Re: best *current* home automation book? need to cram subject urgently

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

"Jim" <camdenguy@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message

> Now have a more immediate request: can anyone recommend any particular
> book (or web-site) which is useful for wiring/preparing a house for a
> future-proof automation system to get put in place easily?

There's a "how to" tutorial here:

http://www.swhowto.com/

by Bob Catanzarite.  While it's not the neatest job I've seen (that would
probably be Bruce Robin's, but I've lost the URL - he will probably see this
and post it) it's pretty nice.

If you compare the photos in the site above to Bruce's, you'll see his
layout isn't quite as "three-dimensional" and that he makes excellent use of
items like long Wiremold-type outlet strips to keep the ever-increasing
number of "wallwart" power supplies looking neat and remote from each other.
I think it's a bad idea to crowd a fleet of power supplies on a small
powerstrip.  Their could be induction effects and there could also be
premature component failure because of the increased heat.

Many pros don't like bundled cable, a hallmark of many structured wiring
schemes.  While it looks nice to have fiber, RG6QS and CAT5 in the same
cable, the reality it that it's much hard to pull, usually more expensive
than the unbundled separate cables and it can't be stapled using traditional
tools.  Also, if you ever have to replace a cable that's broken inside the
wall for whatever reason, you'll be mighty glad if three other cables don't
have to be replaced with it.

> Really just looking for the best/most complete resources for planning
> to wire a house intelligently (and structured).

I'd search Google for "structured wiring tutorial" to get started.  Bob's
site lists the following to get you started:


Home Networking Links

Practically Networked  - http://www.practicallynetworked.com/
Lots of Home Networking Help - http://www.homenethelp.com/
Great Site with a lot of Wireless and wired information -
http://www.SmallNetBuilder.com/
TutorialFind.com - Networking Page -
http://www.tutorialfind.com/tutorials/networking/
At Home with Cabling - http://www.combsnet.com/cable/index.html
Home PC Network - http://www.homepcnetwork.com
How Stuff Works - Home Networking -
http://www.howstuffworks.com/home-network.htm
How Stuff Works - Routers -  - http://www.howstuffworks.com/router.htm
How Stuff Works - Firewalls - http://www.howstuffworks.com/firewall.htm
How Stuff Works - Power Line Networks -
http://www.howstuffworks.com/power-network.htm
How Stuff Works - Phone Line Networking -
http://www.howstuffworks.com/phone-network.htm
How Stuff Works - Wireless Networking -
http://www.howstuffworks.com/wireless-network.htm
Lots of great info here - http://www.tiaonline.org/standards/category6/
Good Help Desk and a FREE newsletter - Check it out!  -
http://www.cabling-design.com/helpdesk/   NEW


Ethernet Wiring Links

How Stuff Works - Ethernet - http://www.howstuffworks.com/ethernet.htm
Steve DeRose's Guide to CAT wiring  -
http://www.stg.brown.edu/~sjd/wiring/CAT5-wiring.html
Charles Spurgeon's Ethernet Web Site - VERY GOOD  -
http://www.ethermanage.com/ethernet/ethernet.html
Grants Wiring Closet  - http://www.grantscloset.com/
John's Wiring Closet - VERY GOOD  - http://www.johnscloset.net/
Home Tech's Learn More Section - VERY GOOD  -
http://www.hometech.com/learn/index.html
Low Voltage Home Pre-Wire Guide - VERY GOOD  -
http://www.wildtracks.cihost.com/homewire/
How Stuff Works - Ethernet - http://www.howstuffworks.com/ethernet.htm
The Siemon Company  - http://www.siemon.com/
Leviton - Voice and Data Division  - http://www.levitonvoicedata.com/
Leviton - Strategies Document - VERY GOOD -
http://www.levitonvoicedata.com/learning/wiring.asp
Fast Ethernet Training by Hadriel Kaplan -
http://www.iol.unh.edu/training/fe/fast_ether.pdf
Twisted Pair - How It Works -
http://duxcw.com/digest/Howto/network/cable/cable4.htm
ePanarama - Great Information and  Great Links -
http://www.epanorama.net/links/wire_telecom.html


Other Wiring Type Links

Phone Man's Home Page  - http://www.homephonewiring.com
Phone Line Networking - http://www.homepna.org/
Low Voltage Home Pre-Wire Guide  -
http://www.wildtracks.cihost.com/homewire/
Home Tech's Learn More Section  - http://www.hometech.com/learn/index.html
Channel Vision  - http://www.channelvision.com/
Channel Master  - http://www.channelmaster.com/
Channel Plus  - http://www.multiplextechnology.com/products.html
Belden RG6/U Quad Shield -
http://bwccat.belden.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/BELDEN/fullSpec.d2w/re
port?P1=1189A&P2=Coax&P3=Coax
DSL Wiring Tip - http://dslnuts.com/DSLwiring.shtml    NEW
Lots of interesting links -  http://www.homeautomationindex.com/    NEW
Great source of knowledge - http://www.bluejeanscable.com/articles/index.htm
NEW
This supplier offers a LOT of free knowledge - http://www.audioholics.com/
NEW

Wireless Networking

All sorts of GREAT stuff - Just go there and see -
http://www.homenethelp.com/802.11b/index.asp
Great Site with a lot of Wireless and wired information -
http://www.SmallNetBuilder.com/  NEW
As you might guess- All about 802.11 - http://www.80211-planet.com/
Just a very good site about networking of all sorts -
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/
Good stuff on wireless security -
http://arstechnica.com/paedia/w/wireless-security-howto/home-802.11b-1.html
Good stuff on wireless security -
http://arstechnica.com/paedia/w/wireless/security-1.html



Phone Line and Power Line Networking Links

Fred Langa's comments on Power Line Networking -
http://www.informationweek.com/story/IWK20030108S0003

Structured Wiring Suppliers

Home Tech - http://www.hometech.com/home/index.html


Central Wiring Panel Links

Channel Vision - http://www.channelvision.com/index.php?page=cvc
IBM Home Director - http://www.homedirector.net/index.php3
Home Tech Solutions - http://www.hometech.com/home/index.html
Leviton Structured Media -
http://www.levitonvoicedata.com/catalog/CatalogGroup.aspx?CatalogSection=H

Tools

Greenlee Tools - http://www.greenlee.textron.com/
Home Tech - http://www.hometech.com/home/index.html
Paladin Tool - http://www.paladin-tools.com/


--
Bobby G.