![\"ESP8266](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ESP8266-Door-status-monitor-thumbnail.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nInstead of sending email notifications with IFTTT, you can use an SMTP server instead. To learn how to send emails with your ESP8266 using an SMTP server, you can follow the next tutorial:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- ESP8266 NodeMCU Send Emails using an SMTP Server: HTML, Text, and Attachments (Arduino)<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
If you prefer, you can also send notifications to your Telegram account. Learn how to use Telegram with the ESP8266 on the following tutorial:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Telegram: ESP8266 NodeMCU Motion Detection with Notifications (Arduino IDE)<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
We have a similar tutorial for the ESP32 board: Door Status Monitor with Email Notifications (IFTTT)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Project Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In this project, you’ll send an email notification whenever a door changes state. To detect the change, we’ll use a magnetic contact switch. To send an email we’ll use IFTTT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A magnetic contact switch is basically a reed switch encased in a plastic shell so that you can easily apply it to a door, a window, or a drawer to detect if the door is open or closed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"magnetic](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/reed-switch-door-status-monitor-sensor.jpg?resize=750%2C422&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nThe electrical circuit is closed when a magnet is near the switch\u2014door closed. When the magnet is far away from the switch\u2014door open\u2014the circuit is open. See the figure below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"magnetic](\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/magnetic_reed_switch_howitworks.png?resize=665%2C374&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nWe can connect the reed switch to an ESP8266 GPIO to detect changes in its state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sending Emails with IFTTT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
To send emails with the ESP8266, we’ll use a free* service called IFTTT, which stands for “If This Then That”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
IFTTT is a platform that gives you creative control over dozens of products and apps. You can make apps work together. For example, sending a particular request to IFTTT triggers an applet that makes something happen, like sending you an email alert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I like IFTTT service and once you understand how it works, it is easy to use. However, I’m not too fond of the layout of their website and the fact that it is constantly changing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
* currently, you can have three active applets simultaneously in the free version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Creating an IFTTT Account<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Creating an account on IFTTT is free!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Go to the official site: https:\/\/ifttt.com\/<\/a> and click the Get Started<\/strong> button at the top of the page or Signup if you already have an account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"IFTTT](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IFTTT-Get-Started-Page.png?resize=750%2C365&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nCreating an Applet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
First, you need to create an Applet in IFTTT. An Applet connects two or more apps or devices together (like the ESP8266 and sending an email). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Applets are composed of triggers and actions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Triggers<\/strong> tell an Applet to start. The ESP8266 will send a request (webhooks) that will trigger the Applet. <\/li>
- Actions <\/strong>are the end result of an Applet run. In our case, sending an email.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Follow the next instructions to create your applet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1)<\/strong> Click on this link to start creating an Applet<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2)<\/strong> Click on the Add <\/strong>button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"IFTTT](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Create-applet-email-step-1-ifttt.png?resize=750%2C557&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n3)<\/strong> Search for “Webhooks” and select it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"IFTTT](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Create-applet-email-step-2.png?resize=677%2C431&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n4)<\/strong> Select the option “Receive a web request”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"IFTTT](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Create-applet-email-step-3.png?resize=630%2C805&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n5)<\/strong> Enter the event name, for example, door_status<\/strong>. You can call it any other name, but if you change it, you’ll also need to change it in the code provided later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"IFTTT](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Create-applet-email-step-4.png?resize=746%2C680&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n6)<\/strong> Then, you need to click the Add<\/strong> button on the “Then that” menu to select what happens when the previous event is triggered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"IFTTT](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Create-applet-email-step-5.png?resize=750%2C583&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n7)<\/strong> Search for email<\/strong> and select the email option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"IFTTT](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Create-applet-email-step-6.png?resize=689%2C450&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n8)<\/strong> Click on Send me an email<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"IFTTT](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Create-applet-email-step-7.png?resize=471%2C667&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n9)<\/strong> Then, write the email subject and body. You can leave the default message or change it to whatever you want. The {{EventName}}<\/span> is a placeholder for the event name, in this case, it’s door_status<\/span>. The {{OccuredAt}}<\/span> is a placeholder for the timestamp of when the event was triggered. The {{Value1}}<\/span> is a placeholder for the actual door status. So, you can play with those placeholders to write your own message. When you’re done, click on Create action<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"IFTTT](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Create-applet-email-step-8.png?resize=557%2C878&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n10)<\/strong> Now, you can click on Continue<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"IFTTT](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Create-applet-email-step-9.png?resize=739%2C795&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n11)<\/strong> Finally, click on Finish<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"IFTTT](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Create-applet-email-step-10-f.png?resize=677%2C613&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n12)<\/strong> You’ll be redirected to a similar page\u2014as shown below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"IFTTT](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Create-applet-email-step-11-f.png?resize=463%2C669&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nYour Applet was successfully created. Now, let’s test it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Testing your Applet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Go to this URL: https:\/\/ifttt.com\/maker_webhooks<\/a> and open the “Documentation<\/strong>” tab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You’ll access a web page where you can trigger an event to test it and get access to your API key (highlighted in red). Save your API key to a safe place because you’ll need it later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"IFTTT](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IFTTT-Trigger-Event-1.png?resize=750%2C533&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nNow, let’s trigger the event to test it. In the {event}<\/span> placeholder, write the event you created previously. In our case, it is door_status<\/strong>. Additionally, add a value in the value1<\/span> field, for example open<\/strong>. Then, click the Test It<\/strong> button. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"IFTTT](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IFTTT-Trigger-Event-Testing-Applet.png?resize=663%2C511&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nYou should get a success message saying “Event has been triggered” and you should get an email in your inbox informing you that the event has been triggered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"IFTTT](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Received-Email-IFTTT-Event-Triggered.png?resize=750%2C314&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nIf you received the email, your Applet is working as expected. You can proceed to the next section. We’ll program the ESP8266 to trigger your Applet when the door changes state. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Parts List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Here’s the hardware that you need to complete this project:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- ESP8266<\/a> – read Best ESP8266 Wi-Fi Development Boards<\/a><\/li>
- 1\u00d7 Magnetic Reed Switch <\/a><\/li>
- 1\u00d7 10k\u03a9 resistor<\/a><\/li>
- 1\u00d7 breadboard<\/a><\/li>
- Jumper wires<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n
You can use the preceding links or go directly to MakerAdvisor.com\/tools<\/a> to find all the parts for your projects at the best price!<\/p>
![](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/header-200.png?w=1200&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nSchematic \u2013 ESP8266 NodeMCU with Reed Switch<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
We wired the reed switch to GPIO 4<\/span> (D2), but you can connect it to any suitable GPIO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Schematic](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ESP8266-Reed-Switch-door-sensor-circuit.png?resize=558%2C444&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nCode<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Copy the sketch below to your Arduino IDE. Replace the SSID, password, and the IFTTT API Key with your own credentials.<\/p>\n\n\n
\/*********\n Rui Santos & Sara Santos - Random Nerd Tutorials\n Complete project details at https:\/\/RandomNerdTutorials.com\/door-status-monitor-using-the-esp8266\/\n Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files.\n The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.\n*********\/\n\n#include <ESP8266WiFi.h>\n\n\/\/ Set GPIOs for LED and reedswitch\nconst int reedSwitch = 4;\nconst int led = 2; \/\/optional\n\n\/\/ Detects whenever the door changed state\nbool changeState = false;\n\n\/\/ Holds reedswitch state (1=opened, 0=close)\nbool state;\nString doorState;\n\n\/\/ Auxiliary variables (it will only detect changes that are 1500 milliseconds apart)\nunsigned long previousMillis = 0; \nconst long interval = 1500;\n\nconst char* ssid = "REPLACE_WITH_YOUR_SSID";\nconst char* password = "REPLACE_WITH_YOUR_PASSWORD";\nconst char* host = "maker.ifttt.com";\nconst char* apiKey = "REPLACE_WITH_YOUR_IFTTT_API_KEY";\n\n\/\/ Runs whenever the reedswitch changes state\nICACHE_RAM_ATTR void changeDoorStatus() {\n Serial.println("State changed");\n changeState = true;\n}\n\nvoid setup() {\n \/\/ Serial port for debugging purposes\n Serial.begin(115200);\n\n \/\/ Read the current door state\n pinMode(reedSwitch, INPUT_PULLUP);\n state = digitalRead(reedSwitch);\n\n \/\/ Set LED state to match door state\n pinMode(led, OUTPUT);\n digitalWrite(led, state);\n \n \/\/ Set the reedswitch pin as interrupt, assign interrupt function and set CHANGE mode\n attachInterrupt(digitalPinToInterrupt(reedSwitch), changeDoorStatus, CHANGE);\n\n \/\/ Connect to Wi-Fi\n WiFi.begin(ssid, password);\n while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED) {\n delay(500);\n Serial.print(".");\n }\n Serial.println("");\n Serial.println("WiFi connected"); \n}\n\nvoid loop() {\n if (changeState){\n unsigned long currentMillis = millis();\n if(currentMillis - previousMillis >= interval) {\n previousMillis = currentMillis;\n \/\/ If a state has occurred, invert the current door state \n state = !state;\n if(state) {\n doorState = "closed";\n }\n else{\n doorState = "open";\n }\n digitalWrite(led, state);\n changeState = false;\n Serial.println(state);\n Serial.println(doorState);\n \n \/\/Send email\n Serial.print("connecting to ");\n Serial.println(host);\n WiFiClient client;\n const int httpPort = 80;\n if (!client.connect(host, httpPort)) {\n Serial.println("connection failed");\n return;\n }\n \n String url = "\/trigger\/door_status\/with\/key\/";\n url += apiKey;\n \n Serial.print("Requesting URL: ");\n Serial.println(url);\n client.print(String("POST ") + url + " HTTP\/1.1\\r\\n" +\n "Host: " + host + "\\r\\n" + \n "Content-Type: application\/x-www-form-urlencoded\\r\\n" + \n "Content-Length: 13\\r\\n\\r\\n" +\n "value1=" + doorState + "\\r\\n");\n } \n }\n}\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\tView raw code<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
You must have the ESP8266 board add-on installed in your Arduino IDE. If you don’t, follow the next tutorial:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- How to Install the ESP8266 Board in Arduino IDE<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How the Code Works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
- 1\u00d7 Magnetic Reed Switch <\/a><\/li>
- Actions <\/strong>are the end result of an Applet run. In our case, sending an email.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Triggers<\/strong> tell an Applet to start. The ESP8266 will send a request (webhooks) that will trigger the Applet. <\/li>
- Telegram: ESP8266 NodeMCU Motion Detection with Notifications (Arduino IDE)<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"Testing](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ESP8266-Connect-IFTTT-Door-Change-State.png?resize=794%2C445&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Testing](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/esp8266-featured-image-e1456180240355.png?resize=600%2C312&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Door](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/randomnerdtutorials.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Received-Email-IFTTT-Event-Triggered-Door-Closed.png?resize=810%2C336&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n