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Security Projects
Motion detection, alerts, and access monitoring tutorials with PIR sensors, relays, and Wi-Fi notifications.
2 ProjectsClear difficulty labelsSecurity
What this category covers
Motion alerts, RFID access, camera monitoring, and lock-control prototypes with clear safety boundaries. A practical first build is ESP32 Motion Security Alert.
Start here: Begin with a local sensor or card reader, then add network alerts only after local testing is reliable.
Skills you practice
- PIR detection
- RFID checks
- relay safety
- event logging
Related guides
Useful components
Related categories
Before you adapt it
- Learning projects are not certified security systems and should not be the only protection for people or property.
- Test false positives, missed triggers, and power loss before adding notifications.
- Keep locks, relays, and door hardware separate from USB breadboard wiring unless properly enclosed.
Learning progression
- Read digital inputsStart by understanding stable input states before trusting alerts.
- Debounce eventsUse debounce concepts for switches, doors, and repeated event triggers.
- Detect motionBuild a PIR alert that logs and explains false positives.
- Add identity inputMove to RFID only after local event behaviour is reliable.
Choose the right project
- Motion alertChoose this for PIR warm-up, trigger timing, and notification logic.
- RFID accessChoose this for card UID checks and safe lock-control boundaries.
- Camera demoChoose this for local-network viewing, not certified surveillance.
- Door lockUse this when the lesson includes actuator safety and manual fallback.
Technical reality and troubleshooting
Limits to understand
- These projects are educational prototypes and not certified alarm, access-control, or surveillance systems.
- PIR sensors can trigger from heat, sunlight, pets, airflow, and warm-up behaviour.
- Locks and relays need fail-safe thinking, separate power, and physical fallback before any real doorway use.
Common failure checks
- PIR triggers constantly: allow warm-up, move it away from heat sources or windows, and log timestamps before changing code.
- RFID card is not detected: check SPI wiring, antenna distance, tag orientation, and library example output.
- Relay or lock behaves backward: verify active LOW/HIGH input logic, NO/NC contacts, and the load supply path.
Privacy boundary
Security
SecurityBeginner5 min read
ESP32 Motion Security Alert
Build an ESP32 PIR motion sensor project with HC-SR501 OUT on GPIO27, warm-up behavior, buzzer or L…
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Security
SecurityIntermediate10 min read
ESP32 RFID Access Control System
Build an ESP32 RFID access control system with MFRC522 RC522 wiring, SS GPIO5, RST GPIO22, relay or…
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