How to run DiyHue on a Raspberry Pi

How to run DiyHue on a Raspberry Pi

Overview

In this guide, TechSparks will demonstrate the setup and configuration of DiyHue on a Raspberry Pi.

DiyHue serves as an emulator for the official Philips Hue Bridge, effectively transforming your Raspberry Pi into a personalized Hue Bridge. There are various reasons to utilize this software, including the integration of non-Hue devices into your Hue app. If your lighting equipment supports Zigbee, it can seamlessly connect to your self-hosted Hue bridge.

Advanced reading: https://www.tech-sparks.com/zigbee/

DiyHue mimics these lights, enabling any device linked to your bridge to recognize them as authentic Philips Hue products. By connecting the Zigbee USB to your Raspberry Pi, DiyHue even facilitates the connection to official Philips Hue lights without the need for a hub, although this requires the setup of Zigbee2mqtt.

For those who own a Philips Hue hub, this emulator provides the option to integrate the official Philips Hue hub, eliminating the need to re-pair all your lights with a new hub.

It's worth noting that DiyHue utilizes port 80 and port 443, so if you run other software using these ports, you'll need to modify their configurations. This is essential as DiyHue replicates the behavior of official centers.

Ensure your lights are compatible with Zigbee technology for optimal functionality.

Step 1: Prepare your Raspberry Pi for DiyHue

To commence, it's imperative to ensure that the Raspberry Pi's operating system is up to date. Execute the following commands in the terminal to update the package list and upgrade any outdated packages.

sudo apt update

sudo apt upgrade -y

Subsequent to the update, refer to our Docker installation guide tailored for the Raspberry Pi. This guide streamlines the configuration process, ensuring seamless execution of the subsequent tutorial.

Once Docker is installed, create a dedicated folder on the Raspberry Pi to house DiyHue. The recommended location is the "/opt/" directory. Use the mkdir command to create this directory.

sudo mkdir -p /opt/stacks/diyhue/

Now that the DiyHue directory is established, navigate to it using the cd command. Most of the forthcoming steps will require working within this directory.

cd /opt/stacks/diyhue

The crucial next step is to acquire the MAC address of the active network connection. DiyHue necessitates this MAC address to generate a valid Philips Hue certificate on the Raspberry Pi.

a. If you are connected via Wi-Fi, use the following command to retrieve your MAC address.

ifconfig wlan0

b. Alternatively, if you are utilizing an Ethernet connection on your Raspberry Pi, use the subsequent command to obtain the MAC address.

ifconfig eth0

Ensure you capture the MAC address, which follows the word "ether" and appears in the format "XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX".

Step 2: Write Docker Compose files for DiyHue on Raspberry Pi

Now, let's commence the creation of the Docker Compose file for running DiyHue on the Raspberry Pi.

This Compose file essentially provides Docker with instructions on how to launch the software, offering a more convenient way to manage containers on your system.

Initiate the writing of this Compose file using the following command. We are using the nano text editor, but feel free to use your preferred editor.

sudo nano /opt/stacks/diyhue/compose.yaml

In the created file, insert the following lines. While typing, crucially replace "<MACADDRESS>" with the MAC address obtained earlier in this guide, as it plays a pivotal role in DiyHue's functionality on the Raspberry Pi.

yaml

version: '3'

services:

diyHue:

image: diyhue/core:latest

container_name: diyHue

restart: unless-stopped

environment:

MAC: <MACADDRESS>

volumes:

- /opt/stacks/diyhue/config:/opt/hue-emulator/config

ports:

- '80:80'

- '443:443'

- '1900:1900/udp'

- '2100:2100/udp'

- '1982:1982/udp'

Once you've entered the above lines, press CTRL+X, then Y, and finally ENTER to save and exit.

Step 3: Launch the Phillips Hue Bridge emulator on the Raspberry Pi

With the command below, you can initiate DiyHue on the Raspberry Pi.

This command prompts Docker to launch DiyHue using the information specified in the compose.yaml file.

docker compose up -d

The -d option allows you to detach from the current terminal session once the container is up and running.

If you prefer a more streamlined approach for managing Compose files, we recommend installing Dockge on your Raspberry Pi. It provides a user-friendly web interface for efficiently handling services like DiyHue.

Step 4: Access the DiyHue web interface

Given that DiyHue operates on port 80 and port 443, simply navigate to your Raspberry Pi's IP address.

If you're unsure about the IP address, you can retrieve it using the hostname command.

Visit http://<IPADDRESS> to access DiyHue.

Step 5: Adjust DiyHue Philips Hue Bridge Configuration

Upon linking the DiyHue Philips Hue Bridge to a Raspberry Pi, you might encounter challenges necessitating a bridge upgrade.

Resolving this issue is relatively straightforward, as DiyHue manipulates the version number. Navigate to the Bridge settings page using the sidebar.

Once on the bridge configuration page, CTRL+CLICK the "Check here for last versions" link.

This action will open the page in a new tab; switch to that tab.

Locate the version at the top of the list on this page and copy the version number.

Return to the Bridge Config page, and modify the version number (1.) to match the number you acquired from the previous website.

On this page, consider adjusting your time zone (2.) to align with your location.

Finally, after adjusting all settings, click the "SAVE" button (3.).

Step 6: Linking to the Official Hue Bridge

DiyHue on Raspberry Pi offers the capability to connect to the official Hue bridge. This simplifies the integration of your existing hubs in one place without the need to re-pair each light.

Initiate the process by clicking the " " option in the sidebar. Hue Bridge

Now on the correct page, press the prominent physical button on your Philips Hue Bridge to activate pairing mode.

Failure to do this will result in refusal to connect to your Raspberry Pi.

Return to the DiyHue Web interface and input the IP address of the Philips Hue Bridge (1.).

After providing the IP, click the "PAIR" button (2.). If all is functioning correctly, you should observe automatic updates in the "Hue User" and "Hue Key" fields.

Step 7: Discover Lights with DiyHue on the Raspberry Pi.

In this section, we will quickly guide you on adding lights that DiyHue can automatically detect from your Raspberry Pi.

Navigate to the "Lights" page using the sidebar to initiate the process.

Upon entering the "Lights" page, simply click the "Scan for lights" button.

It may take a few moments for the lights to populate on the screen. Alternatively, you can manually add lights by selecting the "Add light" button and providing the necessary details.

If you want to learn more about Raspberry Pi, you can go to TechSparks

https://www.tech-sparks.com/mine-bitcoins-with-raspberry-pi/