X10 Community Forum

🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Topic started by: nextccie on August 21, 2006, 08:05:34 PM

Title: Turn off and on 2 power strips
Post by: nextccie on August 21, 2006, 08:05:34 PM: I have 11 routers that I want to turn off and on for as little money as possible via vpn. I have heard these products are great for something like that, but do not know which ones are the most effective. I can vpn into my home network and turn these on and off via my computer at home or via a web interface, i do not care. But I am just looking for the functionality of turning on and off two surge protector/power strips.

Which products would I need to buy to do this?

Thanks!
Title: Re: Turn off and one 2 power strips
Post by: Dan Lawrence on August 21, 2006, 09:42:07 PM: Are you planning to use X10 to do this?
Title: Re: Turn off and one 2 power strips
Post by: nextccie on August 21, 2006, 10:06:55 PM: Yes, that was what I was getting at, Someone told me that they use X10 products to do a similar thing. I thought it would be an interesting product to try but don't really know which product would suit this need...
Title: Re: Turn off and one 2 power strips
Post by: -Bill- (of wgjohns.com) on August 21, 2006, 10:25:17 PM: The home computer will have to have Active Home Pro software and the (bundled with it) CM15A USB interface.
You will also need a couple of appliance modules. I would suggest the AM466 as it has a three pin outlet and you won't have to chop the ground pin off of your power strips!

If you can VPN into a remote-control session on your home computer now, you should be able to control the Active Home Pro software that way. Otherwise you may need additional software (X10's MyHouse) which you can sometimes find bundled with Active Home Pro.
Title: Re: Turn off and one 2 power strips
Post by: steven r on August 21, 2006, 10:55:11 PM: Quote from: nextccie on August 21, 2006, 08:05:34 PM
I have 11 routers...
Wow. Why so many?
Title: Re: Turn off and one 2 power strips
Post by: nextccie on August 22, 2006, 09:17:27 PM: I was almost clear and you do understand what I am trying to do I have 2 tripplite surge strips with half of the routers in one and half in the other. This way I only have to have the capability of turning 2 plugs to be "hot"
Buuttttt, I do not have any remote software yet. I "remote" into my pc using remote desktop (windows) after vpn ing into my home network. Which also means I could use http if I needed to. So that being said, which would you suggest now?
thanks a lot.

BTW, why so many? it is a requirement to practice for a cisco test i need to take in a couple of months..
Title: Re: Turn off and one 2 power strips
Post by: Tuicemen on August 22, 2006, 09:36:05 PM: Cheepest way is with the firecracker kit and possibly an extra appliance module if you can already access your pc remotely! ;) :D ;D
Title: Re: Turn off and on 2 power strips
Post by: nextccie on August 22, 2006, 09:52:14 PM: thanks man and the AM466 as suggested by Bill up there ^
Title: Re: Turn off and on 2 power strips
Post by: Tuicemen on August 22, 2006, 10:42:23 PM: yep exactly! Thats all I used with VNC (http://vnc.com/) to do web homeautomation controll before AHP and XP ;) :D
Title: Re: Turn off and on 2 power strips
Post by: nextccie on August 23, 2006, 12:00:13 AM: Thanks man I will price it out and see if its more for le$$ and where do you purchase this for the least shipping etc?
Title: Re: Turn off and on 2 power strips
Post by: Tuicemen on August 23, 2006, 03:36:49 PM: I almost always deal with X10.com their deals are hard to match but do shop arround . You may even find a deal on ebay but make sure you know exactly what your getting! ;) :D ;D
Title: Re: Turn off and on 2 power strips
Post by: nextccie on August 23, 2006, 07:55:59 PM: a bit less than 80.00

3 x AM466 3 prong modules and an Active home pro with USB All for 77.00 inc ship etc...

we'll see!
Title: Re: Turn off and on 2 power strips
Post by: nextccie on August 23, 2006, 07:57:54 PM: And probably its my monitor.. but what is in Stevenr's picture there
Steven, and thanks for your help.
Title: Re: Turn off and on 2 power strips
Post by: Tuicemen on August 23, 2006, 08:58:44 PM: Actualy the firecracker starter kit (http://www.x10.com/automation/ck18a_s_ps32.html#21a62.6ce5) $39 don't know why you need three 3prong units thought you only needed to control two surge protector/power strips ??? so that plus 2 3prong units would work!
Of coarse for the litle more money you'll get a much better system to start from with AHP![/b]
Title: Re: Turn off and on 2 power strips
Post by: nextccie on August 23, 2006, 09:19:38 PM: i believe that I was told by the rep at x10 that the firecracker wouldn't do exactly what I needed. Plus the 3rd one is for another device if I decide to use it seperately..

Your advice was good but the AHP sounded better (worth the extra$) we'll see.
Title: Re: Turn off and on 2 power strips
Post by: -Bill- (of wgjohns.com) on August 23, 2006, 09:35:12 PM: Not to mention, AHP can be controlled from your favorite scripting language, eg. VBScript, JScript and any others that can instantiate a COM or ACTIVEX object!

Fun for us! ;D
Title: Re: Turn off and on 2 power strips
Post by: Tuicemen on August 23, 2006, 10:24:05 PM: Quote from: nextccie on August 23, 2006, 09:19:38 PM
i believe that I was told by the rep at x10 that the firecracker wouldn't do exactly what I needed. Plus the 3rd one is for another device if I decide to use it seperately..

Your advice was good but the AHP sounded better (worth the extra$) we'll see.
True the firecracker kit won't do what you want on it's own but then neither will AHP you'll need other software(freeware,plugins,or thirdparty addons) A lot of the sells reps don't use this thus have no idea how to make it work!(BIG SHAME)
If you have already ordered let us know what you've decided on and I or someone else will get you running with little or no more expense ;) :D