Almost all homes currently have an Home networks that connects our computers and other devies to the Internet.

However just like our phones, our home are becoming smart. To make them smart they are being fitted with:

• smart switches
• smart lights
• smart Locks
• etc

These once normal household devices are being made smart by connecting them together over the home network, and then to the Internet.

Because most Homes built today aren’t smart they will be made smart incrementally,by adding smart devices to solve present day problems

Perhaps you might need to install a security system, so you install a smart security system.

Later you want to integrate it with your lights so you install a smart lighting system.

However will these devices work on your existing network? Will you need addition networking equipment?

In order to do this you will need a basic understanding of home networking and common home networking devices, how they work, and what functions they provide.

About This Site

Personally I’m not into gadgets and so I will not be doing product reviews on smart home or networking products.

Although there are those who will simply contact a smart home networking company and have it installed for them there are may who will take the DIY approach.

For those taking the DIY approach the aim of this site is to help you :

• Learn and understand Home Networking basics
• Understand how these smart devices connect to each other and how they work.
• Understand the technology and protocols found in a smart home.
• Solve common home networking and home automation network problems.

Getting Started

Whether you are taking the DIY approach or just wanting to get familiar with the technology and products you will need to understand how to setup a home network and how it works. – See Smart Home Networking

Recommended Reading

• Basic Home Networking Course
• Internal and External IP Addresses
• What is Dynamic DNS (DDNS)? -and Why Use It?
• Beginners guide to home Automation

Questions

If you have any questions please ask

Best Regards Steve

Network documentation is incredibly important for commercial organisations with 100s or thousands of machines but it is often overlooked on small office/ home networks.

However what happens if you have a network problem? Where do you start? Who do you call?

Perhaps you are away from home and someone else is left to sort it out but they have never been involved with the setup. What do they do?

(more…)

You have heard of large corporations being hacked and passwords,credit card numbers etc being compromised but what about individuals.

Are you in danger of being hacked? and if so why? and what can you do about it? (more…)

The majority of home networks require many more Ethernet connections than those provided by home routers (typically 4).

Therefore it is common to expand the number of Ethernet ports by adding a switch or switches.

A network switch can be added to any of the LAN ports of the router as shown in the diagram below: (more…)

Can I have two routers on my home network is a very popular search term.

Personally I don’t really see why. I can only assume that people are :

• Trying to reuse an old router as an access point for example
• Not sure of the other network devices like switches.

Most home networks consist of a single router which provides the Internet connection plus 1 or more network switches and Wi-Fi access points. (more…)

A geofence is a virtual perimeter for a real-world geographic area – Wiki

It involves using a location aware device and a location aware service. (more…)