Geofencing without the BI Android app?

[t_andersen]

I have previously used the BI Android app, but really didn't like it much (can't even remember why anymore). So I have instead set up a message system using "pushover" as described in neile's AI thread. It works well. However, when I am home and moving around right outside the house, I get a lot of alerts via pushover on my smartphone and it is quite annoying to constantly hear it beeping. It would be smart with some geofencing algorithm. Problem is that for Android geofencing to be used, the GPS must be on, which drains the power of the smartphone, and again the BI app must be installed, so I have been looking for an alternate approach.

In fact, it would enough to disable triggering when the Android smartphone was logged into the same wifi as the BI computer. It makes me think that it would be possible to write a little Python program that every few minutes pings my smartphone on the LAN to see if I am there?

Has anyone tried this or does anyone have a better proposal?

 

[jaydeel]

If you have some coding & automation skills, try sending a geofence JSON command to the server when you leave & depart your home location (for details, click here). I use Tasker to send the inside/outside commands when connected to my car’s Bluetooth AND disconnecting/nearing my home WiFi. This triggers the geofence actions sets I’ve assigned to the device.

 

[t_andersen]

Clever, looks interesting!