About 5 years ago we bought our first house. In the apartment that we lived in previously we had DSL with a WiFi Router feeding a few phones and computers... and that was the extent of our online items.
However times are changing, and apparently I am getting caught up in it all:
- Almost immediately I realized that the old WiFi Router offered to small of a footprint, Obviously! So that got upgraded. (One thing of note was that now we have Cable Internet... which is FASTER)
- The first Domino to fall was the installation of 2 Nest Thermostats....
- Home Security became a concern, so enter SimpliSafe...
- It continued with a WEMO powered 110vac outlet followed shortly by a light switch that turned on and off some lighting automatically.
- Then we got an Apple TV which led to Netflix, which lead to Hulu, which lead to DirecTV getting the boot. (Probably the best outcome of it all :)
- The Water Heater went out and why just get a regular old water heater when they have them with an IOT interface? (Note, I am kinda of glad i have this now due to some odd internal sensor that keeps shutting the heater down. What do you know, I get an alert on my phone that such a thing is happening!)
Then the flood came of IOT's, and when a flood hits the order doesn't really matter: The WiFi Printer dropped from the sky, a TV went south and a 'Smart TV' grew in its place (and go figure, it was WAY bigger ???) Then a Roku slipped in the door, followed by different TV losing half it's color range and a darn Roku TV exploded onto the scene. Out of the corner of my eye I spied a few WiFi Camera's taking roost. Once again, my Internet was lacking (I wonder why?). So after a quick phone call to the cable company for a speed boost and then a realization that I need another boost at the Wifi level; enter the 'Mesh' WiFi Router!! If that wasn't enough, now my Doorbell can see you, seeing me, seeing you...
So far. I have refused the entry of the 'home assistant'. No Google Home, Echo Dot, Alexa, Samantha, Siri, Fred, Jane, Tom, Dick, or Harry have made their entry into these four walls. Both the YL and I are still set on this....
Yet, I am about to embark on another Sunday of IOT shenanigans.... It sure would be nice to see what is up with my Irrigation Controller from my office!
(To have at least one Amateur Radio related item in today's blog, did you know that Alexa can give you Propagation Reports?)