When an ISP provides an Internet connection to your home through a coaxial cable, it feeds into a modem unit (usually supplied by them). It will have at least one Ethernet port that outputs to your computer(s) or other network devices. If there are too few output ports, then one port can be connected to a further network switch to allow the incoming network signal to have more computer connections. The modem can also have a wireless output.
In larger homes where several people each have a computer in different rooms, there has to be a method to distribute this network signal throughout the house. Even if there are no extra computers then several devices, such as media players and games consoles, may need to connect to the network.
So what are the methods of distributing this network signal around the home? Here are the common ways:
- Wired connections. Here there are actual network cables running inside the walls of the home. Where the cable terminates there will be an Ethernet socket on the wall and you just plug your device into it and go. This is by far the most stable and solid method, but of course is the least convenient and most people don’t want to go to the trouble of setting all this up. Also the wires and connectors are in a fixed position, so you must connect where the cable runs.
- Wireless. This is a much more common method and the technology has improved over the years. There are drawbacks with it though. You must have wireless-compatible equipment, such as a wireless modem or router and also each device (desktop computer; laptop; etc) must be capable of using wireless. You also need some technical understanding of setting up wireless in order to make it secure, as the signal can be picked up around your neighbourhood quite easily.
- Powerline. This is an alternate method that uses the 110 volt (220/240 volt in Europe) power cables running throughout your house. The network signal rides on top of the power in the electrical wiring and can be picked up wherever there is a power outlet in your home.
HomePlug standards
There is an association called the HomePlug Powerline Alliance and they were created in order to create the standards in use today for Powerline communication in the home. Here is a quick rundown of how the standards developed:
HomePlug 1.0 created 2001 speed 14 Mbps
HomePlug AV created 2005 speed 200 Mbps
HomePlug AV2 created 2012 speed 500 Mbps up to 2 Gbit/s
It is unlikely that you will get anywhere near the manufacturer’s suggested speeds for a number of different reasons, such as the way they report their speed; the wiring distance and quality in the house, interference from other electrical devices. You may get much less than half the speed advertised.
An AV2 model rated at 500 Mbps will be enough for most homes today, assuming you don’t want to transmit 4k video or similar.
When choosing devices today, select AV2 throughout and although the AV and AV2 standards are supposed to be compatible through different manufacturers, I feel it may be preferable to stick to one supplier for all devices.
How to get started with Powerline networking
To make this work, you need to buy Powerline units – one for each network node. For example, you can locate one near to the existing network router. You plug the unit, which is a small box the size of two decks of cards, directly into the power outlet on the wall. Then connect an Ethernet network cable from this unit to an available network connector on your router.
You then take another unit (they are often sold as two units in a ‘starter kit’ ) and plug this into the wall outlet somewhere else in the house, where your remote computer or other device is located. This device then connects to that unit with a standard network cable.
The good and bad of Powerline networking
Probably the main plus of Powerline networking is the fact that it’s very easy to set up. There is no extra wiring to install and the end points can be anywhere that there is an electrical outlet. In addition, there is a minimal amount of technical know-how required to install it.
Wherever the network connection comes out, you can plug in other distribution switches or wireless units if you need to, and make quite a complex network environment.
It’s not absolutely perfect though, because in some older houses with older wiring it may not work very well. Even in more modern houses it is possible that if the end points of the network are on different electrical circuits then it might not work, although in my house, which is 20 years old, I was able to have the router and one Powerline unit in the basement and the other Powerline unit could be connected to any outlet anywhere in my house, on any of the three levels.
The older Powerline units did suffer from quite slow connections, but these days the technology has been improved to the point where the network speed should be quite fast.
Note also that the unit should be plugged directly into the wall outlet and not through extension cables or power bars and especially not through any surge devices that could affect the signal quality.
Security of data
One of the disadvantages of using a wireless connection is security. Unless you tighten up that security then you are vulnerable to outside ‘hackers’ picking up your signal and allowing them to access your data – both the data being transmitted and the data stored on your PC.
Powerline has the option of encryption. If you are just streaming video or audio around your home, then encryption is less important as you need the maximum bandwidth available. For other data transmissions you need to set the security up, which is usually done by pressing a switch on one unit and afterwards pressing a switch on the other unit. Not exactly difficult. Encryption may slow down the network speed slightly because of the overhead involved, but it should not be too significant.
Availability
Most of the main computer suppliers stock Powerline products. You can begin by buying a starter kit, consisting of two units, then if you need to expand the network you can buy additional units to add to your home wherever they may be needed.
The devices should also come with some optional software that you can install on your computer to manage your Powerline network. Accompanying instructions will detail exactly what software needs to be set up.