Re: Introduction and first questions

["garygfx" <garygfx@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Steve,

I run 3 web servers from home behind a hardware firewall and
software firewall intalled on all of my PCs. I only have one IP
address so I've got each web server to run on a different port
starting from port 81. My ADSL router is configured so it knows
which PC is on which port. Not using port 80 is a very basic
security step to keep oppertunist hackers from finding your server
with a simple scanner program. You can use almost any port number
you like. e.g. 1032

You won't be able to use the machine name of your PC from the
Internet, but you can use the IP address.

As for a security system, I installed Comfort (www.comfort.org.uk)
which is a reliable hard wired (or wireless) system. I've interfaced
it with a PC so I can monitor it remotely on my PDA and create event
actions using HomeSeer. It also has an X10 interface so it can
control X10 devices or monitor your modules. It connects to the
phone line too so it can call you if the alarm is triggered or patch
someone ringing your doorbell through to your mobile phone! Comfort
is so much more than a security system, it's amazingly flexible and
a great system for HA addicts. It also talks. I've called mine
Claire. Wife isn't too pleased though. ;-)

Gary.
Founder of www.speedcameras.org

--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, "Steve Elsbury" <steve.elsbury@t...>
wrote:
> Hi everyone,
>
> Just joined the group, so thought I'd introduce myself and fire
off a quick
> question.
>
> My name is Steve and I am an HA addict :-)
>
> I use X10 throughout my house, controlled by a Homevision unit. I
have a PC
> constantly connected to it so I can use the built in web-server to
control
> the HV from any PC in the house. The PC uses wifi to connect to my
main
> network.
>
> Now my problem is that I run a public facing web-server, but only
have a
> cheap hardware firewall, which is capable of routing port 80
traffic to one
> machine only (i.e. no clever stuff with http headers, etc.). So on
my
> internal network, I can browse to the machine name of the HV PC
and the web
> works fine, but I have no way of getting to those web pages from
the
> internet - i.e. when I am not at home - as all the internet
can 'see' is my
> public facing web server.
>
> Does anyone know of a way I can achieve this without buying a more
expensive
> firewall?
>
> Second question: I am planning a full home automation system for
my next
> home, and am trying to find motorised radiator valves so I can
have my HV
> control individual rooms. The only motorised valves I can find are
heating
> zone valves, and are far to big to be fitted in each room. I
realise I could
> put them under the floorboards, but the next house may not have an
under
> floor gap and I want to keep my options open.
>
> Final question: I want to interface my security system to the HV,
and am
> looking to find one which has a serial interface using standard
protocols -
> i.e. not using hardware flow control lines, etc. Know ye of such a
beast?
> Note: I want to avoid X10 based security solutions, as power line
collisions
> can cause significant events to be lost. What I'm actually trying
to achieve
> here is to be able to hit my goodnight button on my remote, and
have the HV
> arm the alarm in certain zones only. Hitting a going out button
would arm
> all zones, and the HV could monitor for alarm trigger events and
send
> emails/sms/voice calls, etc. The HV could also maintain a central
log of
> alarm events, which I could make available on the web-server.
>
> Thanks in advance for your input on any or all of the above!
>
> Happy automating
>
> Regards Steve



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