We're replacing our front door. The existing one has a mail slot. It's nice to just check the floor in front of the door to see if the mail came yet, though mail slots aren't energy efficient.

Our new door won't have one, but we DO have an old "milk box" on the front porch that would work well for mail. Our carrier gave it the thumbs up.

Our mail can get delivered in a pretty wide span: Sometimes 11am and sometimes 4:30PM and anywhere in between.

I often use that same box to leave stuff for customers (or they leave it for me) if schedules don't jibe.

Since I really don't want to have to go outside constantly to look for the mail, is there something I can do to get a notification upstairs in my office? I'm thinking some sort of WiFi-enable plunge switch mounted on the inside of the box so that when the top of the milk box is opened, I can get some sort of notification if a browser is on a certain URL. Or maybe there's a Buzzer than can sit on my desk upstairs that's wifi-enabled to the switch? Of course, it doesn't need to be WiFi... a wireless connection to a buzzer would work. Though I DO like the idea of some sort of visual notification I can look at 10 minutes or two-hours later if I'm wearing headphones and missed hearing the buzzer.

I don't know how to look for a product in this case, because I'm not really sure what I'm looking for.

Thoughts, Oh Creative Techies?

Wireless camera?

I've considered putting a wireless security camera on the porch anyway, but unless I'm sitting there watching a monitor, I still won't know if the mail came or a customer dropped something off.

Funny, though, I WAS likely going to post a question here when I got more serious about choosing / installing a camera!

If the door had a mail slot, Nolan would probably like it more. Until then, it remains stupid.

Go to HD and just get a wireless doorbell. Put the push-button by the "Mailbox" and ask your carrier to "Push, baby, baby, Push, baby, baby."

Twenty bux.

You're thinking way to high tech. Get a long string. Attach one end to the lid of the milk box. Run the other end up to your desk and put a loop on it. When you sit down at the desk to work, attach the loop to, well, you get the idea...

You'd think he could just teach the effen dog to bark.

... or

You could look to the Arduino community to see if something is available. It's an ideal platform for this sort of thing.

You DO know that if Buddy could read, I'd never have made that joke. BTW, I've been meaning to talk to you and Joyce about that. I don't think this homeschooling thing is working out in his best interest.

I have a wireless doorbell. But it would just be cooler if I received some notification every time the box was opened.

If I tried the string thing, do you think I could get my mail carrier to pull it repeatedly?

Buddy reads, Bob. He's just selective WHO he reads!

How about some type of X-10 wireless setup?

Maybe like this... x10-driveway-sensor-alert-kit

Bob is a DELIGHT.

I'd do the camera and configure it with a motion sensor. Have it send you a picture when it senses something in the force.

Of course, I'd also have no freaking idea HOW to do that, so I'd start another thread.

Just screw a fluckin' bell to the mailbox lid and call it a day.

?? http://security.panasonic.com/pss/security/products/bbbl/lineup/bl-c210/. ??

The image can be sent to your cell

Squeeky hinges?