Home networks

[Isetech]

We have evolved over time and reached a point where an old ADSL line just doesn't cut it anymore, so we upgrade to a 20meg fibre line, have a TV streaming movies, if we are glued to the phone screen we glued to the TV , happy days. Your alarm system linked in in the background and old XVR connected to a few 720P or 1080P cameras around the house.

The kids grow up, they want phones, tablets, TV's and fast internet access.

The crime starts increasing, because the suburb next to yours has started a neighborhood watch group and become quite efficient, sound about right?

You have a fence hopper or a breakin at 3 am, the armed response arrives and they find the PVC conduit between the electric fence wires where they got into the property. No problem, you go to the play back on your xvr and realize that the images of the criminals is grey and white. Other than identifying that someone walked past the camera at a specific time, the rest of the image is useless. If you are lucky you might get to see the plastic bag they cover themselves with to get past the beams.

[Isetech]

We decide it is time to beef up the security, like insurance brokers, the family is the key selling point, you have to do it for the family safety.

Over time we add devices and increase internet speed etc, but we dont look at the network as a whole.

You have the TV streaming a movie, louder than normal, because it whacky Wednesday or full house Friday, the kids are in bed and you dont want to wake them. Suddenly the movies starts buffering.

It time to look at your network.

[Isetech]

Where do you start:

Your ISP, can they deliver, it doesn't help increasing to a 500 meg line and the ISP cant provide a stable connection with a decent ping.

What speed would be the minimum ? I would say 20 is a good start if you dont have too many devices and just starting out, dont do gaming etc.

I would suggest you create a list of devices and sketch of the property layout.

The location of the ISP modem will become important as the traffic increases, if using ethernet cable and not fibre.

Then it is time to start looking at wired or wireless access points. Wired will always be better.

I have noticed that some sites which use the wireless router supplied by the ISP only offer around 30 meg speed compared to the Unifi 6 AP's.

I suppose this makes no difference id you only have a20 meg line, something to consider when increasing your internet speed, can your AP offer the speed?

[Isetech]

If you have kids and wife who enjoys spending 3 hours looking for a 1hr20 movie on Netflix, then chances are you hear "Wifi is not working" a lot.

Home networks were never a big deal, but slowly they are more important than a backup power system.

Part of my 2026 plan will include home networks, it will be part of the kits

I will have to look at different brands and options, Unifi looks like it is the way to go, but also looks like it is in the apple eco price range, so we will have to look at cheaper option.

One thing I am learning as I grow, the level one customers have friends or belong to communities, so you build a relationship and they share your contact details with friends other community member and even parents at the kids school.

This creates a minor challenge because they might be in the i10 price range compared to a level one customer who might be in the land rover price range. I am not judging, it is a realty we face. We are going to have to structure a price range for the different levels of customer.