Smart Home Without the Cloud

Home Assistant Projects for a Private, Smarter Home

By: Case Mercer

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Build a smart home you control - without handing your data to big tech.

If you like the idea of home automation but dislike cloud accounts, data collection, and complex coding, this book is for you. Smart Home Without the Cloud shows you how to use Home Assistant to create powerful, local-only automations that run on your own hardware, inside your own network.

Written in plain language for non-coders and practical tinkerers, this guide walks you through planning, installing, and expanding a privacy-first smart home. From lighting and security to voice control and accessibility, you will learn how to design automations that actually make daily life easier, not more complicated.

Inside this book, you’ll discover:

• What a modern smart home is - and why local control matters for privacy
• How to install and set up Home Assistant on your own network
• Key concepts for running automations without cloud services
• Simple ways to secure your home network and protect your devices
• DIY sensor and device options that integrate cleanly with Home Assistant
• Energy management ideas for efficient and even off-grid homes
• Local-only camera and surveillance setups that respect your privacy
• Smart lighting, voice assistants, and legacy device integration without relying on the internet
• Real-world automation ideas for gardening, accessibility, and aging in place

Designed for real homes, not just tech demos:

• No programming experience required - step-by-step concepts, not jargon
• Focus on reliability, security, and long-term maintainability
• Projects that can be built gradually, using hardware you choose

Whether you are just starting with Home Assistant or looking to move your existing smart home off the cloud, this book will help you design a system that is private, flexible, and under your control. You will understand the trade-offs, see clear examples of what to automate, and learn how to grow your setup as your needs evolve.

Take back control of your home. Build a private, smarter home on your own terms - with Home Assistant at the center and your data staying where it belongs: with you.