Reading wireless 433 MHz door/window alarm sensor?

Projects General Guidance
1

I'm new to the Arduino world and I wanted to try something beyond flashing LEDs and outputting to an LCD.

I've done some Google research and I have a 433 MHz wireless receiver. I have also downloaded the rc-switch library and have it installed. I loaded the demo read program but I don't see any return codes on the serial console. I am 100% positive that the wireless sensors are 433 MHz.

I would like to be able to read the status of the 433 MHz door/window alarm sensors in my house (existing home security system circa 2003). All of the 433 MHz sketches I have seen so far show how to interface to a garage door opener or to a wireless A/C plug.

Do I have to "pair" the wireless sensor with the receiver? How can I read if the receiver is sensing open or closed? I can't read the numbers on the chip, waaay to small, even with a magnifying glass. If these sensors are to old, I'm fine with replacing them with newer ones that are compatible with the rc-switch library.

Thanks!
/Raj

2

The sensor probably does not use the RCSwitch protocol. It is not secure.

I use this approach to investigate remote sensors.

3

Thanks jremington. Yes, I had seen that article during my research. I was hoping not to have to dig that deeply. :slight_smile:

I saw in the rc-switch the supported chipsets but I was curious if there was a list of manufacturers that used those shipsets?

Thanks,
/Raj

4

What kind of receiver you have? I mean, if you have receiver and transmitter pair, than you can verify if your receiver + software library configured properly, by sending known message