4 ms·

I never really understood why IoT devices don't communicate via the power cable; at a guess it's because the hardware needed is too bulky or more expensive than

by c12 5y ago

I never really understood why IoT devices don't communicate via the power cable; at a guess it's because the hardware needed is too bulky or more expensive than wifi.

varjag 5y ago
Do you really want your sink leakage sensor be connected to mains?
- renewiltord 5y ago
  No, but I also have a lamp, and I don't mind my smart lamp connected to mains.
  - varjag 5y ago
    Just doing quick mental accounting of my devices: leak sensor, a few door and window sensors, ceiling mounted monoxide and fire detectors, a motion detector… none of that I'd really want to run the mains to. And seriously, if I had to run cable to those I'd rather much have 2-wire Ethernet with PoE. The fridge, washer and dryer have integrated IoT but there'd be little point running just these over power lines.
    - aembleton 5y ago
      What information can you get from your IoT fridge? Does it have a webcam inside it so you can see what you have?
      - anaganisk 5y ago
        Duh! To run a peer to peer decentralised, compression algorithm Which beats the Weissman score records and which can double up as P2P file hosting solution using PiperNet.
      - varjag 5y ago
        Yes it does.
        meepmorp 5y ago
        So, does the light in the refrigerator really go off when you close the door?
        varjag 5y ago
        Maybe at night!
- relaxing 5y ago
  Optoisolation for safety.
superice 5y ago
In Europe we have internet providers who 'helpfully' send you boxes you plug into your wall sockets and allow you to use your electrical infra as network cables. Lovely concept, you don't have to run your own network cables. Ofcourse proper network cables are twisted in pairs and shielded for a reason: so no signal gets in, but also next to none comes out. All the copper in your house essentially acts as one big antenna if you use these powerline communication boxes. You would not believe what the spectrum looks like next to one of these houses. Ask any HAM operator, they have a deeply rooted hate against these things. Thank goodness they seem to die out slowly since powerline communications doesn't seem to be able to keep up with increasing broadband speeds. As it turns out you need proper network cables to get halfway decent speeds.
- viklove 5y ago
  In the US we just call this a powerline adaptor https://www.amazon.com/Powerline-Computer-Network-Adapters/b?ie=UTF8&node=1194444 https://www.amazon.com/Powerline-Computer-Network-Adapters/b...
hawski 5y ago
Or infrared with radio connected repeaters.

by c12 5y ago

I never really understood why IoT devices don't communicate via the power cable; at a guess it's because the hardware needed is too bulky or more expensive than wifi.

varjag 5y ago

Do you really want your sink leakage sensor be connected to mains?

renewiltord 5y ago
No, but I also have a lamp, and I don't mind my smart lamp connected to mains.
- varjag 5y ago
  Just doing quick mental accounting of my devices: leak sensor, a few door and window sensors, ceiling mounted monoxide and fire detectors, a motion detector… none of that I'd really want to run the mains to. And seriously, if I had to run cable to those I'd rather much have 2-wire Ethernet with PoE. The fridge, washer and dryer have integrated IoT but there'd be little point running just these over power lines.
  - aembleton 5y ago
    What information can you get from your IoT fridge? Does it have a webcam inside it so you can see what you have?
    - anaganisk 5y ago
      Duh! To run a peer to peer decentralised, compression algorithm Which beats the Weissman score records and which can double up as P2P file hosting solution using PiperNet.
    - varjag 5y ago
      Yes it does.
      - meepmorp 5y ago
        So, does the light in the refrigerator really go off when you close the door?
        varjag 5y ago
        Maybe at night!
relaxing 5y ago
Optoisolation for safety.

superice 5y ago

In Europe we have internet providers who 'helpfully' send you boxes you plug into your wall sockets and allow you to use your electrical infra as network cables. Lovely concept, you don't have to run your own network cables. Ofcourse proper network cables are twisted in pairs and shielded for a reason: so no signal gets in, but also next to none comes out. All the copper in your house essentially acts as one big antenna if you use these powerline communication boxes. You would not believe what the spectrum looks like next to one of these houses. Ask any HAM operator, they have a deeply rooted hate against these things. Thank goodness they seem to die out slowly since powerline communications doesn't seem to be able to keep up with increasing broadband speeds. As it turns out you need proper network cables to get halfway decent speeds.

viklove 5y ago
In the US we just call this a powerline adaptor https://www.amazon.com/Powerline-Computer-Network-Adapters/b?ie=UTF8&node=1194444 https://www.amazon.com/Powerline-Computer-Network-Adapters/b...

hawski 5y ago

Or infrared with radio connected repeaters.