The idea is simple: exchange data among computers and other network-ready devices using the existing electrical wiring in your home. The method is known as Powerline and it’s one of the solutions to in-home networking being touted by networking equipment makers today.
A Powerline adapter features a conventional plug on one side and an Ethernet port on the other side to bridge the short distance between adapter and PC. Powerline is considered foolproof, but it can bring some problems of its own.
The major benefit is the technology: it eliminates the need to lay yards of Ethernet cable across an apartment or house, or even to set up a WLAN network. Powerline is particularly helpful, for example, when laying Ethernet cables within an existing single family home would be expensive.
“If I have to send WLAN through several walls, then Powerline is a good alternative,” says Michael Link from Germany’s Computerbild magazine.
Powerline adapters are easy to install, too. Just plug a network-ready device like a PC or gaming console into a Powerline wall socket and the adapters facilitate communication automatically. Problems are rare and when they do occur it is usually because the wiring is not standard, Link says.
Powerline installations are not limited to just two adapters, either. Up to 256 can be linked onto one network, explains Christoph Roesseler from German hardware maker devolo. The reason: each adapter must be capable of recognizing which other adapters are already on the network. Each adapter’s module can hold data for up to 255 other modules.
Powerline products are offered by most of the major home networking equipment makers, including Allnet, Belkin, Linksys, and MSI. The devices generally work with either the HomePlug 1.0 or HomePlug AV standard. The key differences between the two are in transmission speed and encryption. HomePlug 1.0 offers transmission speeds of…