Domesticating the network

To build the home network, the household can choose from four connectivity options: Ethernet, wireless, phone lines or power lines (Table 1). The first option, Ethernet, has the longest track record of the four. Having proven itself in enterprise environments, Ethernet hubs and adapters are ready to move into the home.

Most network kits include network adapters, a non-managed hub and configuration software. Running Category 3 or Category 5 cable to connect the network will require some technical knowledge, but it is reasonably easy if the computers are located in the same room. Pre-installed cabling, which is often built into new or remodeled homes, makes connecting devices throughout the home much easier for less technical owners.

Ethernet will deliver reliability, security and fast performance. But, with transmission speeds ranging from 10Mbit to 100Mbit, the network may provide more bandwidth than most homes need.

Wireless home networking, the second option, is getting lots of attention. A list of problems soured wireless networking in the enterprise space, but manufacturers expect these difficulties to be less detrimental in the home. Device makers know prices are still high for the average family and that the technology does not support audio or video, but they expect consumers to like the idea of roaming anywhere in the home.

To connect wirelessly, consumers need an internal or external adapter for each PC and an access point device that is connected to the cable or DSL modem. Users connect to the printer or other peripheral through a connected PC. The home networks use infrared or radio frequency to transfer data. Current transmission speeds range from 700 kb/s to 11 Mb/s.

Proponents like the idea that the network can support any number of users and doesn't require wires. On the downside, though, the network is prone to interference and has limited range and latency problems. And, as the number of users on the network increases, the network's performance decreases.

Even with only two users, wireless networks are prone to interference. Since the majority of wireless products share the 2.4 GHz frequency with home appliances, a signal from the garage door opener or turning on the microwave could interfere with network traffic. Latency problems can also drop bits, which can make audio and video traffic unintelligible.

A network connected via the home's phone wires is the third option. These networks leverage unused transmission capacity available in phone lines. Traffic is transmitted at frequencies above the public network or DSL so the network does not interfere with voice, fax or DSL service.

To install this home network, a consumer adds a multiuser cable modem, a gateway and an internal or external network adapter for each PC. The PCs connect to the network by plugging into a phone jack.

Networks connected via phone lines are easy to install and secure. Since every house has an individual circuit coming from the central office, security concerns are kept to a minimum. This method also has the lowest latency and is least prone to interference.

The fourth option, power lines, is still in the early development stage. A power line home network uses the excess bandwidth of the power cable to carry network traffic. Similar to phone line networks, PCs require internal or external adapters, each PC plugs in to a power outlet, and the printer is shared through a connected PC. A variety of media access methods pass the traffic back and forth between devices.

A powerline network is slower than the other home options. The lines are typically noisy, which slows traffic, and bandwidth rates range from 50 kb/s to 350 kb/s. Security is another drawback. A single power line from the utility company goes to multiple homes. These shared lines are security risks.

Because each choice has limitations, the home will most likely use a combination of transport methods.

“The manufacturers will embed the technology wherever it is most effective. They won't put HPNA on a Palm or wireless on a TV, says Karuna Uppal, senior analyst at The Yankee Group. “We'll probably never see all the home devices connected and controlled by one network.”