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. <EOS>