Given the extraordinary circumstances of the past few months, it’s natural to feel a heightened sense of anxiety. In uncertain times, the world may feel less secure. But we have some good news. If you are concerned about the security of your home and family, the latest technology can go a long way to alleviating your concerns.

If you’re stuck with a security system installed ten or even five years ago in your Dallas, TX home, you're missing out on a wide array of innovation in home security. Older security systems tend to be reactive versus proactive - they tell you something that happened after the fact. You might know a sensor for a door or window was tripped, but you don’t know how or why.

Let’s explore some of the latest security options for greater peace of mind to know your family and home are protected.

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Smart Locks

Smart locks have advanced significantly in the past few years. One simple way they can enhance security is by going keyless. If you copy a key for someone, there's no way to know if it has been copied. Rekeying locks is also a tedious and expensive proposition. Smart locks can operate with codes and secure smartphone access, which can be revoked at any time. If you need to grant access to your home for service when you're not there, you can do so temporarily. You can also let someone in remotely from anywhere with just your smartphone.

With the current health crisis and shelter-at-home directives, everyone is spending far more time at home. And with workplaces, offices, schools, and venues temporarily closed, the house is now the center of a much higher volume of activity for work, play, and entertainment.

We already lived in a connected world, but now those connections are more important than ever. Your home already depended on fast internet connections for computers, laptops, smartphones, gaming devices, TVs, smart automation, and more. With everyone at home working, learning, and playing, home networks are increasingly strained.

How do you ensure the home networking performance in your Austin, TX, residence is keeping pace with all the traffic? Keep reading to see how to optimize your network for all of your family’s activities.

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Weak Wireless

Many homes have weak or dead spots for Wi-Fi in their homes. Sometimes just moving a few feet in one direction can make the reception bad enough that your device starts freezing on loading web pages or with apps not functioning. If you are relying, as many households do, on the router/modem supplied by your internet provider, you may not be getting the range you need.

As businesses close throughout the country to aid in social distancing and halting the spread of COVID-19, we have been designated by the government as an essential business that may remain open to support our community during this time. That being said, we’re not conducting business as usual. Your safety is greatly important to us, which is why we’ve implemented special steps to protect clients and staff during the COVID-19 outbreak in the US.

Technology integrators have been labeled an essential business by the Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) in large part since we’re vital to homeowners setting up home offices and learning environments. Integrators are also recognized for their role in keeping a strong networking infrastructure throughout the country as other essential organizations also need support during this challenging time.

During this critical period, we are committed to helping our clients stay connected, support remote learning for the nation’s children, and protect our clients’ properties and families.

Though networking and communications infrastructure are the primary reasons for our essential business designation, we will also be available for any service, support, and installation of vital home technology systems including security, surveillance, lighting control, entertainment, and more. A strong network is essential for much of the country right now, and we are here to support your needs.

While the DHS has provided these general recommendations, it is still up to the states to set their own regulations and restrictions. While Governor Abbot has left it up to local municipalities to set their own status in Texas, the Dallas metropolitan area has “Shelter in Place” restrictions in effect, meaning all non-essential businesses will be forced to close. As an essential business Multimedia Solutions, Inc. will remain open with some restrictions (like office personnel working from home).

Most families have entirely different tastes in music from each other. You end up arguing over who can use the speakers and who must use headphones listen to what they want. There is another option, however. Multi-room audio allows each member of your household to enjoy their music from high-quality speakers throughout the house. If you want to come together, you can also listen to them all at once! Learn what multi-room audio is and how you can use it in your Dallas, TX area home.

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What is multi-room audio?

Multi-room audio is the practice of connecting several speakers so that you can enjoy music in every room of your house. The main audio components stay within a dedicated AV cabinet and then you control them through a smart device of your choice to broadcast music throughout the house. The components of a multi-room system can vary. You can include wireless speakers, wired speakers, soundbars, or any other number of AV equipment.

If you already have AV equipment, you can use matrix switches or AV receivers to implement it in your multi-room system; there is no need to overhaul your audio gear completely! But how does everything connect? There are two ways that a multi-room audio system operates. The first is that it connects to your home network to connect all of your devices. The second method, and the one that we recommend, is a wired installation. Your speakers link back to your main audio components and sources through dedicated Cat5, Cat6 or fiber optic cables.

What can I do with multi-room audio?

You can stream music from your favorite streaming services, such as Spotify or Apple Music, or even play music stored on a device of your choosing. If you are into a more retro aesthetic, you can hook up a CD player or a record player to your system.

Technology should simplify your life, not complicate it. Smart home automation has become increasingly popular because of its ability to do just that. A smart home automation system places all your technology under one umbrella, allowing for more efficient and intuitive control. With the swipe of a finger or voice command, your home responds to your every need.

Here are just some of the ways smart home automation will improve your home in Dallas, TX.

SEE ALSO: Explore How Our Smart Technology Could look in Your Home

Add Convenience

The most apparent benefit to home automation is convenience. There are endless possibilities to make your life easier. Close all of the shades in your house and turn off all the lights with the simple touch of a button. Create a scene so that with one touch, you can lower the temperature, close the blinds, turn down the lights, and start your movie. Have your thermostat heat up the house right before you get home, so you aren't freezing, and you don't have to run the heat all day. Install motion sensors in your hallway so that when you get up to use the restroom in the middle of the night, you don't have to worry about falling. Smart home automation was created to make your life easier and is worth the investment.