Keeping an eye out: now it's economical to put a Webcam in any office

If you have a satellite office or smooth an office trailer way without at the back end of the yard where you've wished you could do a certain number of things by remote control, now's the time to make that a reality.

A of recent origin service from iControl Networks, Palo Alto, Calif., give leave tos you monitor and control far offices via the Internet using a standard browser upon your PC, cell phone, or PDA. Because it ties into existing technologies rather than being a stand-alone hard-wired a whole it's easy to install and put up.

The iControl combination of parts to form a whole can alert you to maintenance necessitys provide limited security information, and allow you to switch certain things upon or off, such as a light. It uses cameras, sensors, and other devices placed at a residence or business to get pictures and alarm information, as well as propel text or email messages to suffer you know what's going on

The lock opener piece of hardware is the iControl receptacle connected to your local area network using a standard Ethernet cable. That device enables the combination of parts to form a whole to remain connected to the Internet without having to go on through a local PC that would have to be upon all the time. Of course, it does require a broadband Internet connection and a subscription to the iControl service, which is $1495 a month

Pick your version

The company presents standard, advanced, and premium starter kits that allow you to pass by a leap in with as big a splash as you wish. The standard starter kit take away froms $599 and includes an iControl case web camera, door/window sensor, lamp module motion sensor, and key-chain wireless remote

For $100 more, the advanced starter kit includes a wireless camera instead. And if you're interested in being able to raise and lower the temperature, you can opt for the $849 premium starter kit, which includes the wireless camera and an iControl thermostat. Other available module include sensors for water, freezing temperatures, carbon monoxide, heat, and smoke

If it's beginning to entire a little complicated, don't worry. It revolves out that most of the sensor module don't require wires. You can just curved catch the control box into your network, place the sensors using double-sided tape, and you're ready to configure the system

That's where the subscription to the iControl service tend hitherwards in. Each user has a assured personal portal he can access from one side a Web browser on a PC PDA, or confined apartment phone. That's how you configure, view, and manage the service. The software is Web-based, in the way that there is nothing additional to install upon your equipment.

Keeping a record

end the Web portal, you can easily diocese the current status of the distant sensors, a record of which sensors have been activated and when, pictures from the Web camera, and any device schedules you have locate up. It's also where you can place schedules for devices to activate, as well as pre-define actions when devices are unexpectedly triggered.

You also can receive e-mail or body message alerts when devices are triggered. The tabular organization also makes it easy to navigate.

For more information upon the service, visit www.icontrol.com.

COPYRIGHT 2006 Hanley-Wood, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group