The advantage of using Ethernet is it’s easier to set up, is arguably more secure, and provides greater speeds. It also frees up bandwidth for those devices that require WiFi, and don’t have an Ethernet option, like a smartphone. It is often recommended that larger devices such as televisions, scanners, and printers, or anything that isn’t mobile, connect via Ethernet because of these benefits.

The obvious advantage of WiFi is mobility but also retrofit ability. Especially in older homes, there is not always going to be an Ethernet connection available at the location you would like to put a device or appliance. So, unless you’re willing to possibly turn your walls into swiss cheese, WiFi might be the best option.

A quality home network provides time savings and efficiency. For example, connecting multiple devices or computers to a single printer via the network allows you to quickly print from anywhere in the house. Also, a home network allows you to access files, documents, music, videos, photos, and more, all from any of your devices on the network.

Bandwidth is an important factor that affects the quality and speed of your home network. It is often compared to traffic on the road. When you’re the only car driving, the trip is easy and fast; but as more cars join the road, the drive gets slower and more difficult, leading to a traffic jam. This is the same with a device connection: as more devices are trying to connect to the network, the bandwidth becomes crowded and slower. All the more reason to have a network with both Ethernet and WiFi connections. Using the same analogy, think of an Ethernet connection like a subway or train, and a WiFi connection like the freeway. By having some devices on Ethernet, and some on WiFi, you can optimize the amount of traffic and bandwidth being used. Performing an analysis on how much of your bandwidth is currently being used through your router settings or by downloading a third-party application will aid you in deciding whether you need to upgrade your network to improve its efficiency and speed.

Within your home network settings, you can prioritize devices and even types of content. For example, you can set a sequence for your work devices to connect to the internet before something like streaming or video games. With a smart home system, each connection takes up some amount of your internet bandwidth, so prioritizing devices assures that the most important ones will be able to connect with the strongest and most reliable speed.

Motorized outdoor shades have several convenient options, such as different levels of opaqueness for controlling how much light you want to come through, or a centralized control panel for home automation integration. They can be controlled via a remote or direct wall control, and you can even set a schedule for them to automatically transition at different times of day. Some motorized wall shades are Bluetooth-enabled and can be controlled from your smartphone or another device.

As well as the obvious shade in your outdoor environment, many people enjoy the extra layer of privacy that a shade affords — especially if neighbors or other people are visible from your yard or patio. Some motorized shades feature automatic sensors that can detect harsh weather conditions such as wind and rain and adjust their position accordingly. They can also keep out insects and other pests.

In addition to these practical benefits, motorized shades are visually pleasing. There are no hanging chains or cords in the way, and there are options to style them to match your home’s aesthetic.

There are two (2) main options for motorized outdoor shades:

1. Battery-powered: These are simple and affordable as they don’t require extra wiring. They’re also the least disruptive to existing home infrastructure and are great for areas that may not be close to an outlet. Battery-powered shades are reliable and can last up to three years before needing a battery replacement.
2. Hard-wired: These require a bit more effort to install depending on whether the shade location has been prewired for power. If not, a wire needs to be run to your home’s electrical supply. Once connected, you’ve eliminated the need to ever change batteries.

You can also install motorized outdoor shades on the exterior of your home to prevent the sun from entering your house through the windows, which helps to keep your house cool. It’s nice to have the convenience of a motorized shade you can operate from indoors, and that doesn’t take up any interior space.

At a Glance: 

What is Home Automation?

Lighting Automation in Your Home

Installing Home Lighting Automation

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WHAT Do You Want to Listen To?

When asked this question, the most common answer is, “I want to play music from my phone through the outdoor speakers.” There are two ways to accomplish this — wirelessly stream the music from your phone to the audio system OR use your phone to tell a media player located connected inside what to play.

Wirelessly streaming music from your phone can be done. But it may be problematic if you don’t have good WiFi coverage everywhere in your yard. There can also be issues with wireless interference or dropouts and interruptions due to incoming phone calls, texts, and push notifications. Oftentimes, the better option is to have your technology integrator specify and install a media player that can stream your favorite music services (Spotify, Pandora, SiriusXM, etc.) or access your music library. You can use your phone, tablet, or remote to tell the system what to play and not have to worry about disruptions.

But music isn’t your only option here. If you have a TV on the patio, we can route the TV audio through your outdoor audio system instead of relying on just the TV speakers. Some systems will also allow paging to the outdoor space or the ability to hear the front doorbell when you’re out by the pool.

WHERE Do You Want to Hear It?

When we plan for audio on the inside of the house, we generally specify which rooms we want speakers in and the quality of sound we desire for each space. Outdoors is no different. Even though one might think of the backyard as one big space, it makes sense to break it up into sections or zones.

Some of those areas might be semi-enclosed, like a screened-in patio. Others like the pool area have no ceiling or walls that direct or contain the sound. The characteristics of each zone will significantly influence the type of speakers that make sense for that area.