Many tech developments led to today’s connected homes, but Wi-Fi tops the list.
A wireless network, or Wi-Fi, is foundational to creating a smart home. It’s why your connected household can be a 1970s rancher or a high-rise condo — and why you can “construct” a whole-home network with a visit to The Home Depot and some spare time on the weekend.
“To make any of the smart home technologies work, whether it’s for lighting, security or entertainment, you need a great Wi-Fi network,” said Michael Weitz, product marketing manager at TP-Link, a California-based provider of everyday networking devices and accessories sold around the globe — including in Home Depot stores and on homedepot.com.
So, what makes a wireless network great? Strength, control, security and simplicity.
“Your network should be able to reach all of the living spaces inside your home,” Weitz said. “You should be able to control the network by choosing how you want to access it, and by limiting who else can use it. You should have confidence in the security of your network. And it must be easy to set up; you shouldn’t have to call the neighbor’s kid or read a huge manual to get it up and running.”
The Home Depot has done a great deal to remove the complexity of smart home technologies in recent years, said Weitz, whose company began selling its modems, routers and other connected devices though the home improvement giant’s traditional retail and online channels about two years ago.
“The Home Depot offers a proof of concept for first-time smart home customers,” Weitz said, comparing the sometimes intimidating environment of electronics stores to Home Depot’s newbie-friendly approach.
“Customers can see, hear, and touch our Wi-Fi home solutions at The Home Depot,” Weitz said. “They can imagine the possibilities for their own connected homes.”
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