We believe Smart Living improves the every day lives of our clients by creating solutions to the day to day niggles we all go through. Here we will discuss our most frequently asked questions about the Smart Connectivity Process including wired vs. wireless and the use of Wifi in the home.
If you have any questions about Smart Living and want to find out more, please get in touch at connect@jrsmartliving.co.uk or call 01738 566 566.
Internet Connection
My internet is not great where my house is located – what are the various options available?
This is a common problem and not necessarily confined to remote locations – some towns have dreadful internet blackspots. There are various options that you can pursue and the main ones we recommend are:
- 4G. We predominantly use EE or Vodafone for our clients that are suffering poor internet speed. We fit a 4G router and supply a SIM card depending on which is the best service at that location based on a survey we carry out using a rather nifty (but expensive) meter. The router then gets it’s internet from the mobile network rather than the telephone line. If the signal is extremely poor, we can fit an external aerial or small dish to gather more signal and get better speeds.
- Starlink. Starlink is a SpaceX system developed by Elon Musk which uses the world’s largest constellation of low orbit satellites around the earth to give fast robust internet. It has low latency and good speeds compared to most available internet services, especially if you live in remote location or are very far from your nearest telephone exchange. It consists of a small dish which is installed outside, and a single cable taken into the house and connected to the supplied router. The dish then does a groovy dance around while it locates and tracks the satellites and once locked on you will immediately get some speeds of up to 250mbs.
- Remember that there are two components to your internet experience – the incoming speed from the outside world, which is what we’ve talked about above, and the internal network consisting of your Wifi and cables. We often hear our clients frustrated with poor internet connection and slow speeds, but it turns out to be the internal system that is failing them. Maybe big thick walls or new building materials are preventing good transmission, or simply a poorly made, cheap, Wifi router that just doesn’t cut it for our demand for speed. These issues can be easily fixed by a good company with good technicians like John Ross Smart Living.
Why do I need a structured cabling system and why cant I use my Wi-Fi?
Everyone has a different preference as to which is better – a wired connection or Wifi?
The fact is that a cable will always be more reliable than a Wireless Connection.
No matter how good the Wifi Connection is there will still be occasions where it falters or suffers from interference, impacting any connected devices. A cable is always connected regardless of the situation around it and will always keep the end device connected.
The other fact is that in most cases a wired connection will be faster than a Wifi connection. We have all experienced the spinning circle waiting to watch something on our favourite streaming services. Often this is due to the streaming devices having a Wifi connection rather than wired, which makes it susceptible to overloading if multiple other people in the household are also using the connection and eating up all the bandwidth. Cables don’t suffer from this problem and as long as the incoming internet is fast enough then all the wired products will perform optimally.
Also remember that a wired connection is far more secure than a Wi-Fi Connection – it is almost impossible to hack into a cable whereas hacking into a Wi-Fi Connection is often not too difficult. Remember the Wi-Fi is broadcast outside of your property so is fair game to any hacker walking or driving past.
Do Smart TVs need Wi-Fi?
This is a question that is really part of a bigger one which is “Why do I need cables – doesn’t everything use Wi-Fi these days?”.
The truthful answer to the TV question is no – they can work with a wire or wifi but they need one or the other for the “Smart” bit to work
The “cable or wifi” debate is one that has been around for some time. The fact is that a cable is better than a Wireless connection. This is not an opinion but a fact – no matter how good the Wifi is, there will still be occasions where it falters or suffers from interference and, therefore, whatever is on the other end is going to lose connection or information. A cable is always connected regardless of the situation around it and, therefore, keeps the end device connected at all times.
The other fact is that in most cases a wired connection will be faster than a wifi connection, therefore information transfer will be quicker. We have all experienced the spinning circle waiting to watch something on the TV – often this is due to the streaming device having a wifi connection rather than wired, and often coincides with someone else doing a bit of online gaming and another on a Zoom call – so eating up the bandwidth available on the wifi. Cables don’t suffer this problem and as long as the incoming internet is fast enough (that’s another question!) then all the wired products will perform admirably.
Also remember that wired is more secure than Wi-Fi – it is almost impossible to hack into a cable whereas hacking your Wi-Fi is often not too difficult, especially if you are a bit of a computer wizard. Remember the Wi-Fi is broadcast outside of your property so is fair game to any hacker walking or driving past.
What is Smart Living?
How much does Smart Living cost?
Defining an exact cost of Smart Living can depend on a number of variables and therefore the cost varies from person to person depending on what elements they are looking for.
There are many factors that can affect the price such as the number of rooms, what systems you want to include, quality of components, where and when the project will take place, and so much more.
The simplest answer we can give would be to say that the level of investment for one of our systems can vary from £5000 to £50,000.
One example would be a 4-bedroom house with Smart Lighting, Smart Audio, Surround Sound in the lounge, some Smart Security around the perimeter of the property, Smart Heating Controls and the all-important cabling would be around £25,000.
John Ross Smart Living will work with you to find the best possible solution for your budget so we can all live smarter together.
What is a Smart Home?
Smart Living is our philosophy of using technology to make life easier.
A Smart Living system offers the freedom to play music throughout the house or isolated in individual rooms all from your mobile phone. It’s the ability to turn your heating on as you leave the office – or turn it down when the teenagers have been left home alone! Forgot to turn the bathroom light off? No problem, simply switch it off from your mobile device. From increased security to a heightened sense of comfort in the home, Smart Living provides solutions to everyday chores and worries that need never cross your mind again.
We like to think about it as imagining your home having its own brain that is dedicated to thinking about your needs and what would give you the best experience everyday. The benefits are endless and often different for everyone – but you will certainly benefit, without a doubt!
Do I need to buy the whole Smart Living System at once or can I do it in stages?
It is possible to stage your Smart Living System but it is important to keep in mind that certain parts of the system are essential and therefore need to be installed in the early stages of the project.
For instance, once a design concept has been agreed, it is vital that the cabling must be installed at the outset of your project, regardless of the project type. If the correct cables are not installed early on, some of the Smart Living system may not be possible without mess, expense and redecoration.
It is understandable that your budget during the build may not stretch to cover all aspects of your dream Smart Living System. With this in mind, we are always happy to adopt a planned approach so that the things that your priority systems are installed first, and anything that is lower down in the list can be fitted once your budget allows.
Will my Smart Home require to be replaced after a few years due to technological changes?
The honest answer is yes – some of it may.
Technology changes swiftly and is constantly moving forward so what is leading edge today may not be in 5 years time. Software is continually being updated and our systems are capable of being upgraded in this way with a fairly long-life expectancy. Products do wear out over time so will need replaced due to age but may also need replaced due to software becoming too advanced for them.
There are two types of upgrades/replacements that may need to be considered – a little like a car – the normal wear and tear on an item and the fact that the item may not have the capability of running the most up to date software.
A good installer should advise their clients that some form of update or replacement will need to be considered after 5 years and probably before 10 years is up. They should also recommend some form of maintenance option to ensure that your system is kept updated as and when required but also to be proactive with regards to replacements etc.
How much does maintenance cost on a Smart Living System?
This is a very good question.
As with most things the answer is that it will vary depending on the system size, complexity etc. In our experience it is simply based on the size of the installation and the level of initial investment – so can be anywhere from £100 per year up to many hundreds.
There are different levels of service depending on the client and system, which can vary from remote only support to a regular 3 monthly call to site to check the system.
And on a last note – you don’t need to have maintenance in place, this is entirely up to the you, but like everything peace of mind is less stressful!
What are the main solutions that make up a Smart Home?
Core to a Smart Home is the structured cabling, which is the backbone of the system, and the connectivity, which covers incoming internet and the internal network including wifi.
The main solutions that make up a good Smart Living system could include:
Cabling – the backbone of the system – no system can work without this
Connectivity – extremely important because all communications between devices, you and the outside world are carried by this part of the system
Lighting – Smart Lighting is key to having a great Smart Home
Audio – music in one, some or all rooms – have it where you want and when you want
Entertainment – TVs, Home Cinema, Surround Sound systems etc
Comfort – Blinds, curtains, heating etc
Security – cameras, door or gate entry, door locks, garage doors etc
Will a Smart Home investment increase the value of my property?
Any investment in a property is an investment regardless of what it’s for. Some people may spend £3000 on a kitchen and others may spend £50000. A Smart Living system will not age like other parts of your house – so the really expensive kitchen that you buy now will lose its sparkle in 10 years time – but the Smart Living system will still be doing its thing regardless.
So – the honest answer to the question of “Will a Smart Home system increase the value of my property” is probably, but there are too many other factors to give a definitive yes or no. What a Smart Living System will do is increase the desirability of your property and raise it above others around you in the same marketplace.
Would a Smart Living system be beneficial to someone who has a physical disability?
Yes, absolutely it would. And not just physical but mental disabilities too. Relatives and friends of dementia sufferers greatly benefit from being able to keep an eye on the person from afar without intruding on their life. There are many parts of a Smart Home that would be beneficial to anyone with a disability such as music, Video Doorbells, automatic door locks, external security cameras and many more.
Check out www.SmartCare.co.uk for some more information on a Smart System that is dedicated to helping people with disabilities and their friends and relatives.
How cost effective is a Smart Living system with the current energy crisis?
This is an interesting question and one that is highly emotive due to the spiralling costs of energy. Although there is a certain level of investment required for a Smart Living system, this can be offset by some of the energy saving that will be experienced.
Smart Lighting systems can save energy by reducing the amount of time lights are on, and by reducing the level to which they are turned on. When you switch a light on in a conventional home, via a simple on/off switch, the light is either fully on or fully off. When the same light is switched on by a Smart Lighting system it will never be fully on but will be operating at a lower level depending on the scene selected and even if turned on fully will typically only be on at 75%.
;So even in its simplest form a Smart Lighting system, installed by an experienced Smart Living Company, will save you around 25% of the energy used by a conventional system.
Smart Living heating systems are another good source of energy savings as they will be working in the background, via the system, to optimise your home heating use and therefore your utility costs. They do this in various ways, but the simplest form is when they detect that no one is home so will set back the heating and then bring it back up when you arrive home – or even before.
In addition, the combination of various Smart Home functions working together can fully optimise your energy usage. For example, if it is very sunny outside then the system may raise the blinds and open the curtains, switch off the heating, and allow the sun to warm the room.
Do you have a show room or test products that I can view the technology before potentially buying?
We have something better! We have a fully functional Smart Home in Rural Angus which is available to rent as a holiday home or for a short visit to see how Smart Living actually works.
The house is fully equipped with:-
Smart Lighting – in every room
Smart Audio – we have music in almost every room as well as the patio and Hot Tub areas outside
Smart Security including CCTV, Smart Door Locks and Video Doorbell
Smart Home Cinema room with 8ft screen, High Definition Projector and 5.1 Surround Sound
Smart Curtains and Blind integration
And we even have a pop-up TV.
And all the above is managed by Control4 technology – seamlessly, reliably and very simple to operate. In fact we have now had over 30 different guest groups staying at the property in the last year and feedback has been incredibly positive with no issues and specifically very positive comments about the ease of use of the Smart Home technology installed.
