What is Power-line networking and how does it work?

Power-line networking is one of several ways to connect the computers in your home. It uses the electrical wiring in your house to create a network. Power-line networking is based on the concept of “no new wires.” 

Powerline Networking

The convenience is even more obvious in this case because while not every room has a phone jack, you will always have an electrical outlet near a computer. In power-line networking, you connect your computers to one another through the same outlet. 

Because it requires no new wiring, and the network adds no cost to your electric bill, power-line networking is the cheapest method of connecting computers in different rooms. 

Here are the advantages of a power-line network:

  • It’s inexpensive. 
  • It uses existing electrical wiring.
  • Every room of a typical house has several electrical outlets.
  • It’s easy to install.
  • A printer, or any other device that doesn’t need to be directly connected to a computer, doesn’t have to be physically near any of the computers in the network.
  • It doesn’t require that a card be installed in the computer (although there are companies working on PCI-based systems).

Powerline technologies

There are two competing power-line technologies. The original technology is called Passport, by a company named Intelogis. A new technology called PowerPacket, developed by Intellon has been chosen by the HomePlug Alliance as the standard for power-line networking.

New power-line networking products are based on Intellon’s PowerPacket technology.

For more information, contact Ryan Danvers on 0726012858.