backups to Another Location

For additional safety, copy backups to an external location (e.g., NAS, cloud storage, or another server).

Example: Use rsync to Copy Backups

Add the following line to the script:

rsync -av --delete /home/pi/pihole-backups/ user@remote-server:/backup-location/


4. Verify Backup and Restore

  1. Run the script manually to test: /home/pi/backup_pihole.sh
  2. Confirm the backup file exists in /home/pi/pihole-backups.
  3. Test restoring using: pihole -a -r

With this setup, Pi-hole backups will occur automatically, and you’ll have a reliable way to restore your configuration when needed. Let me know if you’d like help customizing the process!

Proxmox High Availablity Setup (ChatGPT)

I think there’s a pretty good video here to set up high availability (HA) on my Proxmox cluster.

This is my query to ChatGPT:

How to set up ha on my three-node proxmox cluster (pve1, pve2, and pve3) for automatic failover of my pihole dhcp server on pve1.

ChatGPT response:

Setting up high availability (HA) for your Pi-hole DHCP server on a three-node Proxmox cluster (pve1, pve2, pve3) ensures automatic failover if one node goes down. Here’s how you can achieve this:

1. Prerequisites

  1. Shared Storage:
    • Ensure all Proxmox nodes have access to shared storage (e.g., NFS, Ceph, or iSCSI) for the Pi-hole VM or container.
    • Alternatively, use Proxmox replication for local storage to synchronize disks between nodes.
  2. Cluster and Quorum:
    • Your Proxmox cluster (pve1, pve2, pve3) must be fully configured with quorum enabled to manage HA resources. pvecm status
  3. Pi-hole Setup:
    • Install Pi-hole as a VM or LXC container on pve1.
    • Configure Pi-hole’s DHCP and DNS settings.
  4. HA Configuration Package:
    • Ensure HA management tools are installed on Proxmox: apt install proxmox-ha-manager

2. Configure Shared Storage

If you don’t have shared storage:

  1. Set Up NFS Storage:
    • Install NFS on a NAS or a separate server.
    • Add the shared storage in Proxmox:
      • Go to Datacenter > Storage > Add > NFS.
      • Provide the NFS server details and share path.
  2. Use Local Storage Replication:
    • Enable storage replication between nodes for local storage (not real-time but effective for HA).

3. Move Pi-hole VM to Shared Storage

  1. Migrate the Pi-hole VM to shared storage: qm move_disk <vmid> <storage_name> Replace <vmid> with your Pi-hole VM ID and <storage_name> with the shared storage ID.
  2. Confirm the disk location: qm config <vmid>

4. Enable HA for Pi-hole VM

  1. Add the VM to HA Resources:
    • In the Proxmox web interface:
      • Go to Datacenter > HA > Add > Virtual Machine.
      • Select the Pi-hole VM and configure Failover priority.
    • Or use the CLI: ha-manager add vm:<vmid>
  2. Check HA Status: ha-manager status
  3. Set VM Start Priority:
    • Go to VM > Options and set the start/shutdown order.

5. Test HA Setup

  1. Shut down pve1: shutdown -h now
  2. Verify that the Pi-hole VM automatically starts on another node (e.g., pve2 or pve3).

6. Additional Considerations

DNS Redundancy:

  • Add a secondary Pi-hole instance for DNS failover.
    • Configure it on another node (e.g., pve2).
    • Sync configurations between the two using tools like rsync or Gravity Sync.

Monitor DHCP Leases:

  • Ensure DHCP leases persist after failover.
    • Store the dnsmasq lease file on shared storage or sync it between nodes using a script.

Backup Configuration:

  • Regularly back up the Pi-hole configuration and VM:
    • Use Proxmox backup jobs to save VM snapshots.

Summary of Key Commands

  • Add HA Resource: ha-manager add vm:<vmid>
  • Check HA Status: ha-manager status
  • Migrate Disk to Shared Storage: qm move_disk <vmid> <storage_name>

Let me know if you’d like assistance with any specific part of this process!

Samba Setup (ChatGPT)

This is a copy and paste from ChatGPT (https://chatgpt.com/share/677bd14a-ef84-8002-93fc-b3456d8a9df8). The formatting and loss of copy buttons is a problem.

Setting up a file server on Ubuntu using an external USB drive is a straightforward process. Here’s a step-by-step guide:


1. Prepare Your USB Drive

  1. Plug in the USB Drive: Connect the external USB drive to your Ubuntu machine.
  2. Identify the Drive: Open a terminal and run:bashCopy codelsblk Find the USB drive in the list. It will likely be named something like /dev/sdX (e.g., /dev/sdb1).
  3. Format the Drive (if needed): If the USB drive isn’t already formatted, format it with a suitable file system (e.g., ext4 for Linux systems):bashCopy codesudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdX1 Replace /dev/sdX1 with your USB drive’s identifier.
  4. Create a Mount Point:bashCopy codesudo mkdir /mnt/usb
  5. Mount the Drive:bashCopy codesudo mount /dev/sdX1 /mnt/usb Add the drive to /etc/fstab for automatic mounting:bashCopy codeecho "/dev/sdX1 /mnt/usb ext4 defaults 0 0" | sudo tee -a /etc/fstab

2. Install and Configure Samba (File Sharing for Windows/Linux)

  1. Install Samba:bashCopy codesudo apt update sudo apt install samba -y
  2. Configure Samba: Open the Samba configuration file:bashCopy codesudo nano /etc/samba/smb.conf Add a shared folder configuration at the end:iniCopy code[USB_Share] path = /mnt/usb read only = no browsable = yes writable = yes guest ok = no valid users = your_username
  3. Set Samba User: Add your user to Samba:bashCopy codesudo smbpasswd -a your_username
  4. Restart Samba Service:bashCopy codesudo systemctl restart smbd

3. Configure Permissions

Ensure your user has ownership of the USB mount point:

bashCopy codesudo chown -R your_username:your_username /mnt/usb

4. Access the File Server

  • From Linux: Use the smb:// protocol in your file manager.
  • From Windows:
    • Open the File Explorer.
    • Type \\<Ubuntu_IP_Address>\USB_Share in the address bar.
    • Enter your Samba username and password.

Optional: Install and Configure NFS (for Linux Sharing)

If you prefer NFS for Linux clients:

  1. Install the NFS server:bashCopy codesudo apt install nfs-kernel-server -y
  2. Edit the export file:bashCopy codesudo nano /etc/exports Add:plaintextCopy code/mnt/usb *(rw,sync,no_subtree_check)
  3. Restart the NFS service:bashCopy codesudo systemctl restart nfs-kernel-server

Pi-hole Installation

The official Pi-hole website has a great tutorial. It suggests a single line install:

curl -sSL https://install.pi-hole.net | bash

As the DHCP server, Pi-hole needs a static IP address. The network definition moved again and can be edited with this command:

sudo nmtui

Add a secondary DNS server by creating /etc/dnsmasq.d/99-second-DNS.conf and adding this line:

dhcp-option=option:dns-server,192.168.2.2,192.168.2.1

Proxmox Recovery and Clustering

The day after I moved my DHCP server to Pi-hole on my Proxmox server, my Proxmox startup failed to boot with a grub error. I’ve done regular backups of all but my recent VMs so I should be able to execute my restore plan by installing a new instance of Proxmox and restoring the VMs.

My server is a Lenovo M73 ThinkCentre tiny computer. There’s no room for a second drive for a mirror, so I live dangerously. The M73 has an Intel Core-i5 cpu which is 10 generations back (2013) but it really gets the job done for me. I eventually aquired three spares. I’m more into getting the job done efficiently at a low cost than having expensive failsafe systems. I have the opportunity to cluster two or three instances of Proxmox so I’m off on another learning experience.

After updating my main server, it failed to boot with a grub error. I was relieved to find a Proxmox wiki that described the recovery. There’s a known Debian LVM bug that caused the grub “disk not found” failure. The temporary fix is to trigger an LVM metadata update by creating a small logical volume. The only permanent fix for PVE 7.x is to upgrade to PVE8. The permanent fix for PVE 8 is to install the correct metapackage for EUFI.

The Proxmox upgrade is a simple “apt update && apt upgrade”. However the enterprise respository is enabled by default and unless you are an enterprise, you should use the “no subsription” repositories. To disable the enterprise repository, see this wiki or better yet, this one.

Replace the Proxmox Drive

I’ve backed up the nodes on my main Proxmox server to an external hard drive. I pulled the SSD drive and replaced it with a new SSD. I installed the latest release of Proxmox. Now it’s time to restore the VMs. From the Proxmox shell, connect the backup drive from the previous Proxmox and mount it. From Datacenter, add the mount point directory to Datacenter storage. Add the mount to fstab for persistance. ChatGPT helps with the details. I restored my VMs from the backup drive successfully.

Proxmox Cluster

I now have three Proxmox nodes that are all up to date with the same version. I ran backups on each node. I’m confident that I can recover from a hard system failure using the external backup drive on my first node. Proxmox clusters make decisions based on majority vote so it’s important to have an odd number of nodes. Two nodes can work with the addition of a qdevice as the third vote giving a quorum. A raspberry pi is sufficient for a qdevice. However, my hardware is cheap and low power. Three nodes should make for a full function cluster. I installed npt on each node for time synchronization which is required

I used a video by Tech Tutorials – David McKone to set up the cluster. The VMs on the first node will remain but I had to remove all the VMs on the other nodes.

I followed the video very carefully up to the point where I clicked “join”. My second node stopped responding because of an IP conflict. My first Proxmox node had Pi-hole with my DHCP server. It was down for 24 hours while I replaced the hard disk. I started the DHCP server on my router, knowing the potential for conflicts. The join stalled and nothing I found on the internet helped. The partial join caused the quorum to increase to two nodes but only one node worked. No quorum – nothing worked. Then I identified the problem to ChatGPT and got all the commands I needed to repair the damage. ChatGPT even included “copy” buttons for the commands of which the name of my corrupted server was included! I added the third node simply by hitting the “join” button. Now I can loose a node and still have a quorum.

My third node has problems I can’t fix. I change the quorum

Magic Mirror Migration

This is to document the steps taken to migrate my MagicMirror installation from a Raspberry Pi 3 to a Raspberry Pi 2. I need the 3 for a NEMS (Nagios) installation.

  1. Format the SD card with SDFormatter
  2. Install Raspbian on the SD card with Raspberry Pi Imager
  3. Use ChatGPT “How to migrate magic mirror to a new computer” for steps
  4. Install Node.js using PiMyLifeUp tutorial

Proxmox Windows Guests

Windows 7

One of the best versions of Sid Meier’s Civilization series is Civilization III released in 2001. However, it will only run under Windows 7 with a physical CD mounted. I first tried it on a physical machine but it stopped working and I decided to give it a spin as a virtual machine under Proxmox. The Internet Archive provide a copy of the Windows 7 ISO. The Proxmox web site provides a Windows 7 guest best practices document. It requires mounting additional VirtIO drivers during the installation.

Windows 10

Windows 10 also has a best guest practices document.

MacOS 14 Sonoma

Here’s a video by i12bretro on installing Sonoma as a guest VM with a a checkling on github. I think this guide will help, too.

VPN Redux

Goodbye CGNAT! I limped along for over a year with T-Mobile 5G Home Internet for a miserly $30 per month. However my downloads dropped from double-digit mbps to single-digits and I cried uncle. I’m in a T-Mobile fringe area for LTE/5G signal and probably in an area with insufficient capacity for Home Internet. I’ve stepped up to AT&T fiber. As important to me, the change from Commercial Grade NAT to standard NAT means I’ll be able use Dynamic DNS to use my personal domain name to point to my home network. For the uninitiated, your CGNAT IP address changes so frequently that DDNS is useless. This means I can now set up a VPN tunnel into my network for remote control and file sharing. Woohoo!

To use DDNS with NameCheap, go to domain management, Dynamic DNS and create an A + Dynamiic DNS Record with host @ and your IP address, then save. This NameCheap section has the secret password needed for the DDNS client like ddclient for linux.

WireGuard seems to be the go-to VPN server and I installed it on a Proxmox VM using PiVPN. I’m convinced this is the simplest way to setup and manage a VPN. I found excellent WireGuard links on Mike Royal’s github page. Even better is a video from Crosstalk Solutions which adds how to add access to your local network. Next I created a port forwarding entry on my router pointing my WireGuard port to my WireGuard server. Next up is to install the app on my notebook computer to see if it works.

Update 12/30/24

I installed ddclient on my file server and it keeps the ip address lynnhargrove.site up-to-date. I also had a “duh” moment regarding IP reservations on my home network. I ran out of IP reservations on the AT&T router and struggled with servers changing addresses. Pi-hole has a very nice DCHP server that I switched to. I had to edit the dhcp.conf to add a secondary DNS server in case Pi-hole is down. Unfortunately, it reverts to the original dhcp.conf when changes are made to Pi-hole. I originally installed Pi-hole for quicker DNS resolution, but I hadn’t use it to blacklist any websites. I used Steven Black’s unified list of porn, gambling, fake news and social hosts for my blacklist.

MagicMirror on an Android Tablet

MagicMirror is a fantastic information kiosk designed to be run on a monitor mounted behind a mirror. It can display weather, news headlines, photos, music that’s playing, calendars, to do lists, workout progress, etc. It is also very useful as MagicMirror without the Mirror as Caroline Dunn explains in her excellent installation tutorials. (Caroline has a video series on Managing Multiple Echos that looks interesting.) Here’s my current implementation:

MagicMirror is a GitHub project with excellent documation. There are many modules that can be added depending on the information you want to display. It runs on Linux and is an excellent candidate for a Raspberry Pi. It can also be run as a website. Then it can be displayed on a tablet using a web browser. I plan to use it on a Raspberry Pi configured as a full screen kiosk alternating between MagicMirror and a Home Assistant information screen similar to this one:

This idea called for a ProxMox VM with a lite version of Linux desktop to run MagicMirror as a webserver. I chose Linux Lite using this video tutorial. It’s a lite version of Ubuntu designed for beginners.

Put Windows to Sleep With Home Assistant

I need a Home Assistant automation to put my computer to sleep when my computer room is not occupied. This involves using OpenSSH, Psshutdown64 and Wake-on-LAN on the Windows computer and Terminal for SSH on the Home Assistant computer. It also requires Private/Public authentication to avoid requiring a password.

From William Campbell:

This is a YouTube video to setup SSH using private/public key authentication between Linux and Windows. Pssshutdown64 from Microsoft SysInternals command is needed for sleeping a Windows computer. Remaining is how to wake a computer from Home Assistant.

From ChatGPT:

1. Set Up SSH Access on the Windows Computer

Generate SSH Key Pair (if not already done):

  • On your local machine (not the Windows computer), generate an SSH key pair if you haven’t already:bashCopy codessh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 Follow the prompts to generate the key pair. This will create id_rsa (private key) and id_rsa.pub (public key) in your ~/.ssh/ directory.

Copy Public Key to Windows Machine:

  • Copy the contents of id_rsa.pub (your public key) from your local machine.
  • Log in to your Windows machine.
  • Create a .ssh directory in your Windows user’s home directory (C:\Users\YourUsername\.ssh) if it doesn’t exist.
  • Add your public key to authorized_keys in your Windows user’s .ssh directory.
  • Ensure proper permissions are set on the .ssh directory (700) and authorized_keys file (600).

2. Install psshutdown64 on the Windows Computer

Download Sysinternals Suite:

  • Download the Sysinternals Suite which includes psshutdown64.
  • Extract the suite and locate psshutdown64.exe.

Add psshutdown64 to Path:

  • Add the directory containing psshutdown64.exe to your system’s PATH environment variable for easy execution from any directory.

3. Configure Home Assistant Automation

Home Assistant Automation Script:

  • In your Home Assistant installation, create or modify an automation YAML file (e.g., automations.yaml).

Example Automation Script:

yamlCopy code# Example: Sleep Windows Computer using SSH
- alias: 'Sleep Windows Computer'
  trigger:
    platform: state
    entity_id: binary_sensor.your_trigger_sensor  # Replace with your trigger
    to: 'on'  # Trigger when sensor turns on
  action:
    service: shell_command.sleep_windows_computer

shell_command:
  sleep_windows_computer: 'ssh -i /path/to/your/private/key user@windows-ip-or-hostname "psshutdown64.exe -d -t 0"'
  • Replace binary_sensor.your_trigger_sensor with the entity ID of the sensor that triggers this automation (e.g., a button press, motion sensor, etc.).
  • Update /path/to/your/private/key, user, and windows-ip-or-hostname with your SSH private key path, Windows username, and Windows machine IP address or hostname respectively.

4. Testing the Automation

  • Restart Home Assistant to apply the new automation.
  • Trigger the automation by activating the specified trigger (e.g., pressing a button connected to the binary sensor).
  • Home Assistant will execute the SSH command using the specified private key to connect to your Windows machine and run psshutdown64.exe to put the computer to sleep.

Ensure that SSH access is enabled and properly configured on your Windows computer for this setup to work securely. This automation assumes that your Home Assistant instance can reach your Windows machine over the network and has SSH access configured with the appropriate private key. Adjust the paths and commands as necessary based on your specific setup and environment.

RSS Feeds (for Magic Mirror)

https://feeds.npr.org/####/rss.xml

Searching on that, I’ve generated the following list. Keep in mind that some are archived and not updated, some seem abandoned; most over number 2000 are empty, but included for completion’s sake.

 ####	Title
 1001	News
 1002	News
 1003	National
 1004	World
 1005	Summer Reading 2006
 1006	Business
 1007	Science
 1008	Culture
 1009	Middle East
 1010	Archived Topic: Iraq
 1011	Election 2004
 1012	Politics
 1013	Education
 1014	Politics
 1015	Race
 1016	Religion
 1017	Economy
 1018	Your Money
 1019	Technology
 1020	Media
 1023	Radio Expeditions
 1024	Research News
 1025	Environment
 1026	Space
 1027	Health Care
 1028	On Aging
 1029	Mental Health
 1030	Children's Health
 1031	Global Health
 1032	Books
 1033	Author Interviews
 1034	Book Reviews
 1039	Music
 1040	In Performance
 1045	Movies
 1046	Performing Arts
 1047	Art & Design
 1048	Pop Culture
 1051	Diversions
 1052	Humor & Fun
 1053	Food
 1054	Gardening
 1055	Sports
 1056	World Story of the Day
 1057	Opinion
 1059	Analysis
 1061	From Our Listeners
 1062	Obituaries
 1064	Summer Reading 2006: Excerpts
 1065	Holidays
 1066	Your Health
 1067	Election 2006
 1068	Summer Reading 2006: Cookbooks
 1070	Law
 1071	Summer Olympics '04
 1072	Democratic Convention 2004
 1073	Republican Convention 2004
 1074	Lost & Found Sound
 1076	Low-Wage America
 1077	The Second Term
 1078	The Impact of War
 1081	Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004-05
 1083	Social Security Debate
 1084	Summer Reading 2005
 1085	Summer Reading: Fiction
 1086	Summer Reading: Kids
 1087	Summer Reading: Cooking
 1088	Summer
 1089	Summer Reading: Nonfiction
 1090	Story of the Day
 1092	Winter Olympics '06
 1093	Katrina & Beyond
 1095	Business Story of the Day
 1096	Holiday Story of the Day
 1097	Holiday Books 2005
 1098	Holiday Music 2005
 1099	Holiday Food 2005
 1100	World Cup 2006
 1101	Archived Topic: Israeli-Palestinian Coverage
 1102	Election 2008
 1103	Studio Sessions
 1104	Music Reviews
 1105	Music Interviews
 1106	Music News
 1107	Music Lists
 1108	New Music
 1109	Concerts
 1110	Music Videos
 1111	Election 2008: Issues
 1112	Election 2008: Voting Groups
 1113	Election 2008: Money, Media & Influence
 1114	Election 2008: Congressional & State Races
 1115	Election 2008: On the Campaign Trail
 1116	Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY)
 1117	Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL)
 1118	Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)
 1119	Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE)
 1120	Gov. Sarah Palin
 1121	Election 2008: Voting Problems
 1122	National Security
 1124	Europe
 1125	Asia
 1126	Africa
 1127	Latin America
 1128	Health
 1131	Energy
 1132	Animals
 1133	On Disabilities
 1134	Fitness & Nutrition
 1135	Medical Treatments
 1136	History
 1137	Movie Interviews
 1138	Television
 1139	Recipes
 1141	Fine Art
 1142	Architecture
 1143	Photography
 1144	Theater
 1145	Dance
 1146	Strange News
 1149	Archived Topic: Afghanistan
 1150	Investigations
 1151	Music Quizzes
 1161	Book News & Features
 1162	Impact
 1163	TV Reviews
 1164	Family
 1165	Weather
 1166	Perspective
 1167	Climate
 2000	Arts
 2001	Design
 2002	Fashion & Beauty
 2003	Food
 2004	Books
 2005	Performing Arts
 2006	Visual Arts
 2007	Business
 2008	Business News
 2009	Careers
 2010	Investing
 2011	Management & Marketing
 2012	Shopping
 2013	Comedy
 2014	Education
 2015	Education Technology
 2016	Higher Education
 2017	K-12
 2018	Language Courses
 2019	Training
 2020	Leisure
 2021	Automotive
 2022	Aviation
 2023	Hobbies
 2024	Other Games
 2025	Video Games
 2026	Government
 2027	Local
 2028	National
 2029	Non-Profit
 2030	Regional
 2031	Health & Fitness
 2032	Alternative Health
 2033	Fitness & Nutrition
 2034	Self-Help
 2035	Sexuality
 2036	Kids & Family
 2037	Music
 2038	News
 2039	Religion & Spirituality
 2040	Buddhism
 2041	Christianity
 2042	Hinduism
 2043	Islam
 2044	Judaism
 2045	Other
 2046	Spirituality
 2047	Science
 2048	Medicine
 2049	Natural Sciences
 2050	Social Sciences
 2051	Society & Culture
 2052	History
 2053	Personal Journals
 2054	Philosophy
 2055	Places & Travel
 2056	Sports
 2057	Amateur
 2058	College & High School
 2059	Outdoor
 2060	Professional
 2061	Technology
 2062	Gadgets
 2063	Tech News
 2064	Podcasting
 2065	Software How-To
 2066	TV & Film
 2067	Fiction
 2068	History
 2069	True Crime
 2070	Drama
 2071	Science Fiction
 2072	Comedy Fiction
 2073	Management
 2074	Marketing
 2075	Improv
 2076	Comedy Interviews
 2077	Standup
 2078	Language Learning
 2079	How To
 2080	Self Improvement
 2081	Courses
 2082	Crafts
 2083	Games
 2084	Home & Garden
 2085	Animation & Manga
 2086	Fitness
 2087	Nutrition
 2088	Mental Health
 2089	Education for Kids
 2090	Stories for Kids
 2091	Parenting
 2092	Pets & Animals
 2093	Music Commentary
 2094	Music History
 2095	Music Interviews
 2096	Daily News
 2097	Politics
 2098	Sports News
 2099	News Commentary
 2100	Entertainment News
 2101	Religion
 2102	Mathematics
 2103	Nature
 2104	Astronomy
 2105	Chemistry
 2106	Earth Sciences
 2107	Life Sciences
 2108	Physics
 2109	Documentary
 2110	Relationships
 2111	Soccer
 2112	Football
 2113	Basketball
 2114	Baseball
 2115	Hockey
 2116	Running
 2117	Rugby
 2118	Golf
 2119	Cricket
 2120	Wrestling
 2121	Tennis
 2122	Volleyball
 2123	Swimming
 2124	Fantasy Sports
 2125	Fantasy
 2126	TV Reviews
 2127	After Shows
 2128	Film Reviews
 2129	Film History
 2130	Film Interviews
 2131	Entrepreneurship
 2132	Medicine