Creating a Connected Home in the Rural Countryside

Country living has many benefits. You’re out of the city, closer to nature, breathing cleaner air, and away from the noise and stresses associated with urban life. Rural life does come with some challenges, however, finding connectivity should not be one with several rural internet options made for countryside living.

You can create a connected home in the countryside with the right devices and internet service. Here’s an overview of how to blend smart homes with country living.

What is a Connected Home?

A connected home, or smart home, has an internet connection and uses smart devices to automate daily tasks, monitor energy use, and improve safety and quality of life. Connectivity is critical in rural areas, as a reliable internet connection improves economic growth, job opportunities, and access to educational resources while facilitating communication with friends and family.

Establishing Reliable Internet Access

Internet Options for Rural Areas

Rural internet options typically include the following:

• Satellite internet plans, which route internet signals through orbiting satellites. Satellite internet plans offer reliable connectivity and high speeds and are available throughout the United States regardless of location.
• Fixed wireless broadband delivers internet signals using radio waves from cell towers. A clear line of sight with the tower is required for optimal signal strength, and speeds vary depending on the distance between your home and the nearest tower which may differ widely in rural areas.
• Fiber Optic internet offers exceptionally high speeds and reliability but is currently an uncommon option for rural communities due to a lack of infrastructure.
• 5G mobile hotspots use portable devices to connect to the Internet using cellular signals. Hotspots are only an option in locations with reliable cellular service.

Boosting Wi-Fi Coverage Across Large Properties

You have several options for boosting internet coverage across a large property:

• Ethernet lines can connect secondary buildings directly to your router. Ethernet works well within the home and for nearby outbuildings but may not be an option when outbuildings are some distance from the main house.
• Powerline adapters use existing electrical wiring to transmit internet signals. To work, you need multiple powerline adapters: one in the main home and one in each outbuilding.
• Mesh Wi-Fi nodes send and receive signals between the router, other Mesh nodes, and endpoint devices. Each node acts as a router, relaying signals across the network. Mesh nodes are best suited for nearby outbuildings.
• Outdoor Wi-Fi extenders offer extended wireless connectivity across your property. They work well when they receive a strong signal from the router but can have difficulty penetrating some building materials.

Smart Home Essentials for the Countryside

Smart Security & Surveillance

• Wi-Fi-enabled security cameras allow you to check your property remotely. A smart camera can alert your phone when it detects unusual movement. Many have night vision capabilities and can be powered by batteries, wired into your electrical system, or use solar power.
• Smart locks and gates alert your phone if they detect unauthorized entry attempts. Using the lock’s app, you can unlock doors and gates remotely and assign or revoke access rights to people.
• Motion sensors and alarms on large properties alert you to unauthorized activities and deter trespassers and wildlife.

Smart Lighting & Power Management

• Solar-powered outdoor lighting negates the need for wired outdoor lights, reducing your utility bill. Smart solar-powered lights include motion detectors and multiple lighting modes.
• Smart plugs allow you to control when appliances receive power and set automatic power schedules. Smart plugs are ideal for limiting the power consumption of “always on” devices like televisions and gaming consoles.
• Backup generators are essential for rural locations with unreliable power grids and include gasoline, battery, and solar-powered units. Solar panels and solar batteries are useful for daily power management as well as blackouts.

Smart Climate Control & Energy Efficiency

• Smart Wi-Fi-enabled thermostats allow you to control your home’s temperature remotely. Using the device app, you can set heating and cooling schedules to maximize your HVAC’s energy efficiency.
• Smart irrigation systems are popular for gardens and farms. You can set the system to automatically water plants based on weather, time of day, soil conditions, or specific plant needs, reducing water waste while keeping plants and crops well-irrigated.
• Weather monitoring stations collect real-time information on temperature, humidity, rain, wind levels, and air quality, making it possible to identify and monitor local patterns and trends.

Overcoming Rural Smart Home Challenges

Dealing with Power Outages & Internet Disruptions

Power outages and internet disruptions are the main threats to a connected country house. Solar battery backups and generators help keep the power on during blackouts. For smart devices, choose products that are not reliant on cloud services. Instead, opt for products that offer localized home automation control, which allows you to control devices from within your local network without an internet connection.

Managing Data Usage in Limited Bandwidth Areas

Every smart device you add to your network demands a small share of network bandwidth. If you have low bandwidth, you may need to prioritize essential devices and disconnect less important devices when not in use. Using offline control options for automated tasks allows you to use devices without consuming bandwidth.

Future-Proofing the Connected Home

Rural internet infrastructure is slowly changing, with rural internet options, like satellite internet, continuously evolving and improving. While you may not have access to every rural internet option now, you can prepare for their arrival. Choose scalable smart devices and home infrastructure capable of handling future upgrades, so the arrival of new options doesn’t mean starting your connected home from scratch.

One Step at a Time

Smart homes enhance your safety, efficiency, and convenience, but they come with a budgetary cost. Fortunately, you don’t need to simultaneously address every aspect of a connected home. Start with the basics, like a satellite internet provider, and then prioritize what you want to work on first. For many, that’s either security, entertainment, or energy efficiency. Once you choose your priorities, add one or two new devices at a time. In a very short time, you’ll have a truly connected home!