Total Home Automation

Asterisk@Home

I have just started playing with Asterisk - the open PBX VOIP server.  I followed the cookbook at Asterisk@Home.  I had my old computer (Dell PIII 800 mhz) sitting around so I just erased the hardrive and loaded the ISO.  Round trip install took about 30 mins.  I have ordered a CISCO phone and FXO card for my analog lines, but downloaded a softphone to test out the system.  So far very interesting.  It also loads SUGAR CRM, which was unexpected.  They are integrated with each other, and I have been looking for a CRM tool for my ventures business.

Given my constant frustrations of the limitations in my Key System (NEC IPK 192) I am interested in some very specific functions with my Asterisk install:

• Conference calls that have good sound quality
• Offsite access to phone system as an extension to the phone (i.e. for a remote home)
• Ability to page and listen in the home from a remote location
• Control various automation systems from a cisco phone (i.e. mute sound, increase volume)
• Control of door locks
• Set security system
• Detailed call log
• Screen pop on PC from incoming call - integrated into outlook
• Weather forecast on phone display
• Automute of room sound + pause of tivo on phone pickup
• Low cost phone service
• Voicemail goes via email
• Ring various various internal stations and my cell phone simultaneously
• Robust interal wirless service
• Common phone diracotry
• Everything easily managed via web

I keep adding to the wish list.  Your thoughts are welcome.  A good site for VOIP equipment is: www.telephonyware.com

Firewalls & Remote control

One of the reasons I am pushing all my automation to TCP/IP is so that I can control my home, or know its status, while I am traveling.  On the network side I have two high speed lines into the home - one DSL the other Cable.  I originally put a low end sonic wall up as my firewall, but more recently went to a Sonicwall TZ170.  I run Microsoft small business server inside the house.

So with all this robust architecture, I am still having problems getting my VPN to work properly.  The other day I spent about 6 hours trying to make it work, but never got it to work right.  I can get on my network, but can't route around.  Sometimes I can't ping into my network from the WAN side.  All in all its a real pain.

What I would really like to do is use SOAP.   With SOAP I can setup a messaging system that allows my internal network, devices etc to message me externally either on my laptop or cell phone.  I would then write applications for these platforms to manage the message, transmit back, etc.  The systems would allow on-demand connectivity for critical control functions with a pretty good level of security.

As an investor, I also am looking at a company named www.gridlogix.com.  Gridlogix has a middleware application that integrates with legacy protocols (Mod Bus etc) and translates them into a web service (SOAP).  They target large industrial automation applications, but with the Gridlogix software I can integrate all my devices in the home and provide the web services I need to get to the outside.

I have not seen anyone doing a web service in this application so If you have, I would love your thoughts.