IP (wired and wireless) in the home

[Chri5]

What's your knowledge on wireless IP devices controlled by PC's in the home like?

Other than setting up my router for 2 x PC's, 1 laptop, an XB360 and PS2 I know nothing
Although I did do a few 5000+ Cat 5 installations in the 90's, so have knowledge regarding hubs, switches, networking and the wired port equipment

You can get:-

Wireless IP CCTV camera's
IP modules for boilers
IP modules for in room heating control
IP modules for alarms
IP modules for av and multi room entertainment
IP modules for voice phones / VoIP

Tag any of the above to a PC and remote access the functionality via work PC, wireless laptop, PDA and mobile. If the CCTV is plugged in, you could spy round your house over the net (bit scary that- what was the wife doing )

Does the incessant march of IP in both Cat 5 cable and wireless units mean the death of speaker cable, co-ax, wired phones, CCTV, alarms and all sorts of wiring work?

Have you done any client IP work? I'd assume the only real draw back with wireless is that every remote will require a power socket or fused spur adjacent to its positioning, that or batteries which is a PITA mtce wise.

Open discussion, do tell me about your thoughts

 

[MasterAbacus]

Wireless devices nearly always require a power source of some kind....

Id go Wired everytime for House stuff, Run Cat5e or Cat 6 to the item location, this will even carry the power to most units. Far easier than wireless....

I find wireless only good if you look at installing a device next to an existing power out let..... but if you have to install power points.... go wired..


Rant over...

 

[Chri5]

Makes sense from a security point of view, wireless might have some encrypton but ...... (if it has a code, they will get cracked) and requirement for a power source is a weakness.

As you say devices that are IP wired and driven via a nominal DC voltage via the hub or router would seem best. Do hubs work like USB ports with a power take from port facility?

If a device is static, such as a CCTV unit then wire it. IP Phones, Laptops and portable equipment deserve wireless since thats what they are designed to have.

 

[toasty]

Hi Mate,

Search for some of my earlier posts. I've got all of the functionality you describe in my own house and then some.

Sorry, I can't be more specific at the mo, busy at work, but as I say search there is some stuff here about it.

-Dan

 

[wobbin]

Hi,

I'd go for wired every time.

Look for the term "PoE" with relation to network kit.

This stuff is able to provide power to suitably equipped devices over a CAT5e cable, so you negate the need for power points nearby. Typically you'd buy a network switch which provides the PoE, or you can buy a standard switch and use PoE injectors but that's a bit messy.

If you must go wireless I'd recommend looking for WPA-PSK support on the wireless router and wireless client hardware as this is far more secure. The older WPA encryption sucks big time because it can be cracked easily. Bear in mind that if someone gets into your wireless network and uses it to access child porn for example this will be logged against YOUR IP address

Oh, and avoid Belkin gear. They make great (if expensive) cables but their network hardware is cheap and most definitely not cheerful imho.

Cheers
Robin

 

[Chri5]

Thanks for that Robin

PoE, that's one to keep in the old grey matter. Does such equipment extend down to smaller hubs, 8, 12, 16 port?
Could you suggest some suitable domestic use products that are user easy to manage?

I'd still like to hear what people have installed, is anyone running MS Media as a AV server at home?
Or using the security side, Pc stored IP connected CCTV with remote access?

If this is the way forward (and no one has yet crashed in to the thread and said "no") some current user details on what your doing with kit at home would be great.

You see all those products, Home builders are selling 'networked' houses with hubs, cat 5 and av.
As was detailed on the 'home entertainment thread' recently you can pay £15k for a house av system. I'd imagine that's all IP switched kit, but I don't know- hence the post

 

[wobbin]

Hi,

Here's an 8 port POE switch :

http://www.broadbandstuff.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=919

Personally I think that all new houses should have at least 1 twin Cat5e socket in every room (well, perhaps not the bathroom...) all wired back to a central point in the loft or a suitable cupboard area. Also an ADSL or cable connection should be mandatory. Then more people could work from home where possible and avoid these damn silly ideas of road pricing

I have each room wired back with Cat5e to my ground floor extension loftspace, a 10Mbit cable connection with a Checkpoint VPN Firewall appliance, a Netgear 24 port gigabit switch, and a Freecom FSG3 500Gb network storage appliance. It's like NASA control up there

I did have a pc running Asterisk (an open source VoIP PABX) until the hard disk went but I've not got around to rebuilding that. You can get VoIP phones quite cheaply now and Asterisk allows you to have soft answerphones, call transfer etc, you name it. It's incredible and totally free as it's based on Linux. It's not the most friendly system to set up though.

I also have two 3com access points with planar antennae to provide a 108Mbit point to point secure radio network link to my workshop which is at the bottom of the garden. Once there it feeds into another switch which then feeds my development pc's and two networked printers.

The sky's the limit !

Regards,
Robin