Why isn't HPNA 2.0 more popular?

[Kwad Guy]

I just put together a network for someone. They got DSL and wanted to connect all the computers in their house. It's a 3 story house, computers on every floor, and they didn't want ethernet cabling.

Now, I could have gone wireless for them (and did for their laptop). But because of their house (old old construction with lots of thick walls, some stone), wireless strength varies no matter where I place the wireless router. Yeah, I could get an access point to fix that, but that's more money.

Instead, I fixed them up with a 2wire wireless access point (100W), which supports ethernet, wireless AND HPNA 2.0. (It also supports USB, although I can't imagine who in their right mind would use that).

Anyway, as it turns out, and this is pretty common, all their computers were reasonably close to a phone outlet. So I got them a few HPNA 2.0 USB adapters for the remote computers and everything is buzzing along at 10-11mbps. I like the HPNA 2.0 connections because they aren't subject to the wireless bugaboos: obstructions, interference, etc.

My question: Why is HPNA 2.0 not more popular? No one else I know uses it. Most of the routers you can buy at a reasonable price don't support it, either. Well, maybe that's the problem...I think HPNA 2.0 makes more sense than wireless if you're trying to wire up the average household.

Kwad

 

[Hender]

I set up a HomePNA 2.0 to ethernet bridge manually using an old computer and IP forwarding enabled on it, so I could use my HomePNA connection anywhere in the house to connect to my cable modem Internet connection. Very handy. I got in on the Belkin refurbished deal with 50% off coupons at the beginning of the summer, though, and I bought a wireless base station and wireless PC card for my laptop, so I haven't looked back since then. I think that's what a lot of epople have been doing. HomePNA had its day in the sun, but it was a few years ago, unfortunately. It's still a viable technology for situations like you describe, but wireless is the "next big thing." I'm keeping my HomePNA cards, though, because I like the ability to network computers anywhere in the house, even where wireless can't communicate with each other.

 

[bocamojo]

Yes, I use Linksys 11Mbps phoneline NIC's in 3 of my PC's. Very easy to use, and inexpensive. Also, since we rent, it's easy to just hookup to the phone jacks in each room. We don't have to run ethernet all over the place. I paid about 30 dollars for each NIC, and I originally bought 4. Now, I just use 3. I didn't buy a router for the setup. Just used my main PC that's hooked up to DSL as the router. All the PC's run XP. All I did was bridge the phoneline NIC with the 10Mbps NIC that goes out from my PC to the DSL modem... It works quite well... In fact, I've since added a wireless Linksys to the setup, and now have a laptop and PDA that connect to my LAN wirelessly.

As for why they're not more popular, a lot of that has to do with media hype and availability. Most average consumers don't know anything about them. They just pickup whatever the BestBuy saleman is pushing, or what they see in advertisements.

 

[DaveSimmons]

My question: Why is HPNA 2.0 not more popular? No one else I know uses it. Most of the routers you can buy at a reasonable price don't support it, either. Well, maybe that's the problem...I think HPNA 2.0 makes more sense than wireless if you're trying to wire up the average household.

Because Wifi is wireless. People like the idea of no wires, especially laptop owners. You also won't see HPNA hotspots in hotels and coffee shops any time soon.

 

[Lord Evermore]

And, not every place has phone jacks in every room. We only have one jack in our entire apartment, and it's in the kitchen. For people who don't necessarily have jacks always handy, wireless is easier, cleaner, and easier to add a machine, and it's possible to just walk in with a wifi-enabled laptop and work without having to hook up an adapter. Phone line networking took too long to get the speed up to anything reasonable, wireless moved ahead faster and became more widely available, and is more versatile. There's also the fact that although all the different uses aren't supposed to be interfereing with each other, not everyone is keen on running DSL, phone, and a network over their phone wires.

Putting in decent Ethernet runs is also a good way to make a home more valuable.

 

[astroview]

Originally posted by: Lord Evermore
And, not every place has phone jacks in every room. We only have one jack in our entire apartment, and it's in the kitchen. For people who don't necessarily have jacks always handy, wireless is easier, cleaner, and easier to add a machine, and it's possible to just walk in with a wifi-enabled laptop and work without having to hook up an adapter. Phone line networking took too long to get the speed up to anything reasonable, wireless moved ahead faster and became more widely available, and is more versatile. There's also the fact that although all the different uses aren't supposed to be interfereing with each other, not everyone is keen on running DSL, phone, and a network over their phone wires.

Putting in decent Ethernet runs is also a good way to make a home more valuable.

I think Lord Evermore is right in that a lot of us AT members are young, still live in condos and apartments. I know there are some exceptions, but I'd guess apartments and dorms are very common for us.

But I'm not sure if an ethernet wired house will increase the value of a house that much. I think it's too specialized. People are going to look at square footage, view, quality of construction, look, location, schools, etc... before they consider ethernet. That said I'd personally like a 100 mbit LAN in my house!

 

[jm0ris0n]

At my parent's house we have been using a hpna 2.0 solution for more than 2 years ! We purchased a 2 NIC 3com HPNA 2.0 kit for $100 I believe, and then Purchased a linksys HPRO200 HPNA 2.0 / Ethernet router. This solution has been fabulous ! Network latency equal to that of ethernet, and availability throughout the entire house Our POS (point of Service) is in the guest bedroom (cable modem) and access to a 10mbps network is available in each room of the house. This thing has been wonderful and I recommend it to everyone !

 

[Superman9534]

I am using HPNA 1.1 (1mbps) to connect my PC which is in the basement to the internet (all the other PCs and modem are 2 floors up).

although since its 1mbps, I dont get the full speed of my 2mbps cable, however I got these two 1mbps HPNA cards free new in box so still. I have a daiamond HomeFree 10mbps adapter too, but havent used it since it wont work with XP!

 

[MyName]

I have 2 Diamomd homefree cards ( got 2 for $20 )
and a 3com HPNA 2.0 kit ( also 2 cards for $20 )
all using XP's native drivers with a Linksys HPRO200
About 9 months ago I found 2 2Wire USB/HPNA 2.0
adapters for $5 each for quick connection of other
puters. I have phone jacks in every room and
running cable isn't practical so HPNA is a good
and cheap solution for Me.