Techie questions re: Home Automation

[KathyTX]

This seems like a weird place to ask, but some of my favorite geeks hang out here. (Corey, Jeff, Mike- I'm talkin' to you!!!)

I'd like to set up some outdoor lighting that I can control from an app. Some of the lighting already exists and is turned on via a manual light switch that is outdoors, some is controlled by a switch in the house that is not always convenient, and I'd like to put in some additional security floodlights that could all ideally be controlled from the same app.

I'd also like to add an outdoor music system of some sort and it would be great if it could be app controlled.

Do you have any recommendations for the solutions you'd look at if you were doing this now?

 

[GreatLakes]

I don't have any product recommendation but do have an architecture recommendation. If you are going to use WiFi controlled devices please segregate your LAN. Many of these devices do not have very good security, like having hard coded encryption keys that are easily exportable, and you don't want anything private like financial information co-mingling with your WiFi controlled light bulbs.

Even if you have a router that allows for VLANs I would recommend a completely separate WiFi router that is a peer, and not parent or child, to your normally used Internet WiFi router. It is often referred to as a Y formation where the tail of the Y is your internet router which passes packets to one tail for the more secure network (your laptop and cell phone) and to the other tail for your less secure network (the Internet of things).\

Here is a diagram:

 

[KathyTX]

Excellent points, GreatLakes!

I've actually engineered and deployed VLANs many times in my corporate life, but it's so easy to forget to consider the same security aspects at home. I hadn't actually thought it through that far yet.

Added bonus is that I could then give guests access to the less secured network for their devices and not expose my main network.

(Kind of embarrassed to admit that networks and subnets and VLANs and IP addressing and hex conversions and binary get me excited... Talk TCP/IP to me and I'm yours!)

 

[OKW Lover]

I've been using Insteon and Z-Wave devices in my home. Both seem to function just fine, at least locally.

In order to control my home when I'm away, I rely on software running on a server in my house. I use Indigo, which only runs on Mac's. The advantage of the software running on my own server is that I establish any schedules/triggers I want and nobody knows about it out in the "cloud".

ETA, link to the Indigo site.

 

[GAN]

Not sure what your budget is or if you were looking for a DIY project or not, but this Lutron would be your most complete tried and tested option in my opinion(although a certified installer might be necessary depending on what you are looking for):

http://www.lutron.com/en-US/Residen...Residential-Solutions/WholeHomeSolutions.aspx

They do offer some VERY simple solutions that would answer your need for a more convenient switch option, something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Lutron-MRF2-600MTHW-WH-Multi-Location-Controller-Wallplate/dp/B003U8Y9QA

For a DIY ...as already mentioned, the Insteon system might be your best option and the price is pretty affordable.

 

[k5jm]

Kathy, are you wanting Alexa to be able to control your lighting?

For music outdoors you will need some waterproof/UV shielded speakers. Behind that you can use an amp that has Bluetooth integrated into it so that all you need is your phone or ipad or laptop to stream your audio content.

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/produ...melectronics.com/browse/Amplifiers/0000000047

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/produ...score&view=list&cataf=cat1%3aaudiovideo&srt=0

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/produ...cs.com/browse/Outdoor-Speakers/0000000291/p/2