Fifteen years ago smart technology in our homes meant we had a computer and maybe a smartphone. Now, we have speakers that talk to us, lights that anticipate our arrival, and doorbells that display video of our visitors, as well as the computers, tablets, phones, earphones, video game consoles, and more. It’s all cool, but it’s also complicated.

In 2020 many of us have even added more technology at home. Whole home office setups with wireless routers and connected printers, and projector systems for home movie nights, as we can’t go to theaters. This simply means there are more users trying to get online at once.

Plus, every room in the house has now gone digital. Lights connect to phones, waterproof Bluetooth speakers give you something to sing about in the shower, refrigerators track what should be on your shopping list with barcode scanning.

But smart technology does not come cheap. When investing in a smart home, make sure you set it up correctly. When new devices aren't connected, you miss opportunities to add convenience at home.

Setting Up Your Smart Home

Accumulating digital technology for the home is one thing, but using it effectively is another. First, you need to be sure you are connecting your new tech correctly. Home automation is more difficult than the marketers would have you to believe.

Maybe you used to be able to troubleshoot your own technology, or had a tech-savvy family member or friend who could help out in a pinch. But now that home computing has become more essential, you may be feeling overwhelmed.

If you’re working from home, and others are doing virtual learning too, you can't wait for your IT geek buddy to visit. You need your desktop to do your job, and you can’t risk missing a deadline or losing hours of work. Your kids might welcome the excuse to miss a few assignments, but you don’t want them falling behind at school.

With all the technology you’re using today in a regular basis, your home is basically a small business. You want to be able to access the internet from any room and print from anywhere in the house, or to have a cloud backup of all your photos and videos.

So, partner with a managed service provider (MSP) for your residential computers. Many businesses use MSPs for IT help, 24/7 monitoring, improved security, and reporting. Home users can benefit, too.

Advantages of Residential Managed Services

A managed service provider helps organize and protect your technology. These IT experts can:

The majority of homes today have at least one computer, and that’s unlikely to be the full extent of the technology. Everyone has a smartphone, and there may be streaming devices, modems, routers, or printers, and – we’re guessing here – lots and lots of power cords! When something goes awry with any of this tech, homeowners can feel stuck. In an office setting, there’s the IT support desk, but at home, you could be relying on Google search, YouTube videos, and the efforts of a digital-native teen. Talking with IT experts well versed in residential technology issues can help.

An IT Expert for Your Home

As with doctors, it can be worthwhile to get a second opinion. Having an IT expert for your home can save you money and prevent disasters. With an IT guru on speed dial, you can make smart decisions for buying, repairing, and upgrading tech.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of unscrupulous computer businesses out there. They will take advantage of a buyer’s lack of knowledge about all things tech. Doing your own research is great, but it can get overwhelming. A search for a Wi-Fi-enabled, Mac-compatible printer nets hundreds of options, rankings, and reviews.

You try to evaluate a laptop or printer on function, quality, and price, but all these other elements get mentioned. You don’t even know what they mean! How can you ask the right questions? An IT expert can narrow the field and make recommendations based on your needs. You don’t have to wonder what that salesperson is not telling you.

Maybe you usually go to a big-box store to buy your technology. Yes, they can have good deals, but often there’s a reason that laptop is so cheap or that printer is such a great deal. These temptingly priced technologies can be just too slow to do the job, or they’ll break down sooner. Or that astounding deal on a color printer is going to backfire on you down the road because the cost of the ink is crazy!