While NodeRed.org contains a basic setup tutorial, this tutorial will make installation and setup easier.
To ensure you're installing the latest version, refer to Node Red's installation tutorial for the proper 32-bit or 64-bit installation link.
Download the latest supported version of Node.js from the installation tutorial above and run the installation. You can leave the default settings.
Note: At the time of this writing, Node.js is on version 0.12.x but Node Red only supports up to version 0.10.x. Be sure to only use the install link provided in the Node Red installation tutorial above - do not go directly to Node.js to download their latest version as it may not be supported by Node Red.
Now that Node.js is installed, you can use the Node Package Manager (npm) command to install Node Red from the command prompt.
From the Run menu, type Command. When Command prompt shows in the results, right click and select "Run as Administrator"
When the command prompt opens, use the following command to install Node Red:
npm install -g node-red
You'll see warning messages scroll past having to do with python -- don't worry, it will not affect your install. When the installation completes, you should see something similar to the screenshot below with various modules that are installed by default.
To run Node Red, simply type node-red into your command prompt window. Take note of the data displayed, specifically the User Directory, and Server now running at http://127.0.0.1:1880/ -- to access the Node Red editor, browse to http://127.0.0.1:1880/
To stop Node Red, use Control+C in the command window. Type Y to confirm.
Additional Node Modules can be added to your default installation to add more functionality. We will walk you through installing Pushbullet and Freeboard by editing the package.json file, but additional modules can be found on Node Red's website. Noteworthy modules which you can install on your own include nodes for interacting with Wemo devices, Hue devices, and Nest thermostats.
Note: Any time you run the
npm installcommand from the command prompt, make sure you are in your Node Red install folder as described below.
Return to the command prompt window where you used the node-red command. As noted earlier, use Control+C to stop the application, then Y to confirm termination.
Open a new window in Windows Explorer and browse to your Node Red installation directory:
C:\users\(Your Windows username)\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\node-red\
In the directory, you will see package.json - open this file using your favorite text editor. I recommend notepad++
In package.json, around line 39 will be "dependencies": { - add the following lines below the dependencies line:
"node-red-node-pushbullet":"0.x",
"node-red-contrib-freeboard":"git://github.com/tfatykhov/node-red-contrib-freeboard.git",
Your dependencies section should now look like this:
"dependencies": {
"node-red-node-pushbullet":"0.x",
"node-red-contrib-freeboard":"git://github.com/tfatykhov/node-red-contrib-freeboard.git",
"express": "3.17.2",
"when": "3.7.3",
"bcryptjs": "2.1.0",
"nopt": "3.0.2",
"mqtt": "0.3.x",
"ws": "0.7.2",
"fs-extra": "0.18.4",
"clone": "1.0.2",
"mustache": "2.1.1",
"cron": "1.0.9",
"raw-body": "2.1.1",
"xml2js": "0.4.9",
"sentiment": "0.2.3",
"follow-redirects": "0.0.3",
"cors": "2.7.1",
"cheerio": "0.19.0",
"uglify-js": "2.4.23",
"on-headers": "1.0.0",
"is-utf8": "0.2.0",
"fs.notify": "0.0.4",
"passport": "0.2.2",
"passport-http-bearer": "1.0.1",
"passport-oauth2-client-password": "0.1.2",
"oauth2orize": "1.0.1",
"node-red-node-feedparser": "0.0.*",
"node-red-node-email": "0.0.*",
"node-red-node-twitter": "0.0.*",
"node-red-node-serialport": "0.0.*",
"bcrypt": "0.8.3"
},
Save the file and return to our command prompt window. Use the cd command to change to the Node Red installation directory:
cd C:\users\(Your Windows username)\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\node-red\
Once in the Node Red install directory, enter the following command to re-compile Node Red:
npm -l install
If successful, you should have a window similar to this:
After issuing the node-red command to start Node Red up again, you should see two Push Bullet nodes under the Social category:
To access your Freeboard module, browse to http://localhost:1880/freeboard
Next we will make changes to the configuration to secure your Node Red application and also set up some necessary variables for our sample flows to work!
Open a Windows Explorer window and browse to your Node Red installation folder:
Note: By default, Node Red is installed to: C:\Users\(Your Username)\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\node-red\
For Wink to be able to send you status updates on your devices, your Node Red application must be accessible to the internet. For that reason, we'll want to make sure our Node Red application is secure!
In your Node Red folder, we need to edit the settings.js file.
In settings.js, look for this line:
uiPort: 1880,
This step is completely optional, but if you would like to change the port which Node Red uses, you can change this setting here. If you're not sure, leave the port alone.
Note: This should not be confused with the port forwarding configuration section further down in this tutorial. You can leave your local port set to 1880, but when setting up port forwarding you would set the external port to something greater than 32000 and your local port to 1880.
In settings.js, around line 21 is module.exports = { - paste the following beneath this line:
adminAuth: {
type: "credentials",
users: [{
username: "(Whatever username you want to use to log in to Node Red)",
password: "(Password Hash - see below)",
permissions: "*"
}]
},
Once you've pasted the adminAuth function into the settings.js file, we need to generate a password hash to put into the password field.
Hopefully you still have your Command Prompt window open from the previous steps - if so, terminate the Node Red batch job by pressing Control+C and Y to confirm.
You must be in the Node Red installation folder for the following step to work, so make sure you're in C:\Users\(Your username)\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\node-red\ and then issue the following command into the Command Prompt window:
node -e "console.log(require('bcryptjs').hashSync(process.argv[1], 8));" your-password-here
Copy and the hash which is generated from this command and paste it between the quotations in the password field we put in settings.js.
Once completed, adminAuth should look similar to this:
When Node Red is started again, you will be prompted with the following login page to be able to access the editor:
Lastly, still in the settings.js file, find
functionGlobalContext: { },
and replace it with these lines:
functionGlobalContext: {
WinkUser : { uid : "your Wink username"
, pwd : "your Wink password"
}
, BlueMixUrlBase : "http://(your *PUBLIC* IP address):(port)/"
, forecastIoApiKey : "your API key"
, HomeLocation : { lon : "the longitude of your home location"
, lat : "the lattitude of your home location"
}
, FREEBOARD_TOKEN : "pseudo-random-string"
, IFTTT_TOKEN: "your IFTTT secret key"
, motionAdjustTstat: true
},
Notes: To get an API key for
forecast.iogo here
To get your public IP address, perform a Google search for "IP address" and your IP will be returned in the results.
Save the settings.js file, return to your Command Prompt window and start Node Red using node-red command. Node Red should start without any errors.
For the Wink flows to work your Node Red application must be accessible from the internet. This requires setting up a port forwarding rule to route any requests to http://(your public IP):(port number)/ goes to your computer's Node Red application.
Note: When setting up port forwarding - either through your home router or via the link below, it is recommended that you set the external port to a port number greater than 32000. Since the default port 1880 is a known port, it's likely that a port scanner would pick up your Node Red application while sweeping network segments. If you use a port greater than 32000 then it is less likely the port scanner would detect the Node Red application running on your network.
If you do decide to change your external port number, be sure to update the
BlueMixUrlBasein thesettings.jsfile so that Wink's subscription service can get to your Node Red application.
By far the easiest Port Forwarding tutorial ever, use the following link to set up port forwarding for Node Red entirely through Windows. You won't even have to log into your router's web interface at all. I was stunned this works, but it does!
http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-1951258/easily-open-ports-port-forward-router.html
Note: You must start the Node Red application before Windows Firewall will prompt you to allow the application access to the internet. When the window pops up, click Accept and your Node Red application will now be accessible from the internet.
Go to your Node Red install
If you haven't logged in yet, you will be prompted to enter the username and password you set up in the settings.js file earlier.
Once in the editor, click on the three bars in the upper-right hand corner to get the menu, select "Import > Clipboard", copy the contents of Flows/Bluemix/winkCore.json into the pop-up window, and click "OK".
You'll now see the flow hovering where your cursor is -- move your cursor up to the top left corner and then click your mouse - the flow will "deposit" where your cursor is.
Create new tabs using the + symbol, then repeat for winkFreeboard.json and winkIntegration.json
Click on "Deploy", then click the "Debug" tab on the right bar. You will see your device names flowing past in the debug window on right side of the screen. You now have Node Red syncronized with your Wink account!
To start using Winkboard, browse to http://localhost:1880/freeboard/Winkboard