this post was submitted on 02 Feb 2026
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Best way to trigger automation with my return home? (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 3 weeks ago by Lemmee@sh.itjust.works to c/homeassistant@lemmy.world
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I have a few old automations that are designed to unlock my front door, or open my garage door, depending on how I leave. If I ride my bike or car, it opens my garage, if I leave via front door, it opens the front door. Pretty simple. Except!!! I did this in pieces, so it's 2 separate automations. One detects my phone entering the "home zone", the other detects an event firing (iOS triggered the event via 'shortcuts')

There is now "zone based" automations, and there is also my "person entity". So the way I see it, I have 3 different ways to tell when I come home:

  1. My phone's gps enters the 'home zone'

  2. My HA 'person' state changes from 'away' to 'home'

  3. My phone's shortcut app fires an event that is detected.

I feel like #1 and #2 are the same, no? I only have one device linked to my person entity, and it's my phone. Is there any difference in this case? Is there a preferred choice?

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[–] lowspeedchase@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 3 weeks ago

I personally use OpenWRT on my router for this task - When a device connects it calls a webhook (local network) which cascades multiple calls depending on the MAC of the connecting device, e.g. open the front gate + raise/lower the house temperature (temperature sensor dependent), illuminate the driveway (time of day dependent) for all devices, send WOL packet to my desktop and HTPC (only for my MAC addy), etc.

I like having the automations linked to something with a high degree of security, local sensors like bluetooth or NFC are too easy to spoof imho if you are automating locks and the like.