Node-RED on Docker

After seeing some of the stuff my colleague Martin has done with Node-RED, I wanted to switch to oit, despite my KISS strategy, and Node-RED just introduces another device to mange.

4

5

= Installing Node-RED as a Docker container =

6

7

But, starting it on Docker on my Home Laptop (also used for [[Home Assistant on Docker>>Main.information-technology.home-assistant.home-assistant-on-docker]] and [[Plex Media Server>>Main.information-technology.plex-media-server]]):

mkdir /opt/node-reddocker run -d --restart unless-stopped --network=host -v /opt/node-red:/data --name nodered nodered/node-red

12

13

14

And it was running on http://sparrow:1880. I saw some wierd stuff in the start, until i pressed "Deploy" the first time, after that every thing has just bee working.

Node-RED has no (as far as I know currently, any users or admin/management in front of it by default, and I wanted to be able to use it from home and work/work-vpn... so I created a dual stack of Reverse Proxies:

Setting the browser to http://nodered.mos-eisley.dk it hits my Confluence Server (in a Datacenter) and the Apache2 on it proxies it to [[http://cantina,mos-eisley.dk:1890]] (Fiber Router with port forward to Home laptop), and the Apache2 on the Laptop proxies it to sparrow:1880 (the Docker container on the Home Laptop).

23

24

On both Apache2 I have IP Restrictions, and on the first, username/password - otherwise all people at work could change my Node-RED setup:

ServerName nodered.mos-eisley.dk

30

LogFormat "%h %l %u %t \"%r\" %>s %b \"%{Referer}i\" \"%{User-agent}i\"" combined

31

ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/nodered.mos-eisley.dk-error.log

32

CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/nodered.mos-eisley.dk-access.log combined

33

RewriteEngine on

34

RewriteCond %{HTTP:Upgrade} ^WebSocket$ [NC]

35

RewriteCond %{HTTP:Connection} Upgrade$ [NC]

36

RewriteRule .*/(.*) "ws://cantina.mos-eisley.dk:1890/$1" [P,L]

37

ProxyPreserveHost On

38

ProxyRequests Off

39

ProxyPass / http://cantina.mos-eisley.dk:1890/

40

ProxyPassReverse / http://cantina.mos-eisley.dk:1890/

Order deny,allow

Deny from all

Allow from xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx

45

Allow from yyy.yyy.yyy.yyy

46

Authtype Basic

47

Authname "Password Required"

48

AuthUserFile /etc/apache2/.htpasswd

Require valid-user

</Proxy>

</VirtualHost>

Creating password:

sudo htpasswd -c /etc/apache2/.htpasswd <username>

ServerAdmin webmaster@localhost

65

RewriteEngine on

66

RewriteCond %{HTTP:Upgrade} ^WebSocket$ [NC]

67

RewriteCond %{HTTP:Connection} Upgrade$ [NC]

68

RewriteRule .*/(.*) "ws://localhost:1880/$1" [P,L]

69

ProxyPreserveHost On

70

ProxyRequests Off

71

ProxyPass / http://localhost:1880/

72

ProxyPassReverse / http://localhost:1880/

Order deny,allow

Deny from all

Allow from 77.243.52.144 # www.mos-eisley.dk

77

Allow from 10 # Local Lan

</Proxy>

</VirtualHost>

With this setup I can use it from xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx and yyy.yyy.yyy.yyy that represents some well known adresses like work and fiber.

85

86

= Adding Node-RED To Home Assistant =

87

88

=== Node-RED ===

89

In Node-RED, under Settings → Palette - Add "node-red-contrib-home-assistant-websocket":

90

91

[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 21.34.13.jpg]]

92

93

=== Home Assistant ===

94

In Home Assistant, Add "Node-RED Companion" as an Integration:

95

96

[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 21.36.27.jpg]]

97

98

Check out [[https://zachowj.github.io/node-red-contrib-home-assistant-websocket/guide/custom_integration/]] for some tips also.

99

100

And You are ready to go.

= Automations =

=== Lights ===

Now, Home Assistent is my "heart" of the Installation, but starting to use it, I realize that it has Integrations for Philips Hue and MQTT directly, so Home Assistant could be bypassed for several automations.... I guess that more religion than tech...

106

107

My first Automatins in Home Assistant was to bridge my propritary [[ZenseHome>>https://zensehome.dk/]] system to Philips Hue:

108

109

[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 21.41.36.jpg]]

110

111

Later on, [[ZenseHome>>https://zensehome.dk/]] actually got native Hue support... but Im stil using Home Assistant.

112

113

So, I moved this to Node-Red:

114

115

[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 21.43.14.jpg||width="1011"||height="96"]]

116

117

The "Listen" is listening om [[MQTT>>Main.information-technology.home-assistant.adding-mosquitto-mqtt-to-my-home-automation]] Directly and turns on the ZenseHome ceiling outlet (just to be sure) and turns on the Philips Hue lightbulbs through Home Assistant.

118

119

I have also used the Philips Hue Zone "Christophers Ceiling Light" instead of turning on all three bulbs indivudually.

120

121

So, I moved all these similar automations from Home Assistant to Node-Red in no time!

122

123

=== Stream Deck Support ===

124

My youngest son got a [[Stream Deck>>https://www.elgato.com/en/stream-deck]] and we wanted to be able to trigger stuff from the buttons, so I looked into the Home Assistant API - and well, You need authetications and all sorts of "complicated" stuff.

125

126

So I turned to Node-Red, and found the "http in" node, which setup and url that Node-RED listens on:

127

128

[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 21.49.03.jpg||width="477"||height="250"]]

129

130

Added the toogle for the Home Assistant entity (A [[Philips Hue Plug>>https://www.philips-hue.com/da-dk/p/hue-smart-plug/8719514342309]]):

131

132

[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 21.50.49.jpg||width="584"||height="440"]]

133

134

And wired them together:

135

136

[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 21.49.55.jpg||width="591"||height="151"]]

137

138

Now, going to [[http://sparrow:1880/switch-vr]] simply toggles the VR on/off - no authentication or similar needed, the URL can be put directly into the Stream Deck software and assigned to a Button.

139

140

=== Messaging ===

141

I looked into messaging (Home Assistant already setup for twillo) and found that Facebook Messenger are possible, but the setup is complicated.

142

143

So I turned (as and SMS alternative) to Discord, from the Settings → Palette - Add "node-red-contrib-discord-advanced":

144

145

[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 21.55.16.jpg||width="1028"||height="534"]]

146

147

The setup is a bit complicated - follow the links on [[https://github.com/Markoudstaal/node-red-contrib-discord-advanced]]

148

149

Before sending the Discord Message, a "function" node will set the message (msg) - that is the Yellow/orabge "Prepare Message":

150

151

[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 21.59.12.jpg||width="649"||height="303"]]

152

{{success}}The "msg.channel" is and ID and can be found in the URL for the Channel when running Discord in a Browser, its NOT a string like "#home-assistant". Thank for Support from the coders.{{/success}}

And so, a few messages to Discord:

158

159

[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 21.57.30.jpg||width="754"||height="250"]]

Result:

[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 22.02.55.jpg||height="250"]]

version	line-number	content
1.1	1	{{toc/}}
	2
	3	After seeing some of the stuff my colleague Martin has done with Node-RED, I wanted to switch to oit, despite my KISS strategy, and Node-RED just introduces another device to mange.
	4
	5	= Installing Node-RED as a Docker container =
	6
	7	But, starting it on Docker on my Home Laptop (also used for [[Home Assistant on Docker>>Main.information-technology.home-assistant.home-assistant-on-docker]] and [[Plex Media Server>>Main.information-technology.plex-media-server]]):
	8
	9
	10	{{code}}
	11	mkdir /opt/node-reddocker run -d --restart unless-stopped --network=host -v /opt/node-red:/data --name nodered nodered/node-red
	12	{{/code}}
	13
	14	And it was running on http://sparrow:1880. I saw some wierd stuff in the start, until i pressed "Deploy" the first time, after that every thing has just bee working.
	15
	16
	17
	18	Node-RED has no (as far as I know currently, any users or admin/management in front of it by default, and I wanted to be able to use it from home and work/work-vpn... so I created a dual stack of Reverse Proxies:
	19
	20	{{drawio diagramName="Proxies.drawio" /}}
	21
	22	Setting the browser to http://nodered.mos-eisley.dk it hits my Confluence Server (in a Datacenter) and the Apache2 on it proxies it to [[http://cantina,mos-eisley.dk:1890]] (Fiber Router with port forward to Home laptop), and the Apache2 on the Laptop proxies it to sparrow:1880 (the Docker container on the Home Laptop).
	23
	24	On both Apache2 I have IP Restrictions, and on the first, username/password - otherwise all people at work could change my Node-RED setup:
	25
	26
	27	{{code}}
	28	<VirtualHost nodered.mos-eisley.dk:80>
	29	ServerName nodered.mos-eisley.dk
	30	LogFormat "%h %l %u %t \"%r\" %>s %b \"%{Referer}i\" \"%{User-agent}i\"" combined
	31	ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/nodered.mos-eisley.dk-error.log
	32	CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/nodered.mos-eisley.dk-access.log combined
	33	RewriteEngine on
	34	RewriteCond %{HTTP:Upgrade} ^WebSocket$ [NC]
	35	RewriteCond %{HTTP:Connection} Upgrade$ [NC]
	36	RewriteRule ./(.) "ws://cantina.mos-eisley.dk:1890/$1" [P,L]
	37	ProxyPreserveHost On
	38	ProxyRequests Off
	39	ProxyPass / http://cantina.mos-eisley.dk:1890/
	40	ProxyPassReverse / http://cantina.mos-eisley.dk:1890/
	41	<Proxy *>
	42	Order deny,allow
	43	Deny from all
	44	Allow from xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
	45	Allow from yyy.yyy.yyy.yyy
	46	Authtype Basic
	47	Authname "Password Required"
	48	AuthUserFile /etc/apache2/.htpasswd
	49	Require valid-user
	50	</Proxy>
	51	</VirtualHost>
	52	{{/code}}
	53
	54	Creating password:
	55
	56
	57	{{code}}
	58	sudo htpasswd -c /etc/apache2/.htpasswd <username>
	59	{{/code}}
	60
	61
	62	{{code language="cantina.mos-eisley.dk"}}
	63	<VirtualHost *:1890>
	64	ServerAdmin webmaster@localhost
	65	RewriteEngine on
	66	RewriteCond %{HTTP:Upgrade} ^WebSocket$ [NC]
	67	RewriteCond %{HTTP:Connection} Upgrade$ [NC]
	68	RewriteRule ./(.) "ws://localhost:1880/$1" [P,L]
	69	ProxyPreserveHost On
	70	ProxyRequests Off
	71	ProxyPass / http://localhost:1880/
	72	ProxyPassReverse / http://localhost:1880/
	73	<Proxy *>
	74	Order deny,allow
	75	Deny from all
	76	Allow from 77.243.52.144 # www.mos-eisley.dk
	77	Allow from 10 # Local Lan
	78	</Proxy>
	79	</VirtualHost>
	80	{{/code}}
	81
	82
	83
	84	With this setup I can use it from xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx and yyy.yyy.yyy.yyy that represents some well known adresses like work and fiber.
	85
	86	= Adding Node-RED To Home Assistant =
	87
	88	=== Node-RED ===
	89	In Node-RED, under Settings → Palette - Add "node-red-contrib-home-assistant-websocket":
	90
	91	[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 21.34.13.jpg]]
	92
	93	=== Home Assistant ===
	94	In Home Assistant, Add "Node-RED Companion" as an Integration:
	95
	96	[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 21.36.27.jpg]]
	97
	98	Check out [[https://zachowj.github.io/node-red-contrib-home-assistant-websocket/guide/custom_integration/]] for some tips also.
	99
	100	And You are ready to go.
	101
	102	= Automations =
	103
	104	=== Lights ===
	105	Now, Home Assistent is my "heart" of the Installation, but starting to use it, I realize that it has Integrations for Philips Hue and MQTT directly, so Home Assistant could be bypassed for several automations.... I guess that more religion than tech...
	106
	107	My first Automatins in Home Assistant was to bridge my propritary [[ZenseHome>>https://zensehome.dk/]] system to Philips Hue:
	108
	109	[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 21.41.36.jpg]]
	110
	111	Later on, [[ZenseHome>>https://zensehome.dk/]] actually got native Hue support... but Im stil using Home Assistant.
	112
	113	So, I moved this to Node-Red:
	114
	115	[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 21.43.14.jpg\|\|width="1011"\|\|height="96"]]
	116
	117	The "Listen" is listening om [[MQTT>>Main.information-technology.home-assistant.adding-mosquitto-mqtt-to-my-home-automation]] Directly and turns on the ZenseHome ceiling outlet (just to be sure) and turns on the Philips Hue lightbulbs through Home Assistant.
	118
	119	I have also used the Philips Hue Zone "Christophers Ceiling Light" instead of turning on all three bulbs indivudually.
	120
	121	So, I moved all these similar automations from Home Assistant to Node-Red in no time!
	122
	123	=== Stream Deck Support ===
	124	My youngest son got a [[Stream Deck>>https://www.elgato.com/en/stream-deck]] and we wanted to be able to trigger stuff from the buttons, so I looked into the Home Assistant API - and well, You need authetications and all sorts of "complicated" stuff.
	125
	126	So I turned to Node-Red, and found the "http in" node, which setup and url that Node-RED listens on:
	127
	128	[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 21.49.03.jpg\|\|width="477"\|\|height="250"]]
	129
	130	Added the toogle for the Home Assistant entity (A [[Philips Hue Plug>>https://www.philips-hue.com/da-dk/p/hue-smart-plug/8719514342309]]):
	131
	132	[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 21.50.49.jpg\|\|width="584"\|\|height="440"]]
	133
	134	And wired them together:
	135
	136	[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 21.49.55.jpg\|\|width="591"\|\|height="151"]]
	137
	138	Now, going to [[http://sparrow:1880/switch-vr]] simply toggles the VR on/off - no authentication or similar needed, the URL can be put directly into the Stream Deck software and assigned to a Button.
	139
	140	=== Messaging ===
	141	I looked into messaging (Home Assistant already setup for twillo) and found that Facebook Messenger are possible, but the setup is complicated.
	142
	143	So I turned (as and SMS alternative) to Discord, from the Settings → Palette - Add "node-red-contrib-discord-advanced":
	144
	145	[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 21.55.16.jpg\|\|width="1028"\|\|height="534"]]
	146
	147	The setup is a bit complicated - follow the links on [[https://github.com/Markoudstaal/node-red-contrib-discord-advanced]]
	148
	149	Before sending the Discord Message, a "function" node will set the message (msg) - that is the Yellow/orabge "Prepare Message":
	150
	151	[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 21.59.12.jpg\|\|width="649"\|\|height="303"]]
	152	{{success}}The "msg.channel" is and ID and can be found in the URL for the Channel when running Discord in a Browser, its NOT a string like "#home-assistant". Thank for Support from the coders.{{/success}}
	153
	154
	155
	156
	157	And so, a few messages to Discord:
	158
	159	[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 21.57.30.jpg\|\|width="754"\|\|height="250"]]
	160
	161
	162
	163	Result:
	164
	165	[[image:Screen Shot 2022-12-05 at 22.02.55.jpg\|\|height="250"]]

Wiki source code of Node-RED on Docker