Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I have stupid thermostats, fridge, TV, radio, lights, oven, dishwasher, water heater, ...

The electric meter is through the power line. Contrary to conspiracy theorists, they cannot tell what appliances are using what power, nor control any appliance. (Unless you signed up for demand metering for A/C and/or electric heat, then they have installed controllers on those devices to restrict operation during peak demand.)
Water and gas meters are little low power transmitters that only transmit usage volume data.

Thermostats, and other WIFI devices, can be hacked because they are on the internet, and there are people who do it for the challenge.

And I'm not a conspiracy theorist.

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

So we know that data over power lines is available so in theory anything that is connected to power can be communicated with whether you know it or not. You don’t have to believe anything...but things are quite possible.

A friend of mine worked at Harris Corp when I was with Lockheed Martin. We were talking about eavesdropping at lunch one day. He said a simple technique they used back in the 60s was to call into an office, someone answers and they think it is a wrong number or whatever. They hang up and those eavesdropping simply keep the line open...hearing what is going on inside.

You can also use lasers on windows to measure vibrations to eavesdrop wirelessly... But if you use a smart phone that’s all that’s needed...

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

We just have had smart meters put on our houses in our town. By the end of the year, we will be able to see our electric usage in 15 minute increments. Since there are two different ways that the electric is charged, either a flat rate of 0.113 per kilowatt hour or 0.078 between 9PM to 5PM and .300 between 5PM to 9PM, it could make a difference in cost. My wife has a home office she runs all day and evening and I charge my Prius (10 kilowatt hours) starting when I get home about 2:30AM. Saving money once we retire will become an issue.

And if we can do this simple stuff with Wifi, what will future cameras be able to do with it. Already we can focus, set exposure, and change may other functions. Maybe select the whole camera menu in its entirety? Have it all function as fast as if our fingers were on the dials, buttons, and shutter for every function?

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

And yes in the old days the phone company could tell how many phones you had connected as extensions by ringing your number and seeing how much current was being drawn...

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Yes. Not in theory, but reality... BUT, there has to be a transponder/controller (if you will) at each end to decode the signal sent from the originating device. The power company (or anyone else) cannot control any device with out a receiver and control circuitry in that device. Two way communications is possible--
Remember the new "wireless" intercoms so many years ago (1960s?)? They plugged into the wall and you didn't need to run a cable from one intercom to another anymore.
They superimposed the voice on the AC line via a modulated frequency. If your neighbor had a set and your neighbor was on the same side of the outside line transformer, you could hear them sometimes too.

One can also transmit data & voice over laser beams simply by modulating the power to the laser. (You also can with a flashlight, but the data has to be SO slow due to the characteristics of incandescent lights. SO slow it looks like Morse Code.)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power-line_communication

Still think it is theory and just a possibility?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

YES!
The old "bell ringers" drew a certain amount of current. Much more than the digital one of today draw.
And the ringer voltage was 120 volts AC, but low current.
Got zapped by that a couple of times.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

I use the D7200 and I use the WMU Nikon software with it, and with that I can select focus point, I can control control the shutter, I see an immediate review of the photo as if I was in live View mode and I can download it to my phone if I want to and immediately post it or share it. It works great with no problems on mine.

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

I think we are largely in agreement but in my world if it has a computer and can send and receive data packets...well...

AndyH Loc: Massachusetts and New Hampshire

Make that two. Three if you count my wife.

Andy

Nikon_Bill Loc: South Florida

I use a Nikon d800E and it has no built in wifi. I have put together a combo of a TP-Link MR3040 wireless router and Qdslrcontrol software that allows me to control my Nikon from over 50 ft. and upload Nef, jpeg, or video files. I can now shoot with live view off or on and can shoot from the camera but have the shots placed into a file on a chipdrive, hard drive or sent else ware. I can have total control over the camera from 50 ft. away and watch it focus on the spot I picked on my Microsoft Surface ( or Apple). I understand this can work with Canon and other cameras too.
My desktop, PC touch pad, and android phone can all control my camera now.
Take a look and see if the items in combo mentioned above can broaden your use of wifi.

Nikon_Bill Loc: South Florida

By the way the TP-Link MR3940 wireless router that uses a 4hr battery or usb power system is available on ebay as low as $25 - $35. Much less than the Nikon wu-4 setup for over $500. and the software app is free.
I was amazed at the capability.
A firmware update for the router gives it a special ability to connect to almost any Nikon camera.

RPaul3rd Loc: Arlington VA and Sarasota FL

This is one reason why I do like the WiFi feature: When shooting events, such as an awards ceremony, uploading a photo and sending it as soon as it's taken is just another part of my "go-kit". It impresses the heck out of clients. I also use it for uploading to Facebook or Instagram via my IPhone.

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

Glad you noticed that. I used to add a touch of Out Of Bounds (OOB) editing like this to many of my photo's.

Here's another I'm pretty sure I took with the WiFi do-hicky in the winter on my Nikon. I added OOB so people didn't get the idea my spectacular photo was really not on my TV😉 Most people never notice, so good eye...

(Download)

toxdoc42

I don't think I totally understand. Is your camera outdoors in the cold and you control it from indoors? How do you secure it from theft? Can you pan it from indoors?

I am happy for those of you who have found a use for this feature. I didn't really think I would raise suchnan interesting discussion.

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

Yes, camera (Nikon D 5200) was out side on a tripod. I was sitting inside, and the app for the camera (free download) shows what the camera sees, and you could snap the pic whenever you wanted. This was when I first got the camera a few years ago. The WiFi is not built into the camera, it is a tiny adapter that came with the camera and had to be plugged in to the camera. The next model, D 5300, had the wifi built into the camera.

No, you can't pan with mine. I set the camera where I knew the action would be. Much like you would do for a group portrait. Panning would be a function of the tripod.

Mine worked, but not well. I have used it inside for group portraits but really it works rather nasty imo. I would hope newer models with newer software would work better, but, it did work. Even in this early version, it was NOT a gimmick, but a wonderful tool, and today I would think has better and even more useful features. Like video, I don't know why anyone wouldn't want it. You don't have to use it, but if you ever want to, it's there.

As for someone stealing the camera whilst I'm inside nice and warm... they'd be taking a big risk, I wouldn't just leave it there unless I was actually using it. As for hacking into my WiFi, I defend against that by not having anything valuable they can get. I take lousy pics just for that reason. I assume Alexa is listening to all my brilliant conversations, and hope all my valuable opinions get out, expletives included, free.😉