An Internet connection and speakers are all you need to stream your music library.
Once upon a time, people who wanted to listen to their music all over their home or office needed to run speakers and speaker wire from the sound system to every room in which they wanted to enjoy their favorite tunes. Wi-Fi technology and wireless speaker systems free us from running wire while expanding the number of options for getting music from point A to a faraway listening point B.
Proprietary Systems
A proprietary system includes all the parts you'll need to accomplish a streaming music solution, all offered by the same vendor. Example companies include Sonos and Roku. Sonos offers a complete line of devices, including speakers, network bridges and amplifiers. Roku, by contrast, offers a single box that connects to a media device.
Both technologies stream content from network providers. Roku's service includes partnerships with Netflix and Pandora -- you don't need a computer, just the Roku device and an Internet connection. Sonos also connects to partner services like Spotify and Pandora, plus it lets you import your own music into its library and control the system with a smartphone or tablet.
Roku, a low-cost solution that retails for less than $50, is ideal for streaming to a single device. The Sonos system is component based so you can add as many speakers as you'd like, but components cost several hundred dollars each (depending on the model) so expanding to cover a whole house could get expensive.
Computer-Based Streaming
Microsoft and Apple have home media streaming covered.
Microsoft's Windows Media Center -- not to be confused with Windows Media Player -- works with the Xbox 360 platform. The Xbox connects using Wi-Fi to a computer with the WMC server running, and after the devices pair, the Xbox can access the WMC library and stream music or videos. WMC users can play music, stream DVD content and watch or record live TV.
Apple's AirPlay technology lets any equipped media device like an iPhone or iPad stream wirelessly to one or more AirPlay-compatible speakers. The speakers, on offer by various third-party manufacturers, receive the AirPlay signal and play the stream. The system is simple to operate, with the only additional cost being that of acquiring compatible speakers.
Local Servers
Have a surplus of disused tablets or netbooks lying around? Use your dusty electronics to connect to a local media server. On one computer, running as a file server, make your music files accessible to network traffic. Then, for each device located throughout your home or office, use a local player to access the media files on the server. All you need is an Internet connection and access to the host server.
Older netbooks and obsolete laptops may not be able to run cutting-edge games and graphics-intensive desktop applications, but they are certainly capable of playing music over a network connection. Retasking these devices as local jukeboxes will expand your streaming presence while putting those older devices to productive use.
Staying Connected
Streaming connections require continuous Internet access. Although most home Wi-Fi settings will work without modification, Wi-Fi placed in larger homes or in places with thick walls will see a marked decrease in Wi-Fi range. Under ideal conditions, Wi-Fi is rated to 300 feet; this number drops as the signal passes through walls, appliances and other obstructions.
Extend the range of your Wi-Fi using a plug-in extender. These devices cost between $60 and $120 -- depending on the manufacturer and capability -- and when placed at the outer edge of a Wi-Fi signal, effectively repeats that signal.
If the extenders aren't powerful enough, an Ethernet-over-power connection may do the trick. These devices accept an Ethernet signal and, using ordinary copper power lines, send that signal to a receiver plugged into the same power circuit. These devices have a range of up to 200 feet and cost roughly $200, but they make a good solution when you're trying to stream to an outdoor structure, such as a free-standing garage, barn or gazebo in the backyard.
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