Linksys Incorporates HomePlug Networking

mattyohe writes "It seems that Linksys is one of the first to prepare release for their ethernet router that uses the HomePlug 1.0 spec. Linksys claims the Instant Powerline EtherFast Router performs well by using the OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) scheme. OFDM forms numerous signals into a single signal for transmission and then is used again to find and automatically adapt to the specific frequency combination that enables successful communication. This product currently uses 56 bit DES encryption and would be excellent for networking in the home enviroment. Never worry about not having enough rj-45 jacks at a lan party, bring some power strips!"

Comments

Re:nice

[bravehamster]

Nah, you wouldn't need one of these routers in each room. The router only goes at the point where your Power-line network needs to interface with another type of network (in this case, the rj-45 network that most dsl and cable modems use). For each computer you just need a power-line network card. Granted, I have no idea on the pricing for those or for the router, but this definitely will be easier than running cat5 all over creation. Probably works better than 802.11b, especially if you've got a lot of walls.

--

Question I can't find an answer to on their site

[luge]

What happens on the PC side of the question? Like, do I have to buy a device that takes up a slot internally or is USB? Or can I just plug that device into a pre-existing ethernet slot? Obviously, some type of PC->poweroutlet adapter is necessary, but where are they? [Oh, and less importantly... can I run this through my surge protector?]

Latency?

[iconian]

From Linksys's page (http://www.linksys.com/edu/part6.asp):

"Q. Will there be problems if I turn on or plug in devices like a power drill or hair dryer?
A. No. If the powerline characteristics change during a session, the Instant PowerLine products will sense the change and automatically adapt to provide the most reliable data path connection."

Will this "automatic adaption" interrupt data transmission? How would this affect latency?

Imagine people complaining about getting fragged by a hair dryer.

Home networking at this level? No thanks.

[Junks Jerzey]

Between this story and the one about setting up a dedicated server room at home, I'm thinking of tossing my PC completely and buying a used Atari 800. Well, not seriously, but it crosses my mind occasionally.

The amount of system administration required to run a PC home takes much of the fun out of computing for me. I'm a programmer and a technical kind of guy, but I really don't want to to be a sysadmin as a hobby. It's bad enough chasing down video card drivers and keeping track of all the related software incompatibilities--and having to upgrade everything every 18 months or so, even when I don't need it, as a brute force method of reducing conflicts--but having to deal with running servers and such at home is crazy. Sure, sure, the people who love recompiling kernels and running video card benchmarks and so on might not mind, but that's what those people _want_ out of a computer. Not everyone is like that.

Enermax are going to have a field day.

[WasterDave]

Seriously. A PSU with built in networking... plugs into the USB headers on the motherboard.

Too sensible, it'll never happen.

Dave

Re:From an audio perspective....

[Jeffrey Baker]

Aw, c'mon. Insightful? It's easy to build a highly regulated DC power supply from arbitrarily noisy AC power mains. High capacitance, quality power transformers, noise chokes, power entry modules: all these components on a modern power supply are there to filter out noise. In low-power components like DACs and preamplifiers, the regulated power rails should have a VERY high noise rejection from ~0 into the low MHz. IC regulation isn't practical in power amplifiers, but really impressive capacitors are practical and a good design will have power supply noise well below signal level or throughout the audible band.

In other words, I wouldn't sweat it for audio uses. If it really bothers you, power your audio equipment through a real UPS with a lead-acid battery and inverter. That should brick-wall filter any noise from your mains.

You misunderstood

[Ungrounded Lightning]

Aw, c'mon. Insightful? It's easy to build a highly regulated DC power supply from arbitrarily noisy AC power mains.

He's not talking about coupling through the power supply. He's talking about capacitive coupling.

Yes, he has a valid concern. The power lines carry 60 HZ and a lot of harmonics of it - all low frequency stuff - plus switching noise - higher frequency stuff but more intermittent, except for commutator noise which (as you probably know from listening to AM while running an electric drill) is all over the map. Not to mention fluorescent and other arc lamps and switching power supplies - all over the ultrasonic-to-radio ranges.

The higher the frequency the easier it couples - in direct proportion. Beyond the audio range it can still cause some trouble, but not as much.

This technology is running in the tens of megabits over a noisy channel, so it will be running a goodly fraction of that in bandwidth. The question is mostly whether the LOW end is well above the audio and FM multiplex subcarrier range.

Don't bet on that. The audio range is just as useful as an equivalent bandwidth above it, so unless the designers were trying to avoid hi-fi and telephone interference they probably used it.

I have a few other concerns:

How does it behave in the presence of interference from commutator-based motors (drills, vacuum cleaners, blenders, mixers, hedge trimmers, etc.), switching power supplies (computers, peripherals, compact fluorescents), and arc lamps (standard fluorescents, high-pressure vapor)?

How does it behave in the presence of other similar devices in other houses attached to the same power transformer? (Like X10 it probably won't go THROUGH the transformer enough to notice.)?

Will you need a coupling capacitor between the two sides (or in industrial situations, the three phases) of your feed to get the other half (two-thirds) of your outlets to work?

Will the default configuration share your internet and intranet with your neighbors?

On the other hand, can you feed a neighbor deliberately, to cut a deal to share a DSL or Cable drop?

Re:Is it just me, or is this a useless product?

[sherlocktk]

There are lots of good uses for this.

Every person keeps thinking of this is a stepbackward, I really do not think so. I think that this will be a replacement of the 802.11x because it will be a lot easier to hookup. The only point of 802.11 is so wiring is not to hard. People keep talking about interfearance, I am sure that 802.11 will have it also, I mean look at a cellphone, thoes damn things never work right, and I would suspect that much higher speeds will be acheived.

The real benifit here is it will be about as easy as plugging in a CAT5 cable into the wall.

1. There is also an ethernet bridget that one can buy to add there existing infastructure.

2. In an apartment where you cannot run CAT5 without loosing your security deposite.

3. Places where it is not possible to run CAT5 without replacing drywall and flooring.

4. After a while, it will probably be cheaper that 802.11x

5. It is great for geeks to setup networks at friends houses without having to run cable and drill holes everywhere. I cannot even count how many houses I have had to network.

If you would look at linksys's main page you would see an ethernet powerline bridge. I think there is a lot of potential here, and I plan on getting a set of what I need.