What is Home Networking
A home network is a private network that connects devices in a home. Home networking allows devices to connect to each other and share data, such as files, printers, and Internet access.
Most home networks today use a mixture of Ethernet and Wi-Fi wireless networking technology and the TCP/IP networking protocol. Smart Home devices connect either directly to the existing home network or indirectly via a hub or gateway.
Wired and Wireless Network
There are two types of methods to connect a device in a network: wired or wireless. Both wireless and wired methods have their own advantages. Wired has better speed and reliability, and wireless is more flexible to connect. They are not mutually exclusive, you can use them together.
The most common wired network technology is Ethernet, and it involves a hardwired connection to the internet through Ethernet cables. Except it, there are Modbus rs485, KNX network exists, but they are rare today, most used in wired device control.
After discussing the wired network, we will now talk about the wireless network. There are many wireless protocols used in households today, the most common being Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. We are also developing protocols like Z-Wave, ZigBee, Openthread and Matter for smart home devices.
Since most of our control devices like smart phones or tablets use Wi–Fi, Z–Wave and ZigBee devices will need a hub, bridge or gateway (whatever you named it) connect to the router. Although your smart phone can directly connect to Bluetooth devices, they usually still need a Bluetooth hub for better control.
Ethernet
Ethernet is a local area network (LAN) technology that uses a special cable to connect computers and other devices to each other. Devices that are connected to the same Ethernet network can communicate with each other.
To build a high-speed Ethernet LAN, you will need:
- Use good quality Ethernet cables. CAT6 cables can support speeds up to 10 Gbps (effective only up to 164 feet), so they should be more than adequate for a LAN with a 1000 Mbps speed.
- Use quality modem, switches, routers and Ethernet wall outlet, they should support 1000Mbps. Managed routers will give you more control over the LAN and can help ensure that data is properly routed.
- Make sure your connected devices like smart TVs, computers, and printers can support 1000 Mbps, otherwise you should consider upgrading them in the future.
The maximum transfer speed for a Cat5 cable is 100 Mbps, while a Cat6 cable can reach speeds of up to 1000 Mbps. A Cat7 cable has a maximum speed of 10000 Mbps (1 Gbps). CAT6 cables usually cost about 50% more than CAT5, and CAT6A cables cost 50% more than CAT6, and CAT7 cables cost 50% more than CAT6A. This is due in part to the increased cost of the cables and the difficulty of installation. Many installers choose to only work with the heavier cables at a premium price.
CAT6 network cables are currently the most cost-effective solution. However, if the budget permits, CAT6A or CAT7 cables can be considered for an upgrade. The network equipment would also need to be upgraded at an additional cost(expensive)
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is a short name for “Wireless Fidelity”, it’s a very common technology we use every day. The latest Wi-Fi standard is Wi-Fi6, it is offering faster speeds, lower latency, and more efficient power usage. The latest laptops, smartphones, and other devices are beginning to support Wi-Fi 6, and it’s expected to become the standard in the next few years.
Wi-Fi use 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz
Nowadays, we use Wi–Fi in two Frequencies: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. 2.4 GHz has better range but lower transmit speed compared to 5 GHz. Which one is best for you? The answer is to use both.
Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6
Although most wi-fi enabled device use Wi-Fi 5(IEEE 802.11ac) today, but Wi-Fi 6(IEEE 802.11ax) router is better choose, since it is 100% backwards compatible with Wi-Fi 5 and older Wi-Fi devices, and more and more Wi-Fi 6 support devices will be released, so you don’t have to upgrade the home network in the next few years.
While beamforming has been around since Wi-Fi 4, improvements were made in Wi-Fi 5 and now Wi-Fi 6. Beamforming requires the use of MIMO (multiple input multiple output) technology in order to send out multiple overlapping signals. With the development of Wi-Fi 5 in 2016, there is now a set of specified beamforming techniques for Wi-Fi equipment that allow it to interoperate in a vendor-neutral way (different receivers can work with different routers).
Beamforming also supports multi-user MIMO, also known as MU-MIMO, which allows multiple users to communicate simultaneously with multiple antennas on the router. MU-MIMO uses beamforming to make sure communication from the router is efficiently targeted to each connected client. Wi-Fi 6 also increased the number of antennas supported from four to eight, which improves data rates and extends the range for signals to specific clients.
Without beamforming, signals are sent in every possible direction. Beamforming and MU-MIMO work together. Since the signal is more efficiently used, MU-MIMO can help increase Wi-Fi range and speed on a Wi-Fi network.
Mesh Wi-Fi
Mesh Wi-Fi is a type of Wi-Fi system that uses multiple devices to create a single Wi-Fi network. Each device in the mesh network acts as a repeater, amplifying the signal and extending the range of the network. Mesh Wi-Fi systems are designed to be easy to set up and use, and they can cover large areas with Wi-Fi signal.
Best home network solution
Best solution is use Ethernet backhaul mesh Wi-Fi, it is a type of Wi–Fi network that uses Ethernet cables to connect the different nodes, or access points, in the network. This type of network is often used in large homes or businesses where a traditional Wi–Fi network may not be able to cover the entire area. Ethernet backhaul mesh Wi–Fi networks can provide better performance and coverage than traditional Wi–Fi networks.
Why Home Network is the key to Smart home system
Home networking is the key to smart home system because it allows different devices to communicate with each other and exchange data. Home networking can be used to connect devices such as computers, smart phone, smart thermostat and other peripherals. It can also be used to connect devices such as security cameras, video doorbell, locks, sensors and other security systems. Any latency or unreliability will greatly reduce users‘ experiences and make the whole system unusable.
Control in Smart home system
We don‘t want to have to manage our connected devices separately, including the routers. So why not control the network via our smart home system, so we can control everything in one place, even do the voice-control.