Smart Homes have dramatically increased in popularity because of the conveniences they offer. Smart Home technology gives us the ability to remotely control many electrical systems and devices in our homes. Heating, lighting, security, and even our garage doors, can all be programmed, controlled, and monitored from almost anywhere.  There are different ways to turn your house into a Smart Home. In the past, the only way to have a Smart Home was for “smart” devices to be hard-wired to a main hub, or computer. The devices would be controlled remotely from that hub.  But the prevalence of Wi-Fi has made having a Smart Home even easier.  There are a number of Wi-Fi devices available that simply plug into any outlet. The device you want to control is then plugged into that outlet and controlled wirelessly using your computer, smart phone, or tablet. Even though this option is cheap and easy to install, there are drawbacks to consider. These Wi-Fi devices are always “listening” and so privacy can be a concern. Also, these devices will not be the best option if your Wi-Fi is not always reliable.