Home Automation

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Hugo Guo
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Home Automation

Post by Hugo Guo »

Is it possible that home automation devices causing inteference each orther? For example a home wireless networking runing on IEEE802.11b, 2.4GHz and a wireless auto shut-off (water)also runing on 2.4GHz band.
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philba
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Re: Home Automation

Post by philba »

To answer the exact question - yes, it is always possible. In fact it is probably likely. Perhaps a better question to ask is "are these devices able to operate reliably in an rf noisy environment?" I can't answer that for your specific item. The manufacturer should be able to tell you what they do to handle rf interference since they are using non-dedicated spectrum. If they are silent on the issue, assume that its a problem that they don't deal with.<p>However, I question the sanity of using wireless for a critical application like water shutoff. Critical in the sense that failure of the sensor could result in life or property safety issue. <p>Wireless is nice and convenient to install but it will never achieve the reliability of wired.
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Chris Smith
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Re: Home Automation

Post by Chris Smith »

If your devices operate anything like my wireless 2.4 gig camera, your in trouble. <p>Weather conditions, humidity, and especially wind interfere with the cameras picture even at restricted distances of less than 50 feet. <p>Wind particularly is the worst, possibly from a static charge in the air, particles in the air, or air density? <p>What I do know is the picture drifts badly every time the weather changes to the point that I don’t recommend 2.4 gig devices to anyone unless they have a powerful transmitter of one watt or more. <p>Changing digital channels doesn’t help either.
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