Owners of commercial and residential buildings have the responsibility to maintain the security of their respective properties. Fortunately, there are various ways on how to secure a property. For one, they can install some high-quality locks on doors. They can also obtain some smart devices that will help monitor key areas of the building. Aside from the mentioned security solutions, property owners can also maximise the capabilities of an access control system.
This specific security solution allows or restricts the access of individuals to a building, its rooms, or any other important areas. It is typically powered by electricity, which allows easy access to a specific location at any given time. Some examples of security solutions that can be integrated with an access control system include electric locks, card readers, and door status sensors.
Obtaining access control systems for commercial and residential buildings can give some helpful advantages over other types of security systems.
Gets Rid of Traditional Keys
One of the most vital advantages of obtaining an access control system is that it gets rid of the need for traditional keys. Commercial and residential buildings that have a lot of rooms tend to rely on individual keys. Without an access control system, an individual who must go in multiple rooms must also have the appropriate traditional keys just to access them. The presence of an access control system can conveniently manage the accessibility of areas without the need for the keys.
Solves Lost Key Problems
Another advantage of an access control system is it easily solves all the problems that are associated with lost or stolen keys. When someone accidentally lost their key, or if an employee does not return their company key, then the property owner has to quickly change the locks and re-key the whole building. Doing so equates to huge expenses that may happen occasionally. But with an access control system, the property owner can easily remove the lost access key from the system and just issue a new one.
Records Individual Entries
The installation of an access control system can easily record the entries of each individual and identify the people who went in and out during theft and burglary. The use of access keys, cards, or any authentication medium enables the system to record the identities of people coming in and going out and their time of access. And even if the system takes note of each individual’s identity, all crucial information and records are still stored safely within the servers of the system
Protects Valuable Items
Most commercial and residential buildings have different valuables like equipment, devices, possessions, money, and other similar items that must always be protected. With an access control system, these items can be easily protected from thefts and accidents. The access control system easily controls and limits the people who can enter some areas of the building. It can also help remove access to individuals who are unauthorised to visit rooms that hold important items.
Saves Energy and Money
The access control system can truly save money since property owners do not have to invest in many locks and security personnel anymore. All they must do is to set up the system thoroughly and carefully so that it can effectively secure the building, track people behind any crimes or lewd practices, and so on. Energy is also saved with an access control system as it can be integrated with lighting, heating, and cooling systems. The control over these systems will be much easier with an access control system.
If you want to know more about access control systems, just give us a call at Electrical & Data Networks.
Before the emergence of smart innovations and technologies, a lot of people used to do everything manually. Most of them swiftly do everything by hand – turning on or off a switch, rotating a knob, or operating any handy tool and device. But as time passes by, more and more people are enticed and drawn on the presence of smart devices. They even embrace these devices as they boast some sort of enhanced convenience, accessibility, and versatility.
What makes smart devices, “smart,” is their full integration with If This Then That (IFTTT). As we all know, most devices these days can be connected to the internet. From refrigerator units to a simple lightbulb, almost all devices and appliances that you can think of now are now capable of internet connectivity. This internet connectivity allows these devices to be controlled manually or accessed remotely. Smart devices, with the help of IFTTT, can also operate and perform specific functions automatically.
Basic Principles of If This Then That
IFTTT is simply a freeware web-based service that generates a wide variety of simple conditional statements to perform a specific action when a specific situation happens. The simple conditional statements, which are also known as applets, allow web-based applications and devices to perform a bunch of simple actions automatically as soon as something happens. For instance, if a person in Facebook likes a photo, then a separate but specific web-based application will save the liked photo to the archive of the same person. Another example is that if a home security device detects the approaching vehicle of the owner, then it will automatically authorise the main gate to be opened.
Integrating IF This Then That to Devices
All parts of the IFTTT are still set by the users. However, what makes it special and unique is that all devices connected to such service can automatically detect triggers and promptly perform corresponding actions all the time. The triggers, which is the “This” part of IFTTT, are the main reasons why a specific device must and will do something. Doing anything out of the triggers are left to the “That” part of IFTTT. Applets, after all, allow smart devices to work and function optimally.
For smart devices to be effective and efficient, users typically set them up to apps and services for them to know and remember every pre-set trigger and their corresponding actions. Apps and services also allow multiple smart devices to be connected and work together. So, technically, several devices can easily react on a single trigger by running automated tasks simultaneously.
Living with If This Then That Devices
Living or even working with IFTTT devices can easily make every day-to-day function and task more seamless. IFTTT makes smart devices work intelligently, waiting for a specific situation or signal to happen before performing appropriate actions. Like a human body reflex, IFTTT devices can immediately react to their surroundings without waiting for their owner’s approval. Any intended actions for smart devices are then set by the integration of a voice assistant to the whole roster of IFTTT devices.
Some of the best IFTTT devices that can be installed at homes or any other properties include air quality monitors, washing machines, refrigerators, security systems, heating devices, lighting, television, and many more. These devices can surely work very well if the IFTTT set-up is done correctly.
If you need help with IFTTT devices, feel free to contact us at Electrical & Data Networks. We provide a full range of electrical, data, and security services for commercial and specialised residential services. We service the entire Melbourne metropolitan area, and our team of skilled experts can easily provide high-quality service, reliability, and are fully licenced.
Have you ever wondered if audio-visual and automation solution are beneficial for your home? With them gaining popularity especially at this pandemic-ridden society, it is important to assess whether or not they are indeed an essential part of your home. Below are ways on how audio-visual and automation solution can help your home acquire quality sound in your home theatre project.
Audio-Visual and Automation Solution Basics
Imagine an easy way of controlling your home entertainment all from one centralised device. This is what we call an Audio-Visual and Automation System, or a Smart Home, if you like. Below are some of its benefits.
Convenience and Accessibility
Audio-visual and automation have different systems. Each system is carefully designed to meet your needs, whether the system needs to be designed to blend in seamlessly with your decor in a multi-purpose family room or in a dedicated personal theatre with stadium seating and the products that bring movies and sports to life.
These systems are specifically designed for ease of use, integrated with a universal remote so that you can easily power on the system with the press of one button; no more calls from the baby sitter on how to use the system. There are high-performance products and systems tailored to your lifestyle and budget that promises to bring great entertainment value to your home or business.
Gadget Integration
Digital music systems offer whole homes or businesses a variety of streaming music services. Having an audio-visual and automation solution offers a great selection of products and services to distribute music throughout multiple areas of your home. Consequently, this will enhance your lifestyle with a very intuitive system that everyone will be able to use. You can either have hidden speakers concealed behind the walls or speakers strategically placed in your home for entertainment and paging.
Data Wiring
Of course, with the birth of several automation systems, the demands on home networks has grown substantially. Since there was an increased usage of web tablets, smart phones, and streaming video services, it is inevitable that homeowners are relying on poor, residential grade products to provide the workload that you would need when multiple mobile devices are connected to the same WIFI or trying to stream Netflix on more than one TV at the same time.
Entertainment Control
Audio-visual and automation system provides the homeowners with the most convenient way of controlling entertainment within the building. Now they will have the ability to control all audio and video devices universally, with one device. Or the ability to stream music or video files from your phone to your TV wirelessly. Audio-visual and automation systems also allows owners to regulate on their energy consumption, which in turn saves money and has a green impact on the environment.
With the advent of technology, installation of WIFI connection for homes has become the norm to get in touch with the modern world. And recently, the lockdown of several businesses due to the COVID-19 pandemic rendered remote work absolutely necessary. More and more homes in Australia have installed WIFI connections in order to maintain business operations at the safety of their homes. As people started to adjust to the new normal, there has been an influx of people wanting to have better WIFI connection for their homes. Understandably, it is a universal preference due to the fact that a better WIFI connection entails a clearer and more productive workplace communication as well as responsive sales and marketing strategies. However, selecting a good internet service provider (ISP) to install a better WIFI connection is more complicated than it sounds. Luckily, Electrical Data Networks can help you with such a problem.
WIFI Connection Overview
Contrary to popular belief, WIFI is not an abbreviation of the term wireless fidelity. In fact, it is a trademarked name for a wireless networking technology that utilises radio waves to provide wireless high-speed Internet and network connections. WIFI actually stands for IEEE 802.11x.
In order to fully understand the essence of a WIFI connection, you need to first familiarise yourself with how it works. As mentioned above, a WIFI connection does not necessitate a physical wired connection, instead it makes use of radio wave frequency to transmit signals from sender to receiver. This is where an access point comes into the picture. The primary role of the access point is to broadcast a wireless signal that the devices can detect and connect into. In order to connect to an access point and join a wireless network, computers and devices must be equipped with wireless network adapters.
Since the speed of your connection depends on the wireless signal in your area, there are certain devices that routes and directs the incoming and outgoing traffic of network in an efficient way. The most common tools are WIFI access points, mesh systems and WIFI extenders.
WIFI Access Points, Mesh Systems and WIFI Extenders
A wireless access point (AP) is a tool that enhances WIFI connection capability to the existing wired network by bridging traffic from wireless stations into wired LAN. The wireless AP can act as a stand-alone device or can be a component of a router. More often than not, wireless access points are used for extending the wireless coverage of the existing network in case of the need for future access requirements. They are mostly used in medium to large enterprises and organisations, and more than one wireless AP are involved to support multiple users.
Mesh systems, on the other hand, operates differently. They utilise multiple devices called mesh networks that act as an extension of your wireless reach by bringing in newer signals. One of these devices are in charge of relaying connection on its surrounding area. The advantage of these mesh systems is the fact that they are easy to install because they are wireless. However, this ease and convenience make up for the fact that they are not as speedy as a hardwired one like wireless access points.
Meanwhile, WIFI extenders serve as a boost in your connection by rebroadcasting your signal to another area in your home. It creates another network for your device in order for you to have a stronger signal. But the downside of WIFI extenders is their tendency to be intermittent that could likewise slow down your connection speed. This is because the bandwidth of the device connected to it is reduced by half since the WIFI extender receives the signal, processes it and rebroadcasts it to another area. It also requires your device to sign in to the WIFI extender’s network or service set identifier (SSID) which will not be a problem when you use access points.
For further information about installing WIFI in your homes, consult Electrical Data Networks. We install access points in your home, which in a certain aspect, is a better option to have a better wireless connection.
A three-way switch is used for safe and reliable operation characteristics. Their main function is also the same as many other transfer switches, that is, to provide a continuous and uninterrupted flow of power to the load without producing any damage or fault in the system. Below are the benefits of the installation of three-way switches for backup power for residential and commercial clients.
Three-Way Switches Basics
In order to fully understand the mechanism of three-way switches, you must first understand automatic transfer switches and manual transfer switches. A transfer switch is an electrical switch that switches a load between two sources. Transfer switches are an effective means of ensuring your business has uninterrupted access to electrical power in the face of outages and incidents. They provide a no-mess and no-stress function, granting you fast and safe access to power from your generator when you need it most. But to find out exactly how a transfer switch operates, you might need a bit of an explanation. Some transfer switches are manual, in that an operator effects the transfer by throwing a switch, while others are automatic and trigger when they sense one of the sources has lost or gained power.
An Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) is often installed where a backup generator is located, so that the generator may provide temporary electrical power if the utility source fails. Meanwhile, a manual transfer switch is an easy solution to keep the lights and other important systems powered during a temporary or emergency power outage, allowing you to keep your business up and running with minor productivity loss. A manual transfer switch allows you to start a generator and restore power to predetermined circuits when utility power fails. This is a reliable, simple, and cost-effective method to provide building owners with a high level of safety and security.
Advantages of a Three Way Switch
Safe and Reliable – There are several advantages of this setup. First of all this is more safe and reliable and proves as a better option for sensitive loads or loads which require a continuous source of power at all conditions, otherwise they would get damaged or provide extreme losses.
Money and Energy Savings – They make your money and investment safe and provide an increased power density. Chances of power failure are almost eliminated and hence a better operation cost can be predicted as power outages are preventable.
Versatile – Due to their increased consistency, these switches find numerous applications in industry as well as for domestic use. These are used with air conditioners, generators, UPS and many other such electrical components which can act as a backup source or would need an urgent alternate power source in case one or the other fails.
Efficient – They are also used in places where the backup source is urgently needed and is very crucial. A very good example can be a hospital, where such failures cannot be tolerated at any cost.