You get a second cup of coffee and decide to work for a while in the sunroom.

You tell the home controller where you are, and the controller transfers all your business calls to the extension near the table. Your laptop is wirelessly connected to your server and the Internet. You check your various e-mail accounts and voice mail and make a few conference calls on the multiline home-telephone system.

Your smart home can seep into all aspects of your life. It helps you do those day-to-day tasks that can take up so much time, such as opening the draperies, dimming the lights, and flipping on the Weather Channel to seewhether the kids have a snow day. How far you go with your smart home depends on your lifestyle, budget, and tastes.

If you stop the average person on the street and start talking about home networks, he or she would probably make references to ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX, or mention the Home Shopping Network or some other cable network show. Network, until recently, has meant little else to most people.