10 Ways to Make Your Home Safer With Raspberry Pi
Home security is one of those tasks that’s easy to put off because it gets costly fast. But what if I told you there are inexpensive security solutions you can DIY and have fun while doing it? It’s possible with a Raspberry Pi.
A Raspberry Pi can be used to create smart devices for home security. It can aid in security activities like detection warnings, surveillance, and deterrence.
Below I’ll share home security projects that can be built with boards as light as the Raspberry Pi Pico to heavy-hitters like the Raspberry Pi 5. Let’s jump to it.
If you’re looking for inspiration for your next Raspberry Pi project, I’ve put together a list of 75+ ideas with full descriptions, difficulty ratings, and links to tutorials. Whether you’re a beginner or more advanced, there’s something here for you. Grab the list for free here!
Know When Every Door or Window Opens
Unless it’s Santa Claus, an intruder will typically break into your home through a main door or window. That’s why I like to have a little chirp go off any time these entry points get opened.
A contact sensor on important doors and windows will notify you when they’ve been opened and keep track of their current state.
Contact sensors are great for deterring strangers who visit your home or keeping an eye on toddler escape artists. To take it one step further, you can have a loud alarm go off on your phone if any important doors or windows are opened when you’re asleep at night.
This project can be as easy as purchasing pre-made contact sensors (like this one or this one) and connecting them to Home Assistant on Raspberry Pi. Or, if you got the itch to DIY, you could modify this guide from Simon Prickett to make one from scratch with a Raspberry Pi Zero.
Detect Intruders When You’re Not Home
If I’m about to go on vacation or at the office all day, I like to have peace of mind that nobody has gotten inside while I’ve been gone. If you don’t like the idea of security cameras in your living room, there’s a simpler solution.
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A motion detector will catch if someone is inside when you’re not at home.
To set it up, you could build an indoor motion detector with a Raspberry Pi Zero. Or if you’re looking for an easier setup, purchase a pre-made PIR sensor and connect it to Home Assistant running on your Raspberry Pi.
When motion is detected, you can have your Pi push a notification to your phone, make a Discord bot send you a timestamped message, or set off a loud alarm.
Stop Fires Before It’s Too Late
I left the house five minutes ago to drive to a party. Uh oh, there’s that nagging worry again about whether I left the oven on or forgot to unplug the iron. It’d be nice to know that my place isn’t going to burn down when I’m away.
A smart smoke alarm sends alerts to your phone if it detects a fire.
They sell smart smoke detectors now that you can connect to Home Assistant on your Pi. If you want to build one yourself, you need an inexpensive MQ2 smoke sensor. Then, you can follow the video tutorial above or this alternate guide from High Voltage Code.
Hey, if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the technical stuff, I can help you! I created a 30-day challenge to help you go step-by-step with this. After reading the book, you’ll finally get a better understanding of this jargon and complete many fun and useful projects faster. Get instant access now!
Trigger an Alarm to Rule Them All
Phone notifications keep me updated about what’s going on in my smart home, but it won’t scare away evil-doers. So this project is more of a supplement to all the other home security measures on this list.
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Make a Raspberry Pi alarm that emits a screeching noise when a security event is triggered.
You need to add a buzzer module to get your Pi to emit sounds. It’s a great project idea for the little Raspberry Pi Zero. A more detailed tutorial can be found in the video tutorial above, or alternatively, in this Hackster.io guide.
Hook Up Security Cams
Okay, maybe this project should’ve come first on our list:
A Raspberry Pi security camera can stream or record events inside or outside your home.
To create video surveillance, you’ll want to hook up a Raspberry Pi camera or perhaps a bunch of USB cameras pointed in different directions.
You might also like: Are you sure your Pi is secure? Here are 17 simple tips to protect it.
Then, you’ll want to install recording software on your Pi, such as MotionEye or ZoneMinder. To access stored footage, try using a simple file server or rolling your own NAS.
Check Who’s at the Front Door
When a stranger knocks on my door, I can’t always tell who they are or what their intentions might be. I like to get a better idea before I open up (or to avoid missionaries who want to convert me to their religion.).
A Raspberry Pi doorbell camera is a more specialized security camera. It can send events when the ringer is pressed, let you talk to someone at the door remotely, scan package deliveries, and even perform facial recognition.
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For the basics, you’ll need a camera to set up a live stream. To add two-way audio, you can connect a microphone module. Lastly, for the holy grail of facial recognition, the Raspberry Pi AI Camera is best, managed by software like OpenCV.
Scan Every Car That Parks Nearby
Not everyone will look straight into your doorbell camera and say cheese. And a face often isn’t enough to ID a stranger. But if you can nab a license plate, it’s easier for you or law enforcement to track down the vehicle’s owner.
Create a license plate scanner with Raspberry Pi to track which cars have parked near your home.
For this project, you’ll want a more powerful board, like the Raspberry Pi 5 or Pi 4, paired with a camera. For OCR (optical character recognition) to read the plates, Python will probably come into play. Bonus points if you program the Raspberry Pi AI Camera or AI Kit to input the car’s make, model, and color into a database.
For a full guide on the steps involved, watch the video above, or check out this guide from Oleksiy Yeryomenko.
Spot Unauthorized Network Devices
Considering how easy it can be to hack Wi-Fi, I should check if unauthorized devices have jumped onto my home network. UniFi APs include a detection feature, but if you’re not on that ecosystem, you can make your network watchdog.
Turn your Raspberry Pi into a network monitor to get alerts for unauthorized devices.
Some people install Grafana or use Kismet for this purpose, but it can get rather involved. It may be easier to install Fing Agent on your Pi with a free subscription license, as the software is built for this specific task.
Lock Rooms Down Like the Pros
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Let’s say I’ve got a man cave with classic pinball machines that I don’t want visitors to know about. Or maybe there’s a secret compartment in my desk for vintage Funko Pop figurines. How can I secure access without making it obvious?
Create security badges with a Raspberry Pi RFID reader.
Get an RFID module to read and write RFID codes with your Raspberry Pi. An RFID badge, unlike a smart lock, is an authentication method that’s completely offline.
If you enjoy learning about Raspberry Pi, you’ll feel right at home in the RaspberryTips Community. It’s a friendly group of makers helping each other grow. Join us today for $1 and see what it’s like inside.
Get Eyes in the Sky
OK, this last one is extreme. But if your neighbors are far away and won’t complain, then it might be possible. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to scout the perimeter with a 360-degree view from above?
Build a security drone with Raspberry Pi for aerial surveillance.
In choosing which Raspberry Pi board to use for this project, you’ll have to balance weight with power. Check out our guide for big picture ideas: Building a Drone With Raspberry Pi – What You Need to Know. Here’s a full tutorial from Instructables, or you can try a different design with this guide from Hackaday.
That’s the end of our list! But don’t forget that these security solutions can be integrated into your smart home. All you need to do is install automation software by following one of our guides:
- Getting Started With Home Assistant on Raspberry Pi
- Getting Started with CasaOS on Raspberry Pi
- How To Install Domoticz on Raspberry Pi
- HOOBS on Raspberry Pi in 10 Minutes or Less
Effective home security means multiple levels of protection, like the layers of an onion. But who needs an onion when you’ve got a Raspberry Pi?
Whenever you’re ready, here are other ways I can help you:
Test Your Raspberry Pi Level (Free): Not sure why everything takes so long on your Raspberry Pi? Take this free 3-minute assessment and see what’s causing the problems.
The RaspberryTips Community: Need help or want to discuss your Raspberry Pi projects with others who actually get it? Join the RaspberryTips Community and get access to private forums, exclusive lessons, and direct help (try it for just $1).
Master your Raspberry Pi in 30 days: If you are looking for the best tips to become an expert on Raspberry Pi, this book is for you. Learn useful Linux skills and practice multiple projects with step-by-step guides.
Master Python on Raspberry Pi: Create, understand, and improve any Python script for your Raspberry Pi. Learn the essentials step-by-step without losing time understanding useless concepts.
You can also find all my recommendations for tools and hardware on this page.
