Choosing the Best Connectivity Option for Your Vacation Home

In the ever-evolving landscape of network technology, choosing the best connectivity option for monitoring and alerting critical environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and power status is crucial for vacation home owners.

This blog post guides you through the decision-making process, weighing the pros and cons of landline, broadband internet, and cellular connectivity options to find the best connectivity option for your vacation home.

Understanding the Differences

Before we delve into the specifics of landline, broadband internet, and cellular connectivity for monitoring and alerting, let’s understand their fundamental differences. POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) landlines, Broadband Internet, and Mobile (Cellular) connectivity all offer unique advantages and limitations. They are all forms of network connectivity, but they operate on different principles:

1. POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) Landline:

• Advantages:
  • Reliability: Known for its reliability, especially during power outages. It operates independently of the power to your home and usually continues to function during emergencies.
  
  
  • Simplicity: Is straightforward and easy to use, making it a reliable choice for monitoring and alerting of critical environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and power status.
    
    * The number of monitoring devices that support dial out alerting is rapidly shrinking.  I know of one that’s being manufactured and marketed but you can easily find others on eBay. I used a Deluxe FreezeAlarm from Control Products for many years and it worked flawlessly. Using a dual thermostat setup (Home and Away) I could even turn up the heat in the winter before we arrived.
  
  
  • Wide Availability: Infrastructure is widespread, ensuring availability in many locations.
  
  
• Limitations:
  • Limited Data Capability:  Primarily designed for voice communication and has limited data transmission capabilities. But it works well for monitoring and alerting as many alarm systems still use landlines to connect to central monitoring stations today.
  
  
  • DSL Internet Connectivity Option: It may be possible to get internet access using Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) over your POTS landline, if there is a local Internet Service Provider (ISP) that still supports it. This could allow you to use monitoring products that require the internet. 
    
    Two things to keep in mind.
    1. DSL does not work if the wire run from the home to the ISP exceeds 15,000 feet or about 3 miles, making the service unavailable for most rural customers.
    2. DSL is being phased out.   

2. Broadband Internet Connectivity:

• Advantages:
  • Versatility: Broadband Internet connectivity allows for a wide range of services. For the vacation homeowner, it enables the use of voice over IP (VoIP), remote viewing of security cameras, controlling smart thermostats, real-time temperature, humidity, and power monitoring and alerting, and more.
  
  
  • Cost Efficiency: Broadband Internet communication can be more cost-effective, especially if you eliminate your landline.
  
  
• Limitations:
  • Dependence on Power and Internet: Broadband Internet connectivity relies on power and internet access. During power outages, if you don’t have an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), communication may be disrupted. At our primary home I use an APC UPS 1500VA battery backup that provides about 2 hours of runtime for my internet modem, router, and a small switch. (I use a different solution at our vacation home.)
    
    Obviously, you shouldn’t plug the device you use to send “power out” alerts into the same UPS because it wouldn’t know that the power is out to the rest of the home. It should be plugged into a wall outlet.
    
    Likewise, if the ISP is experiencing a problem and the internet is down, you will lose connectivity.

3. Mobile (Cellular) Connectivity:

• Advantages:
  • Mobility: Cellular provides mobility, allowing connectivity from virtually anywhere with network coverage.
  
  
  • Connectivity During Power Outages: Assuming the nearby cell towers have power either from the power line, generator, or battery backup, they should continue to work when broadband internet connectivity is unavailable.
  
  
• Limitations:
  • Network Coverage: The availability and quality of mobile connectivity depends on network coverage, which may be limited in remote or rural areas.
  
  
  • Reliability in Emergencies: While cellular connections are generally reliable, network congestion during large-scale emergencies may impact connectivity because everyone is trying to use their cell phone. We even notice issues at our vacation home during major holidays when there is a big influx of people. The cell towers get overloaded.
    
    
  • Potential for Battery Dependency: Cellular devices depend on battery life, and prolonged power outages will limit run time. Using a UPS will extend connectivity time but it will not detect a power outage until the UPS power is exhausted.
    
    The pro is for a cellular monitoring device with little power draw the device could run a long time. The con is during this same period, the power is off to the rest of the vacation home and in freezing temperatures the inside temperature will begin to drop. 
    
    You should set the temperature alerting threshold appropriately to avoid any issues. For example, if the thermostat is normally set to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, set the threshold to send an alert if the inside temperature reaches 45 degrees. You won’t know immediately that the power is off, but you will know that something is wrong which could be a failed furnace or a power outage.
    
    In Michigan, DTE supplies our power and they maintain a pretty accurate outage map so I can quickly determine if we are experiencing a power outage.   

Clarifying the Connectivity Choices

Before we explore the pros and cons of each option for vacation home owners, I want to clarify the intent of this blog post. I’m not suggesting that given the availability of all 3 connectivity options that I would choose anything other than broadband internet as my primary connectivity option.

First and foremost, it’s a must have for viewing of security cameras, controlling smart thermostats, and real-time temperature, humidity and power monitoring and alerting.

If it’s not available, and you must choose between using a landline or cellular, the choice may be more a question of availability of the service. Although cellular coverage extends to most parts of the USA, landlines still service many areas with no cellular signal

Either of these options can be used for monitoring and alerting critical environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and power. But for me, given my extensive IT background I also think of redundancy. What if my primary method of broadband connectivity is down? What’s my backup plan? Should I keep the landline? Read on!

Aside from the requirement for monitoring an alerting, you also need to consider voice service. Some people will want to keep a landline because they always had one and think they still need one. Others will convert to VOIP and port their old landline number.

My wife had a strong attachment to our 30-year-old phone number, so I transferred it to the Ooma VOIP phone service. And others, such as the younger generation only know and want mobile phones.  Most have no interest in a landline. They think it’s primitive technology their parents or grandparents used. But there still is a place for it.

Landlines: Reliable but Limited

Landlines offer unmatched reliability. A landline, powered directly from the telephone line, ensures continuous operation even during power outages. This is particularly crucial for vacation homes that may be unoccupied for extended periods of time and if they are prone to long power outages that exceed the capacity of battery backup systems.

The stability and consistency of landline connections, especially in remote locations that have limited internet or cellular coverage, make them a solid option.

The Allure of Broadband Internet: Intelligent Temperature Control and Remote Monitoring

Enter the world of intelligent temperature control and remote monitoring with broadband internet. Broadband Internet offers the greatest variety of monitoring and control solutions.

These solutions offer real-time notifications and the convenience of managing your property remotely using a PC or smartphone app. However, the convenience may come at the cost of potential blind spots in monitoring, especially during power or internet outages.

Cellular Connectivity: Mobility with Limitations

Cellular connectivity is best for areas with good coverage when other options are unavailable. It’s often more cost-effective than a landline for dedicated monitoring. Network coverage limitations and potential battery dependency must be taken into account.

The Dilemma: Choosing Between Old and New (Or Both):

The main objective is to proactively protect your vacation home when you are not there. This requires two things:

1. A device that can monitor the temperature, humidity, and power status and send alerts when there is a problem.
2. The means for the alerts to be sent and reach you which is what this blog is about.

Once you know the available options you should choose the device(s) and connectivity options(s) that best meet your needs. I said “devices” and “options” because it doesn’t have to be just one.

You might prefer sending alerts to sends alert more than one way for redundancy and added protection. The decision depends on your unique situation and whether you find this approach necessary or desirable.

How to Choose The best connectivity option for your vacation home

Broadband Internet Connectivity: Hands down, if its available, use it as the primary form of connectivity. That said, I also use it for monitoring and alerting critical environmental conditions such as extreme temperature, humidity levels. For monitoring the power status, I went another route. Our vacation home is in an area that has frequent power failures because the power lines go through a lot of wooded areas. If the wind is blowing there is a good chance a tree limb will fall and damage a power line.

So, for us it’s not a question of if we will have a power failure but when it will occur. And being in Michigan it often occurs during a winter storm in freezing temperatures which is not a good time to go without a furnace keeping the pipes from freezing. For this reason, we along with most of our neighbors have automatic whole house generators. As long as the internet cable doesn’t also get damaged, our generator sends an alert that power has been lost and its running.

So, how do you know that your internet connection is working and alerts can get out?
Two ways:

1. The temperature, humidity, and power status monitoring device that I use is the Temp Stick +Power from Ideal Sciences. If their server’s loose connection to the device I receive text and Email alerts. Here is a sample Email showing the connection to my Home sensor is down:

2.  I use my experience as an IT Operations Manager for a global software development company. We needed to know immediately if any of our internet connections went down. Using a cloud-based monitor to constantly check for access to your network is the best way to do this.

I do the same for my primary and vacation homes using a monitor at www.uptimerobot.com. It allows you to defined 50 different monitors for free. Two methods can be used:

• You can ping the IP address of your modem if the ISP allows it (Xfinity does not).
• If you use port forwarding to access a device on your network you can use that to see if you get a response. I use port forwarding to access our home automation systems.

I actively monitor responses from xxx.xxx.xxx.xxxx:yyyy, where ‘xxx’ represents the modem’s IP address and ‘yyyy’ is the port number forwarded to our HAI home security and automation system. To find your IP address, visit whatsmyip.org or whatismyipaddress.com

This is a screenshot the UpTimeRobot app that I installed on my phone to see the current status. I receive emails alerts if a connection goes down:

Between the two methods, I know if I lose my internet connection and if my home security and automation is up and running.    

POTS: Ideal for locations where broadband or cellular monitoring is not available. Also, for users who what the ultimate protection and use it as a backup to their broadband connection.

Mobile (Cellular) Connectivity: Best for users in areas with good cellular coverage when other options are unavailable. The monthly cost for dedicated monitoring may be less than the cost of a landline.

Exploring the Future of Connectivity: The Viability of 5G Broadband for Vacation Homes

5G broadband is set to transform vacation home automation with its high-speed, low-latency connectivity. This advanced technology promises to enhance the performance of home automation systems, offering faster response times and improved efficiency for smart devices.

While 5G’s rollout is ongoing and varies by location, its potential for seamless remote surveillance and efficient smart home management is significant. Homeowners should view 5G as a future-proof solution for their vacation homes, despite the current challenges of limited availability and the need for compatible devices.

As 5G coverage expands, it will become a key player in the evolution of vacation home connectivity.

Conclusion: Making the Right Connectivity Choice for Your Vacation Home

Choosing the best connectivity option for your vacation home depends on your preferences, priorities, and the property’s specific communication needs. Whether you opt for the modern capabilities of broadband internet or the reliability of a landline, align your choice with your unique requirements.

For more insights on advanced temperature, humidity, power monitoring device, see Preventing Vacation Home Disasters with Intelligent Monitoring .

Stay tuned for updates in the ever-evolving world of vacation home automation solutions.

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