home network through power line

[dleiss]

Any articles, test results, or personal experiences with home networks based on the AC line?

I just did a small search and didn't find anything.

Thanks,

 

[JackMDS]

In general, PowerLine Network is a loser, and there technological reasons for it.

The Network Signal has to share the medium (power lines) with Electrical Instruments that generate huge amount of noise and terrible spikes. The Wires are not Twisted or Shielded and they are Ethernet "Hell".

As a result the Network Modules that are used to "Inject" and decode the Network signal are expensive to make and yield lower "Speed". Increasing the "Speed" will make them so large and expensive that it will be very hard to impossible to market them.

However, when the dream house (ala Mr. Gates) will be prevalent. Powerline devices will make the Washing Machines, Refrigerators, and Hair Salons instant Networked. These appliances do not need more "Speed" than the current Powerline modules in order to be efficiently control. To install Ethernet and CAT5 wires, for all of the home appliances will be too expensive, thus it is not really necessary to do it with Ethernet.

My guess is that the industry tries to keep the PowerLine alive until the "Dream Machines" become a reality (and mean time takes few suckers for a ride).

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

I think most folks would just go for 802.11b wireless, it's a lot easier to get working correctly.