Navigating Home Automation Chaos: Simplifying My Father’s Legacy

Hello, fellow tech enthusiasts! I recently found myself in a challenging situation that I could use some guidance on. About a month ago, my father unexpectedly passed away, leaving behind a home filled with intricate and custom home automation setup. As a passion project, he meticulously programmed a variety of Raspberry Pi devices to manage various aspects of our household. His main motivation was to maintain security by avoiding reliance on external servers, but as you can imagine, this has now created quite a complex web of technology that I must untangle.

The Current Setup

The house features an extensive wiring network, boasting a total of 36 Ethernet ports strategically placed throughout various rooms. The main router is located downstairs, connected to a server room that has become somewhat chaotic. It’s filled with satellite connections, TV signals, phone lines, and ceiling speaker wiring all encased in a single closet, which has turned into a real eyesore.

At the heart of this mess is a large patch panel that contains these 36 Ethernet ports. In essence, to connect a wall port in any given room to the internet, an Ethernet cable must run from this patch panel to a switch, of which I currently lack a cohesive solution.

The Plan

My goal is to streamline this entire operation so that the household can present itself better for potential buyers, especially considering my mother may want to sell the property soon. A significant component of my approach involves acquiring a high-capacity switch—specifically, a 36-port Gigabit switch—to replace the current muddled arrangement.

After some research, I’ve set my sights on the TP-Link TL-SG3452. You can check it out here.

Key Requirements

Here’s what I’m looking for in a new switch:

• Gigabit Ethernet Capability: Essential for fast and efficient connectivity.
• Seamless Operation: It should function as a typical household switch—plug-and-play is ideal, with no complex setups required.
• Port Count: It should ideally feature around 40 ports to allow for future expansions, such as connecting network-enabled servers and additional devices.

I’m reaching out to this community for any advice, tips, or insights into making this transition as smooth as possible. This entire experience has been quite overwhelming, and I’m aware that