General Home Automation x10 vs wireless network

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Subject Author Date
x10 vs wireless network Lew 02-24-06
Posted by Lew on February 24, 2006, 7:42 am
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Since they both use 2.4Ghz, is there a problem with trying to set up an
X10 system where a Netgear wireless network is already operating?

thanks for any info

Lew


Posted by Dave Houston on February 24, 2006, 8:36 am
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It depends on what you mean by "X10 system"? X-10 light and appliance
modules and switches use 120kHz on the powerline and 310MHz for wireless.

If you're talking about their wireless cameras, etc. I think the consensus
opinion is that they don't work very well even in the absence of
interference.


>Since they both use 2.4Ghz, is there a problem with trying to set up an
>X10 system where a Netgear wireless network is already operating?


Posted by Neil Cherry on February 24, 2006, 12:57 pm
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On 24 Feb 2006 04:42:24 -0800, Lew wrote:
> Since they both use 2.4Ghz, is there a problem with trying to set up an
> X10 system where a Netgear wireless network is already operating?

Since it sounds like your talking about the X10 Wireless cameras that
operate at 2.4 GHz, then it is my understanding that you will have
trouble as the X10 wireless camera uses the entire 2.4GHz range. I
haven't had the camera on while my 802.11 network has been running so
I can't say for sure.

As Dave was pointing out the X10 power line controllers and modules do
not interfere with the 802.11 network and the handheld RF devices
don't interfere with and 802.11 network either.

--
Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry ncherry@linuxha.com
http://www.linuxha.com/ Main site
http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog
http://home.comcast.net/~ncherry/ Backup site

Posted by Lew on February 25, 2006, 7:53 am
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Aha! The X10 stuff should work okay if I use 110V-outlet-based
equipment, eh?

Overall, what is your opinion of how the X10 equipment works when being
controlled by a computer?

I want to have a system that mainly controls lights -- dimming, and
turning on when someone walks into an area (temporarily lighting up
stairways, etc.). I'd also like a pseudo-emergency setting that turns
on all the outside lights and many of the inside lights.

While I'm at it, I think I'll have the computer control the four HVAC
zones in the house.

Thanks,

Lew

Neil Cherry wrote:
> On 24 Feb 2006 04:42:24 -0800, Lew wrote:
> > Since they both use 2.4Ghz, is there a problem with trying to set up an
> > X10 system where a Netgear wireless network is already operating?
>
> Since it sounds like your talking about the X10 Wireless cameras that
> operate at 2.4 GHz, then it is my understanding that you will have
> trouble as the X10 wireless camera uses the entire 2.4GHz range. I
> haven't had the camera on while my 802.11 network has been running so
> I can't say for sure.
>
> As Dave was pointing out the X10 power line controllers and modules do
> not interfere with the 802.11 network and the handheld RF devices
> don't interfere with and 802.11 network either.
>
> --
> Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry ncherry@linuxha.com
> http://www.linuxha.com/ Main site
> http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog
> http://home.comcast.net/~ncherry/ Backup site


Posted by Neil Cherry on February 25, 2006, 6:23 pm
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On 25 Feb 2006 04:53:41 -0800, Lew wrote:
> Aha! The X10 stuff should work okay if I use 110V-outlet-based
> equipment, eh?
>
> Overall, what is your opinion of how the X10 equipment works when being
> controlled by a computer?


!@#$% you just threw a hand grenade into a mine field! ;-)

I'm one of X10's critics, it can be tempermental but can be
controlled. While I can control the sending and receiving of signals
I can't control X10's quality (other venders have better quality). I
have a switch in the garage that needs to be 'woken up' by manually
using it every once in a while then it works fine for months. I don't
think it was meant for a garage environment (near outside usage). Also
their lamp module has a high bulb burn out rate (certain low watt
bulbs purn out faster if on a lamp module than on an appliance
module).

> I want to have a system that mainly controls lights -- dimming, and
> turning on when someone walks into an area (temporarily lighting up
> stairways, etc.). I'd also like a pseudo-emergency setting that turns
> on all the outside lights and many of the inside lights.

> While I'm at it, I think I'll have the computer control the four HVAC
> zones in the house.

This is just a matter of getting the correct hardware and software.
But you'll need to do some programming. How much progamming depends on
the software you use.

--
Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry ncherry@linuxha.com
http://www.linuxha.com/ Main site
http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog
http://home.comcast.net/~ncherry/ Backup site

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