Home automation

Borg

I've been trying to learn about home automation devices that can be controlled from a remote location. Most of what I've read requires that I have a computer running at home and that I send the commands through the computer. I'm trying to figure out if there are devices that I can plug into my router at home that will allow me to send signals directly to devices without requiring that I set up a server.

I recently ran across this Serial to Ethernet device (XPort) that seems to be what I'm looking for but, I would like to make sure that this is really the right solution before I invest in it.

Thanks for any help.

schip666!

That thingie looks like it would be able to connect between the virtual (a browser) and some piece of the physical world, but you would need to do a bunch of hardware and software hacking to, say, turn on a floor lamp.

There are a bunch of home automation products that may do what you want for cheaper with less hacking. This is one: http://www.x10.com/automation/ but be warned that the site looks like an ad from Reader's Digest...

Borg

I do expect to be building circuits to go with it.

I tried your site and it doesn't load.