Wouldn't you like to know what goes on at home while you're away? Lucky for you, a wireless home monitoring system can tell you. Basically, it lets you monitor your home from afar through the use of a wireless camera and sensors. For example, the Motorola Home Monitoring and Control System performs these feats:
- Sends real-time notifications when there's trouble.
- Sends photos, videos, and text alerts so you can view them remotely, from a Web browser or a cell phone.
- Stores video so you can watch it anytime from your computer.
- Archives things like temperature changes.
Motorola is careful to call this a home monitoring and control system, rather than a home security system. In its warranty information — in bold, capital letters — Motorola says, "This product is intended only for use to facilitate home monitoring and control and is not intended to be a substitute for a home security system." You've been warned!
Digging through the goodies
It all starts with Motorola's Easy Start Kit, which has a suggested list price of $300. It includes a USB gateway/controller that connects your computer with the wireless components, a wireless camera, and power adapters for both.
You can purchase other components separately:
- Additional wireless cameras. Hey, why not have one in every room of the house? Plus the garage? And maybe the shed?
- Wired cameras. You can have up to three.
- Wireless door/window sensor. This alerts the system when a door or window opens.
- Wireless temperature sensor. This lets you monitor for temperatures that rise or fall rapidly, indicating problems like fires or freezing temperatures. The sensor is especially handy if the home you monitor is a vacation residence.
- Wireless water sensor. A good way to monitor basements, this sensor tells you when it detects — can you guess? — water.
The sensors work 60 to 80 feet from the gateway (the device that attaches to your computer), so it's best to place the gateway (and its PC) in a central location. The sensors can transmit through walls, ceilings, and floors, but the range is limited. The gateway and sensors transmit and receive on the 418-MHz frequency.
The example system featured in this article includes these things:
- One wireless door/window sensor
- One wireless temperature sensor
- One wireless water sensor
The system can handle up to eight sensors. There's enough capacity left to add sensors to many of your doors and windows. You may want to use some of that capacity for additional temperature and water sensors, however. It also can handle up to three wired cameras and up to six wireless cameras.
The system has a remote service that costs about $20 per month. It lets you monitor and control your system from afar, using a Web browser.
You can download the latest drivers and other software for Motorola's system here.
Setting yourself up for security success
Before you can begin using your new security system, you need to set up the hardware, install the software, and configure the system.
Setting up the hardware
Setting up everything is easy. Get the hardware ready to go:
1. Remove the Easy Start Kit and sensors from the packaging.
2. Some assembly required: Attach an antenna to each sensor.
3. Insert batteries in each sensor.
Battery life is 1 year with normal usage.
4. Install the sensors in the appropriate locations.
Please see the instruction manual for each sensor. You can have up to eight sensors.
Software installation is a lengthy but fairly simple process. After installing the software and hardware, it's time to configure your home monitor software.
 | Check frequently for software updates. If you don't update, you may not be able to use the Shell HomeGenie remote Web features. |
Setting alerts
Events can also be called alerts. An event is triggered when a certain event happens. For instance, when the temperature probe registers a temperature above a certain threshold, the software can send you an e-mail or text message. You also can tell the camera to take an image that goes into the archive and which can be sent to you as an e-mail attachment.
Here's how you set an event:
1. In the Home Monitor software, click the Event Setup menu button.
The Event Setup screen appears.
2. Choose a sensor device from the pull-down menu.
3. Chose an event.
The event is different for each sensor.
4. Choose Action Device.
This is usually one of the cameras.
5. Choose between Actions: Capture Video or Capture Image
6. Select from the Notify with E-mail menu if you want an e-mail notification.
You must create an e-mail or text message profile before you can use those options. Click Edit E-Mail Profiles or Edit Text Profiles. Enter your e-mail address.
7. Edit your SMTP (outgoing e-mail) information:
Select Edit SMTP Info. Enter your outgoing e-mail address. (It often begins with smtp.) Enter your e-mail address. If your SMTP server requires authentication (ask your ISP), enter your account name and password.
8. Select from the Notify with Text Message menu if you want a text message sent to your mobile phone.
9. Select Update.
That's it! You just created an event. You now can create one or more events for each of your sensors.
The software floods you with e-mails if you pick a frequently occurring event, such as when the camera detects motion. After a short rest period each time, the event continues triggering indefinitely as long as the camera senses motion. Keep this in mind as you create events.
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