Consulting / Our automation stack
The exact stack we run.
Every piece of hardware and software running our own lakefront short-term rental — the same local-first, subscription-free system we build for clients. No proprietary hub, no monthly platform fees: Home Assistant on a mini-PC, an $89 guest kiosk, Wi-Fi locks synced to Airbnb, and cameras whose footage never leaves the house.
Network & security
ExpressVPN Aircove router
Walls the smart-home network off from the open internet — local control, nothing leaking out. Ships with a 6-month VPN subscription.
TP-Link TL-SF1005P PoE switch
Powers cameras and devices over the same Ethernet run. Fanless, metal, plug-and-play.
Computing
Beelink SER5 mini-PC
What actually runs the house — Home Assistant, the AI agents, Frigate — all local, no monthly fees. Ryzen 5, 32 GB, 500 GB NVMe.
Home Assistant Green
The official Home Assistant hub — the simpler brain of the house if you don't want to run a full PC.
Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus tablet
The ~$90 in-unit guest kiosk — welcome screen, house controls, local info. Supports wireless charging.
Storage
WD Purple 4TB surveillance drive
Rated for 24/7 writes — holds the local camera recordings.
UGREEN 3.5" drive enclosure
Turns a bare SATA drive into USB storage for recordings and backups.
Fire HD 8 Plus charging dock
Keeps the kiosk tablet charged and upright — no dangling cable.
Smart-home controls
Schlage Encode Plus Wi-Fi deadbolt
×3The locks behind per-stay door codes — sync with Airbnb, Home Assistant, and the Schlage app. One per door.
EIGHTREE Zigbee smart plug
×6Lamp control and automated modem/router reboots. Zigbee, so they don't crowd the Wi-Fi.
meross outdoor smart plug
Two weatherproof, separately-controlled outlets — runs the yard string lights on a schedule.
TP-Link Tapo S515 smart switch
In-wall smart switch — Matter-compatible with energy monitoring (neutral wire required).
Wireless protocols
Cameras & monitoring
Garage
ratgdo32 control board
×3Local Wi-Fi control for Chamberlain/LiftMaster openers via ESPHome or HomeKit — no cloud. One per door.
Software
Home Assistant
Open-source home automation, local-first. The platform everything else runs on.
Frigate
Local AI NVR — real-time object detection on your own hardware. Camera feeds never leave the house.
Fully Kiosk
Locks the Fire tablet into a single kiosk app for the guest screen.
Want this built for you?
This is the system we install and automate for short-term rental owners — wired together, tied to your bookings, and run from your phone. See how it works, or tell us what's eating your time.