Energize & Simplify Your Home Network

Remember the old days? To get online, you needed a modem. (To show my age, I remember 110 baud!). Through the 80’s, we went from 1200 baud (1.2kb) to 56kb modem in the 90’s. Then came broadband. 512kb, 1.0mb and higher.

But it was still one data line for one computer.

Companies like Linksys and Netgear came along with hubs and switches, which let us use multiple computers on one data line. These networking devices were great, but they required cables – usually Category 5 (CAT5) and higher. No ‘regular’ homeowner was happy about that, unless they enjoyed pulling hundreds of feet of cable through their walls.

Then came wireless! Ah, great things, even though they operated at about a tenth of the speed of a wired network. So, you trade some speed for convenience (even though early wireless networks had sketchy security and so-so signal quality). As security was beefed up and speeds were increased, wireless problems persist to this day. Especially if you don’t have a degree in computer or electrical engineering.

Enter Netgrar again, only this time, they take the best of both worlds – speed of a wired network and connection simplicity of a wireless network. Enter Netgear’s Powerline adapters.

Literally a plug-and-play system, Powerline allows you to use your entire house’s electrical wiring as a network. Everywhere there is a receptical, you have a network port! At 200mb speed and the security of a wired network, Powerline is a great alternative to those who like flexibility and simplicity.

For anyone who doesn’t know what 110 baud is or wasn’t even born yet, think of a movie where an old news TeleType machine is printing the letters on the paper one character at a time. And if you want to see the old modem, check this out:

http://williambader.com/museum/modem110/modem110.html

It’s like writing a letter with a pen versus chiseling into a tablet of stone!

Netgear Powerline Adapters Offer Reliable Plug-and-Play Networking Without Rewiring – EndUser Blog