NOTE: This page described an add-on web server that was developed for HCA 6 and 7.  Development on it has stopped but it can still be downloaded.  This is replaced with the HCA 8 Web Server.

 

The HCA web interface allows you to access your computer running HCA from any location on a local network or the internet.

This system, available to you at no cost, is a HCA add-on product that connects HCA 7 to  a web server.

What can you do remotely?  Control your lights and appliances.  Start and stop programs.  View the state of your home.  View the log.  Switch schedules.  In short, most things you can do at the HCA user interface except make changes to your design.

 

Some very important points about this implementation

bulletHCA 7 does not contain the web server - and that's good!.  This was done because the web server you want to use must be as secure as possible.  This is not a simple task!  The HCA team understands how to work with all the automation gear in your home and produced in HCA 7 a very reliable program.  The programmers who implemented the web servers we work with are experts in web servers.  They produced a very reliable and robust web server.  We handle automation and they handle web support.
 
bulletSupport is available for the older Microsoft Operating Systems, NT4, 2000. 
 
bulletSupport is available for the newest Operating system Windows XP Home, XP Pro.  Vista support is in the works.
 

What about security for your home?  First, all the features built-in to the web server are yours to setup.  And, since we didn't build the web server into HCA, you can update the web server as often as you need.  Secondly, building on top of the web server security you deploy and configure to your needs, if you assign passwords to your HCA design, the HCA web software requests those passwords when you attempt an action that is password protected.

 

So, what do you need to get started?  It depends upon your operating system.

Windows NT4, Windows 2000, or Windows XP Pro

You need: Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.0 or 5.1 - an optional component of Windows you already have installed or can install from the Windows CD, PHP 5.2, HCA 7.0 or later, and the web connection software for IIS.

Windows NT4, Windows 2000, or Windows XP (Home or Pro)

You need: Apache 2.2 web server, PHP 5.2, HCA 7.0 or later, and the web connection software for Apache.  Installing this is a bit more complex then IIS but it's all described - with download links and configuration help - in the web user guide.

Before you download and begin installing the web connection software, we recommend you look over the web user guide.

Microsoft Word format HCAWebGuide.doc
(935 kb)
PDF format HCAWebGuide.pdf
(652 kb)

 

NOTE: The HCA web add-in requires the automation support built into HCA Plus and Pro.  HCA Web will not work with HCA Limited or Standard.

NOTE ALSO: HCA web add-on for previous versions of HCA are no longer supported.  The web addon will only work with HCA 7.

How is this software supported?  Like HCA, all support is by email.  In order to get priority support on web issues, send email to the address WebSupport at HCATech.com.  We welcome you comments and suggestions for improvements.