What To Do With the Sticks & Bricks

Bipeflier wrote:
Thanks for all of the replies so far.

Hadn't considered the internet camera, great idea.

We are only looking at a couple of months or so to start so I don't foresee issues with insurance, etc.

We just don't want to have an "Oh $hit" moment when we get a thousand miles from home. LOL

We had a camera in our S&B before we sold it. I could pan down and look at a digital temp gauge I place below it and see the temperature in the house. Chris

I save some by putting the phone and internet on suspension.
Less than half normal monthly charge.

I like the idea of some sort of internet monitoring, unfortunately every time we get a storm the internet (DSL) gets glitched and I need to reset the modem. I'm taking it that none of you folks have this issue?

Padlin wrote:
I like the idea of some sort of internet monitoring, unfortunately every time we get a storm the internet (DSL) gets glitched and I need to reset the modem. I'm taking it that none of you folks have this issue?

Same issue, what I did was put the modem on a timer. For 5 minutes every day it shuts off then back on for the rest of the 24 hours. Works like a charm.

Worst case is you'll get a glitch shortly after the power off and you'll be off line until the next power off. For me, that isn't a show stopper.

Padlin wrote:
I like the idea of some sort of internet monitoring, unfortunately every time we get a storm the internet (DSL) gets glitched and I need to reset the modem. I'm taking it that none of you folks have this issue?

I don't have that problem with our DSL modem. I installed a small UPS unit to the modem, web enabled thermostat,router and to the VOIP phone.

If the power goes down, I get about a half hour of service out of the UPS before the batteries die, this takes care of most short power blips. The other thing it does for me is that I can look at the temperatures remotely through the monitoring service, it gives me a minute-by-minute read out of the temps, if the furnace is calling for heat and the house temp is not increasing (because of no power to the furnace) then I know there is a power failure, and if I get no readings after a half hour or so, it's a longer power failure.

Even if the DSL modem shuts down because the power fails, it reboots properly each time once the power is restored. I would talk to your provider and ask why you are having the problem with the equipment.