WiFi Human Presence Sensor Guide for Australian Homes (2026): How It Works, Where to Put It, How to Automate Your Lights
A WiFi human presence sensor is a small radar sensor that tells your smart home when someone is in a room. Add a built-in light sensor and your lights can turn on only when someone is there and it is dark. It joins your home WiFi directly, so there is no hub to buy and no monthly fee.
This guide covers how a presence sensor works, how it differs from a PIR motion sensor, the best places to put one in an Australian home, how to set it up, and what to check before you buy. If you only want the product, the PureNode Human Presence Sensor is the one we make and stand behind.
The short answer
- What it does: a 5.8 GHz radar senses people in the room, and a built-in light sensor reads the light level from 0 to 3000 lux. Together they let you turn lights on when someone enters a dark room and off when it is empty.
- Do you need a hub? No. It joins your 2.4 GHz WiFi network directly.
- What app does it use? Tuya Smart, on iPhone and Android. It also appears in Alexa and Google Home once you link them to Tuya Smart.
- Best first spots: a living room, a hallway and a laundry or pantry doorway.
- Biggest gotchas: it works on 2.4 GHz WiFi only, and it is powered over USB-C. A USB power adapter is not included.
How does a human presence sensor work?
The PureNode sensor has a 5.8 GHz radar. It sends out a weak radio signal and listens for what bounces back, so it can tell when a person is within about 6 metres, across an angle of more than 90 degrees. A small round window at the front is a light sensor that reads the brightness of the room from 0 to 3000 lux.
The sensor talks to your router over WiFi. In the Tuya Smart app you can build a scene that uses presence and light level together, for example: if someone is detected and the room is dim, turn on the hallway lights; when the room is empty, turn them off. The lights themselves need to be smart lights or smart plugs that you have added to the same app.
How is it different from a PIR motion sensor?
A PIR motion sensor reacts to heat moving across its view. A radar sensor measures reflected radio waves instead. Radar is not affected by the temperature of a room in the same way, and the detection area is a wide cone rather than a narrow strip. Every sensor behaves a little differently in a real room, so place it, test it by walking through, and adjust where you mount it. For outdoor and security-style motion lighting, our guide to automating outdoor lights covers the basics.
Where should you put a human presence sensor?
Put the sensor where people enter or move through a room, with a clear view of the space and out of direct sunlight on the light sensor.
In the living room
Mount the sensor high on a wall near the room entrance, facing the room. Use the adhesive pad in the box. As you walk in at dusk, your lamps and downlights can come on without anyone reaching for a switch, and the light sensor keeps them off while it is bright.
In the hallway
The ceiling is a good spot for a hallway. A sensor that is only 10.5 mm thin sits quietly against the ceiling, and a scene can turn on soft night lighting when you walk through. This is handy for night-time trips to the kitchen or bathroom.
In the laundry, pantry or garage
These are the rooms you often enter with your hands full. Mount the sensor near the doorway so the lights are on by the time you walk in with a basket or the shopping.
Other places worth a sensor
- A walk-in wardrobe or a bathroom.
- The top of a staircase.
- A home office, so lights switch off when you leave.
For a wider look at what sensors can do around the house, see our smart sensors buying guide.
How do you set it up?
Setup takes a few minutes.
- Power it on. Plug the USB cable from the box into a 5V USB power source. A USB power adapter is not included. The LED blinks when it is ready to pair.
- Add it in Tuya Smart. Open the app, add a device and join your 2.4 GHz WiFi network. New to the app? Our Tuya Smart beginner's walkthrough covers it step by step. To use voice assistants, see setting up Google Home or Amazon Alexa.
- Mount it and set your lights. Fix it to a wall or ceiling with the adhesive pad, then create a Tuya Smart scene so your lights turn on with presence and low light.
Why does it only work on 2.4 GHz WiFi?
Most small smart home devices use 2.4 GHz because it travels further and passes through walls better than 5 GHz. Many Australian routers combine both bands under one network name. If yours does, keep your phone on 2.4 GHz while you pair the sensor. If pairing keeps failing, our guide on smart devices dropping offline covers the usual fixes. Planning a bigger system? Read Zigbee vs Matter vs WiFi first.
What should you check before buying a presence sensor?
| Check | Why it matters | PureNode Human Presence Sensor |
|---|---|---|
| Hub needed? | A hub adds cost and a setup step | No hub, joins 2.4 GHz WiFi |
| App | Where you build your lighting scenes | Tuya Smart, also in Alexa and Google Home |
| Light sensor | Stops lights coming on in a bright room | Built in, 0 to 3000 lux |
| Radar range and angle | Decides how much of the room it covers | 5.8 GHz, 0 to 6 m, more than 90 degrees |
| Power | Decides where you can mount it | DC 5V / 1A over USB-C, 2.1 m USB cable included, adapter not included |
| Mounting | Renters need something removable | Adhesive pad supplied, wall or ceiling |
| Size | Should be discreet | 49 x 49 x 10.5 mm |
| Warranty | Who helps if it fails | 12 months from delivery, in addition to your rights under the Australian Consumer Law |
Can you use one in a rental?
Yes. It mounts with an adhesive pad and plugs in over USB, so nothing needs wiring and you can take it with you when you move. Just make sure there is a USB power source within reach of the 2.1 m cable.
Do you need smart lights as well?
Yes. A presence sensor tells your system that someone is in the room. To turn lights on and off you need smart globes, a smart switch or a smart plug connected to the same app. If you are starting from scratch, see your first smart home device and our guide to smart globes in Australian downlights. Browse the Smart Sensors collection to pair it with other sensors. A door and window sensor or a water leak sensor covers the rest of the house.
Why choose the PureNode sensor?
The PureNode Human Presence Sensor is a PureNode Original: it carries our own logo and arrives in our own PureNode box with a printed user guide. PureNode is an Australian-owned business run by Electro Oz Pty Ltd in Victoria. Every order ships free, the sensor has a 12-month warranty from delivery, and our 14-day returns policy applies. Questions before you buy? Email info@purenode.com.au.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a hub for a WiFi presence sensor?
No. It connects directly to your 2.4 GHz WiFi network and is set up in the Tuya Smart app.
Does it work with Alexa and Google Home?
Yes. Add it in Tuya Smart, link Alexa or Google Home to Tuya Smart, and the sensor appears in both.
Does it work on a 5 GHz WiFi network?
No. It supports 2.4 GHz WiFi only. If your router combines 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz under one name, keep your phone on 2.4 GHz while pairing.
How is it powered?
Over USB-C at DC 5V / 1A. A 2.1 m USB cable is included. A USB power adapter is not included.
How does it know when it is dark?
It has a built-in light sensor that reads 0 to 3000 lux. In Tuya Smart you can use that reading with presence in a scene, so lights only turn on when someone is there and the room is dark.
How far and how wide does it detect?
Up to 6 m, across an angle of more than 90 degrees.
How do I mount it?
Use the adhesive pad in the box to fix it to a wall or ceiling. It is 10.5 mm thin and the USB cable plugs into the bottom edge.
What is in the box?
The sensor, a USB cable, an adhesive pad and a user manual.
Products in this guide
Everything mentioned above
In stock and shipped free Australia-wide.
PureNode
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