5-8
Data transmissions are encrypted for security, and you can configure
an individual network password to prevent neighbors from
connecting.
The Powerline HD family of products can coexist on the same
network with older generation XE family products or HomePlug 1.0
products, but they are not interoperable with these
older products.
• Wired Ethernet
As Gigabit Ethernet ports become common on newer computers,
wired Ethernet remains a good choice for speed, economy, and
security. Gigabit Ethernet can extend up to 100 meters with twisted-
pair wiring of CAT-5e or better. A wired connection is not susceptible
to interference, and eavesdropping would require a physical
connection to your network.
Assessing Your Speed Requirements
Because your Internet connection is likely to operate at a much lower
speed than your local network, faster local networking technologies may
not improve your Internet experience. However, many emerging home
applications require high data rates. For example:
• Streaming HD video requires 10 to 30 Mbps per stream. Because
latency and packet loss can disrupt your video, plan to provide at least
twice the capacity you need.
• Streaming MP3 audio requires less than 1 Mbps per stream and does
not strain most modern networks. Like video, however, streaming
audio is also sensitive to latency and packet loss, so a congested
network or a noisy link can cause problems.
• Backing up computers over the network has become popular due to
the availability of inexpensive mass storage. The table below shows
the time to transfer one gigabyte (1 GB) of data using various
networking technologies.
Table 5-1. Theoretical transfer time for 1 gigabyte
Network Connection Theoretical Raw Transfer Time
Gigabit Wired Ethernet 8 seconds
NETGEAR
RangeMax NEXT Wireless-N 26 seconds
To Next Page
Loading...
