HomeFree Home Networking Kit - 10Mbps, $20!

[Krakn3Dfx]

Link Be Here

This setup has Windows 2000 support and does 10Mbps, quite a bit more attractive than the previous 1Mpbs setup that went for the same price.

 

[slipperyslope]

I wonder if it will interfere with DSL modems or if the filters for the lines will screw the phoneline kit up....

Jim

 

[whizbang]

I have the 1Mbps cards and had them setup and working flawlessly in ME until one of my PCs crashed (check my sig). Just install the driver and setup Internet Connection Sharing. DSL is < 1M bps, so you really don't notice any speed degradation. Also good for sharing MP3s across your network.

 

[ktg]

Great deal, the kit actually includes *two* PCI cards. I wish I could find a cheap USB PNA adapter for my laptop though. Anybody seen any deals?

 

[Gusfo0]

Great price.

 

[DollarBill]

Is anyone presently using this system?? It seems quite simple &amp; you dont have to have a cross over cable?? You just plug it into the phone line?? If this is true I want it.

 

[ghetto buck]

This sounds great. The only problem I can see is how could you get it into a router for dsl/cable? Does anyone know if this is possible? Such as a rj11 to rj45 converter.

Help me out this would work great for our house, great deal.

 

[DollarBill]

Ghetto Buck

Thats what I'm wondering, how can I share my internet connection just through the phone line. Maybe I need a Networking Class for Dummies.

 

[Cenalian]

I've been looking into doing something similar to what your trying to do ghetto buck. Almost everyone that I talked to said you'd need a bridge to connect it to an standard ethernet card/hub.

Not sure exactly where you can find one at a decent price though. But if you do (or anyone else knows of somewhere that has one at a good price OR an alternate solution) please post it here!!!!

 

[winter]

You need more than just an rj11 to rj45 connection - PNA is not the same as Ethernet, you cannot just connect them up

You need a device that speaks both PNA and Ethernet or a gateway between the two devices - these arent cheap (I believe Linksys HPB200 is what you need - $150)

 

[JesseKnows]

Or you would put an Ethernet on a computer (as well as the PNA), and use ICS or SYGATE or other NAT software, the way we did before home routers came around. An extra Ethernet is cheaper thana bridgw, but requires that the computer be on for other computers to use the 'net.

 

[John P]

Couldn't you stick an ethernet card and the phoneline card in one computer and &quot;route&quot; the internet connection out that way (use that computer as the host)? I know the Linksys kit comes with Sygate so I would have to assume that this is possible.

 

[Joyride]

So all I need to do is hook this into my wall and I can network 2 computers?

What if 1 computer is 500 mhz and 1 is 1 gig is there a speed hit there?

Just wondering since this seems to be a good price

I will be interested if this works with DSL or cable modem

 

[ghetto buck]

Thanks for the info winter.

DollarBill, if you just use software based internet sharing you should have no problems, just use a standard ethernet card to connect the modem to and the phoneline would act as your network.

Unfortunately for me and Cenalian (which I think are in the same boat) we can't just use internet sharing software to connect. I for one like my routers support for playing online games. Also even though i'm sure there is software out there that would work almost as well for computer games, when the xbox comes out I plan on hooking it up as well.

Would it be possible to say, hook a cable modem a couple computers and whatnot to the router, and still have the phoneline network see the modem on the other side of the router?

EDIT: when I say i like the router for playing online games, I should have said two people are sharing the connection to play in the same game.

 

[ghetto buck]

<< So all I need to do is hook this into my wall and I can network 2 computers?

What if 1 computer is 500 mhz and 1 is 1 gig is there a speed hit there?

Just wondering since this seems to be a good price

I will be interested if this works with DSL or cable modem >>



Both your computers are plenty fast enough for a measly 10mbps. On diamonds site it says they require only a 486 processor.

 

[DollarBill]

Hey guys, check out this link: It quite informative about the kit.

Link

 

[OcFerris]

I used this kit for quite a while. Great for simple peer-to-peer networking. Hooks into your regular phone line and allows incoming calls without interfering with the network. The modem needs to be on it's own phone line though if you're looking to do modem sharing. Netgear (probably others too) makes a &quot;Network Bridge&quot; if you want to hook it up to ethernet but they're not cheap. I eventually broke down and wired my house with CAT5. I'm glad i did it. Ethernet is much more functional and easier to setup. I don't know of any OS that has drivers built in for these adapters. Also remember that Diamond is out of business. If you need tech support on this product it will be by email only (unless you're willing to pay some ridiculous amount of money). S3's email support for this product is slow (3-4 days) and stinks at best. I know first hand. But all-in-all, very cheap, easy networking for sure. I paid $150 for this setup about a year ago.

 

[huyvu]

slipperyslope - I think the DSL filters will interfere with HPNA devices because it's filtering out non-DSL frequencies on the phone line, which is what the HPNA devices use.

Maybe someone on the networking forum can verify.

 

[wyvrn]

I have an interesting situation. I have used ICS before without problems. I am going to have a few computers in my room sharing a cable modem connection. Plus, will be using a laptop in another room not wired for cat5. Would it be possible to use these home network kits, along with an ethernet -- hub setup, at the same time using ICS?

 

[Perplexer]

Netgear 10Mb phoneline to ethernet bridge: $99 from Netgear

This will let you integrate your phoneline-networked computers with your broadband router and/or existing cat5 network.

I picked one of these up a while back, free after PM and rebates. I've just been waiting for a deal on the PCI cards.

 

[TK-421]

Don't forget that you are able to use the exclusive Mastercard discount for CompGeeks.. take an extra $2 off.

 

[LordGord]

Nice find KRAKN !

Got me one to replace the last special they did on the 1mbps version.
Works great with my cable setup and U.T !!

 

[wyvrn]

I think instead of spending the 99 for the adapter, that I will make an ethernet cord with an RJ45 on one end and an RJ11 on the other. This particular phone line has been cut off and is not in use. The telephone company ran the wire on the outside of the house. It just so happens that the two jacks for this line are installed on the two rooms I want to network (actually 3), so I should be able to use the existing phone line as an ethernet network (just cut the end off of the telephone box outside). I believe they only need 2 pair (4 wires total) for 10bT, right? I have seen this done on ISDN and DSL modem installs so I am hoping it will work here. The only question is if the phone company used twisted pair or not. If not I can wire some cat5.

Sorry if this is thread-jacking, this is a good deal! BTW, local radioshacks have this exact combo for the same price in their stores on clearance. No shipping charges

 

[KarmaWahoo]

Buy a *second* add-on kit and it's only $17.00. Think Im gonna use these short term!

 

[odelayih]

why don't you guys just get a crossover cable?! it only costs about $8 on ebay.