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Top 5 Myths for Securing a Wifi network

If you want to use a mobile device in your automation system, you are going to need to use Wifi for the simple fact that most mobile devices do not support a physical Ethernet connection to your network.

Adding Wifi is often seen as a security risk. Not done right, it can be; done right, it need not be.

Like many technolgies, Wifi has matured and become more robust. That said, poor advice still circles the web on how to secure your Wifi network that simply doesn't work anymore. Let's take a look at a few myths about securing Wifi that need busting, and what techniques we can use to bust them.

Topics: groov, Internet of Things, Remote monitoring, Electronics, Tips, IoT, Networking

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Security is a trade-off between easy to use and secure.

In this blog we are going to take a look at a method of security that is often overlooked and yet can make a system a lot more secure.

The humble password.

For years we have all been taught to use a password that is a mix of letters and symbols. But should we rather be using a passphrase?

Which is better to use and why?

Topics: groov, Internet of Things, Tips, IoT, Networking

So much more than video:

One of my all-time favorite groov features is the Video Camera gadget.

The gadget is pretty interesting as it's simply an image placeholder. Just point the gadget at a URL that resolves in an image and the gadget will display it and update it.

Of course, for an IP video camera, this usually means a JPG image. The groov user's guide has a nice section down the back that will help you get your camera showing up in groov, so be sure to check it out.

If you're interested in some other uses for the gadget, then read on and let's have some fun!

Topics: Videos, groov, Internet of Things, Remote monitoring, Electronics, IoT

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Nothing like a cold shower to get you moving:

Most of us never give any thought to our hot water service pilot flame. But when it goes out...cold shower first thing in the morning, anyone?

Bleh.

The first time it happened, I simply re-lit the pilot and showered with cold water. After the third cold shower, I knew it was time to be a little more proactive!

Topics: Energy management, groov, Internet of Things, Remote monitoring, Water & wastewater, Electronics, Tips, IoT, Machine builder

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Get a mop, I spilt some electricity:

The past few blogs we have talked about visualizing water usage in groov and how it not only helped me save water, but also highlighted the fact that I was not seeing all the water use I thought I was.

Electricity is a bit different from most other things. Spill water on the floor and it's pretty obvious; spill electricity and often no one is the wiser.

Was I seeing all the power use in my house? Are there any so-called phantom loads (sometimes called vampire loads) sucking or sipping power that I did not know about?

Topics: Energy management, groov, Internet of Things, Remote monitoring, Electronics, IoT

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Monitoring the water mains:

As mentioned in my blog last week, it was not until I monitored my water usage that I found out I was not monitoring ALL of my water usage.

My whole house water meter was just that, the whole house. It did not show any of the garden/lawn water use.

Let's talk about how we might get that data and what it could mean for conserving water in all aspects of our lives.

Topics: Energy management, groov, Internet of Things, Remote monitoring, Water & wastewater, Electronics, IoT

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Visualizing water usage with groov:

As an Australian living in southern California I have been conflicted lots of times driving around seeing green lawns in baking hot sun.

When we moved to California from Australia in 2008, one of the worst droughts in history was still very much a huge issue for Victoria, the state we lived in. So when we arrived, the seemingly endless sea of green really, really surprised us all.

Australians have had little choice but to let their lawns brown off (often totally die) in the summer for many, many years...... It's just a fact of life of living in a sunburnt country.

As soon as we were able to buy our own home, I knew that monitoring our water usage was up near the top of my to-do list.

The challenge was how to share the data with the family, my wife and two teenage kids.

Topics: groov, Internet of Things, Water & wastewater, IoT

Every application is different. But some things are similar:

• You have to monitor and control equipment.
• You don't have enough time in your workday.
• Your budget is seldom enough for what you have to do.

Watch the video and see how groov can help you save time and money in facility management. A groov mobile interface lets you keep moving while you monitor systems and equipment. 

Topics: Energy management, Videos, groov, Internet of Things, Aggregates & concrete, Remote monitoring, IoT, optonews, OptoNews 2015-04-01

There's a lot of talk these days about using a smartphone or tablet to monitor and even control automation systems and equipment.

Most of us carry around a phone all the time. It's easy and convenient, and we use it for everything: answering email, taking photos, looking up product specs, taking notes, calculating flow, posting on Facebook, calling home, checking a magnetic field.

More and more we find ourselves mixing business and personal uses on mobile, because they're all there in one handy place.

Topics: groov, Internet of Things, Remote monitoring