When it comes to home security, many people don’t see themselves as needing an entire electronic system devoted to it. They could reason having home security systems installed costs money and time, and if their area has a low crime rate, they could think they might not need a system in the first place. After all, if they’ve never had an issue with burglary, vandalism, or the like in the past, why might these problems start now? Standard homeowners are also presumably not as likely to be the target of crime sprees as large businesses or celebrities. Won’t these parties get more use out of technologies, such as home security cameras than the average Joe?

When it comes to home automation and home control systems, many people have narrow, fixed ideas of what these terms mean. Perhaps they envision smart home controllers and being able to control various aspects of their home straight from their cell phones. Or, perhaps they think the term solely refers to smaller, more specific functions, such as automated blinds or automated shades. All this variance means that it can be very difficult to research home automation systems, should you be interested in buying one, let alone have a conversation about the field itself! Searching “home automation” on the Internet, for example, can yield information about everything from multi-room audio systems to smart lighting control.

To wire or not to wire? That is the question. When it comes to your home networking system, you have the option of implementing hard-wired technology or opting for a wireless network. With the advent of smart home features that operate with just a touch of a smartphone, many homeowners believe wireless is the best option—but is that really true?