An umbrella control system, comprising: a plurality of multifunctional end-node beach umbrellas, each one of the plurality of multifunctional end-node beach umbrellas including: a pole engagement member at a distal end of an umbrella pole and an umbrella cord length control unit supported by the pole engagement member that controls a length of an umbrella cord to open and close the umbrella; a wireless transceiver operable to transmit and receive wireless signals, and which is operably coupled to the umbrella cord length control unit, wherein the umbrella cord length control unit is responsive to a first code received by the wireless transceiver that is intended for the one of the plurality of multifunctional end-node beach umbrellas to change a length of the umbrella cord, and wherein the wireless transceiver is configured, upon receiving a second code intended for a different one of the multifunctional end- node beach umbrellas to retransmit the second code to another one of the plurality of multifunctional end-node beach umbrellas; and a hub configured to transmit the first and second codes to at least one of the plurality of multifunctional end-node beach umbrellas. a plurality of multifunctional end-node beach umbrellas, each one of the plurality of multifunctional end-node beach umbrellas including: a pole engagement member at a distal end of an umbrella pole and an umbrella cord length control unit supported by the pole engagement member that controls a length of an umbrella cord to open and close the umbrella; a wireless transceiver operable to transmit and receive wireless signals, and which is operably coupled to the umbrella cord length control unit, wherein the umbrella cord length control unit is responsive to a first code received by the wireless transceiver that is intended for the one of the plurality of multifunctional end-node beach umbrellas to change a length of the umbrella cord, and wherein the wireless transceiver is configured, upon receiving a second code intended for a different one of the multifunctional end- node beach umbrellas to retransmit the second code to another one of the plurality of multifunctional end-node beach umbrellas; and a pole engagement member at a distal end of an umbrella pole and an umbrella cord length control unit supported by the pole engagement member that controls a length of an umbrella cord to open and close the umbrella; a wireless transceiver operable to transmit and receive wireless signals, and which is operably coupled to the umbrella cord length control unit, wherein the umbrella cord length control unit is responsive to a first code received by the wireless transceiver that is intended for the one of the plurality of multifunctional end-node beach umbrellas to change a length of the umbrella cord, and wherein the wireless transceiver is configured, upon receiving a second code intended for a different one of the multifunctional end- node beach umbrellas to retransmit the second code to another one of the plurality of multifunctional end-node beach umbrellas; and a hub configured to transmit the first and second codes to at least one of the plurality of multifunctional end-node beach umbrellas.