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The mouse and rat action around our properties continues. Two years ago it was the summertime invasion of the Chicago rats into the backyard of the bunker in Bucktown. This problem was eventually subdued with the installation of a Maginot line of steel sheets and cement on the fences facing the alley. There is a price to be paid for living in a neighborhood that is chock-full of wonderful restaurants; the presence of tossed foodstuffs is heaven for the Chicago Rattus norvegicus.

One of the many benefits of using IP physical security devices is the wide variety of connectivity options available. Dealers who are knowledgeable about the various IP devices and technologies can utilize existing fiber optic cables for separate networks that can span great distances, providing connectivity to remote buildings, within large locations and on campus-type installations. These separate or “parallel” networks are the best choice for large installations because the security devices are connected to separate cables and network switches, which should eliminate any bandwidth concerns that might be raised by the client’s IT department.

Since the introduction of the digital communicator in 1978, our industry has spent thousands of costly man-hours programming (and often reprogramming) communicators, sensors and other devices. In the old days we had to program PROM chips using a vendor-specific “burner.” Today we still have to program many devices using either a keypad or a PC. Technicians performing these tasks need extensive knowledge of the device and the programming options to ensure the device or system functions properly and to avoid expensive callbacks.

Recently the heat in my family’s bunker in Bucktown failed. Of course these events occur only during the polar vortex, so it was 12 degrees outside and 60 degrees and dropping in my house when I woke up that day.

 The year 1973 was a big one for me: high school graduation, starting college, getting a draft card (while the Vietnam War was still winding down) and purchasing Raw Power by Iggy and the Stooges. Gas was 40 cents a gallon; a case of beer was $6; and the technology that has now been condensed into smartphone apps filled entire rooms. 

 Against my wishes on a September weekend I found myself, wife and daughter at a little soiree called “RiotFest 2014.” Seven stages, four inches of mud, and 120 dB of 30-plus punk rock bands for three days in Humboldt Park in Chicago. The crowd was huge, more than 20,000 people on Sunday. I had managed to get out of going on Friday and Saturday, but my attendance was mandatory for the Sunday Cheap Trick show. The attendees sported bizarre hairdos, lots and lots of tattoos, and apparently some people think that they can now self-medicate because Illinois recently passed a medical marijuana law.  

 In my 37 years working in the industry, I have seen the “race to the bottom” occur with every popular technology that has come into our business. Two examples come quickly to mind: PIR motion detectors and digital communicators.  

The structured cabling industry has long used comprehensive testing equipment that provides detailed analysis of each cable, including bandwidth and data transmission quality measurements.

Now is the time for our industry to fully embrace Wi-Fi connections for IP cameras and other devices, because that’s the way the world is going. When planning to use Wi-Fi devices, security dealers have the potential option of using the client’s existing Wi-Fi.