Wireless Networking (WiFi) is convenient if you know how to setup a wireless router. The task to setup of a wireless router is complicated – ip address, passwords etc. What if you could just plug your computer to a wall outlet for its internet connection? Powerline technology uses the electrical wall outlet of your home to be the network itself. Imagine your computer network data travelling within your home electrical wiring! Turn your existing home power lines into a high-speed network. Just plug a Powerline device into your existing power outlets!
Powerline technology is faster than wireless. Powerline devices need no configuration unlike wireless routers. Powerline networks are secure – no need for wireless password setup. Powerline requires no additional wiring, it uses the already available electrical wiring inside your house to transmit network data.
Powerline technology is simple.
Plug a Powerline device via cable into an available port on the router. The Powerline device will acquire internet/network data from the router. Then plug the Powerline device into an electrical wall outlet. (THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS) The Powerline device transfers internet data from the router to the electrical wirings of your entire house! This transforms the electrical wiring of your home into a high-speed data network. A wall outlet on the 2nd floor, or in the basement, or in the garage, can be plugged with a second Powerline device. You can connect this second Powerline device to your laptop/desktop/HDTV or game console.
Powerline lets you create a high-speed and secure computer network by simply plugging into a wall outlet. No need to buy additional wires, switches and wireless routers.
The image below shows a Linksys PL300 Powerline device
You will use this device to connect to an available port on the router – the device catches internet data. You will then connect this to the electrical wall outlet – the device transfers the internet data to your electrical home wirings.
The image below shows a Linksys PLD300 4-port Powerline device
You can connect up to four devices to this powerline adapter.
Powerline technology simplifies the setup of your computer network. No need for additional inhouse wiring. No need to worry about setup and troubleshooting of wireless routers. No more worries of unsecured wireless connections where other people can piggyback on your dsl. Powerline technology brings the mobility of wireless networks, together with the high speed of wired networks.
If you use Powerline devices for your home or office network, please do post a reply here. It would be great to hear feedback and personal experiences from users who have done away with wireless and switched to Powerline networks