Powerline Networks Finally Viable?

Logic Bomb writes: "MIT's Technology Review has an article discussing the current state of digital networking over electrical lines. It sounds like we may be seeing useable electrical-line LANs soon, but this obviously doesn't solve the 'last mile' problem. I remember once reading something about attempts to provide Internet connectivity over the electrical grid; anyone heard anything recently?" This article may be shocking (in a good way) if you assumed that practical powerline networking was still far in the future, and in a bad way if you thought that companies could easily agree on the right standards and methods to accomplish it;)

Comments

Technology Squables

[peterdaly]

The fight over the best technology is not a bad thing, any more than Linux is a bad thing because Windows already exists. It will drive competition for better technologies, which is a goog thing in such a immature market.

I used to work for a company which makes commercial cable equipment. Most cable companies today that offer broadband use different cable modem technologies, but that is starting to change. Based on all the different technologies in the market, a standard (DOCSIS) was decided upon. Whether modems using that technology are out yet or not, I don't know.

Anyway, incompatible technologies are an importart part of such an immature and unstable industry such as power line broadband.

The "power struggles" among the major companies is a good thing. When a standard comes out, it will be that much better.

-Pete

Wow

[MxTxL]

Everyone is saying how it's so cool that they could run networking over the power grid. How could you all miss that the article was about IN HOME LAN networking via the wall power outlets.

While it would be cool to run broadband access over the already existing power lines, that's not what the article was about, nor does anyone suggest that's possible.