Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Networking
    • Small Business

    Netgear Provides a Wireless Outlet

    By
    Andrew Garcia
    -
    November 20, 2006
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Netgears Powerline HD Ethernet Adapters make a fine alternative to wireless networking equipment, although users may need to test several different outlets to maximize performance.

      Click here to read the full review of Netgears Powerline HD Ethernet Adapters.

      2

      Netgears Powerline HD Ethernet Adapters make a fine alternative to wireless networking equipment, although users may need to test several different outlets to maximize performance.

      The Powerline HD Ethernet Adapters (HDX101) extend an Ethernet network over a buildings electrical circuits using DS2s 200M-bps Powerline Communications integrated circuits. With the HDX101 solution, users can deploy multiple adapters throughout a building, providing networking to as many as 16 locations—as long as all outlets are behind the same power meter.

      During tests, eWEEK Labs found that throughput and latency varied greatly depending on where we deployed each HDX101 adapter. (A pair of HDX101 adapters costs $250; a single adapter costs $130.)

      To maximize throughput, we connected each adapter to a separate socket in the same outlet. Under these ideal circumstances, we were able to realize about 63M bps of real unidirectional throughput and 91M bps of bidirectional traffic. (We measured performance using Ixias IxChariot 6.25.)

      However, as we moved the adapters to different outlets throughout the building, performance started to vary wildly, ranging anywhere from 4M bps to 30M bps depending on where we deployed the adapters. Performance also will depend greatly on the health of the buildings electrical circuits (for example, their age and whether they were deployed in different stages), as well as on the types of devices drawing power.

      In practical terms, we were able to use the Netgear system to stream a high-definition television broadcast over the power-line network without hiccups in most locations of our test facility, although interference on the electrical circuit did cause occasional problems.

      Whenever you turn on an electrical device, it changes the dynamics of the power-line network. We tested the Netgear solution with a hair dryer turned on, and we noticed an immediate 30 percent decrease in performance.

      DS2s chip set includes several kinds of error correction—including frequency selection—to move away from spectrum with poor signal-to-noise ratio, so performance normalized within a few minutes. However, performance remained unpredictable until we turned off the hair dryer.

      We did find that plugging the hair dryer into a surge protector reduced the amount of noise on the electrical circuit, leading to more stable network performance. We would advise users to seek out electric devices with heavy power draw throughout the building and confirm they are connected to a surge protector to ensure the stability of the HDX101-enabled network.

      Filters are the enemy of power-line technology. The buildings power meter acts as a filter that blocks the networkable frequencies, keeping the transmissions localized and away from prying eyes. However, surge protectors and universal power supplies also filter the circuit, so we needed to connect the adapters directly to the wall to establish a link between them.

      The adapters come with configuration software that allowed us to name our network, enable support for legacy power-line equipment and set QOS (quality of service) policies for the network.

      We were able to use several different QOS algorithms, including TOS (type of service) and 802.1p, or we could dictate a preference (either source or destination) for specific UDP (User Datagram Protocol) or TCP ports.

      DS2 officials claim the Netgear implementation supports as many as up to 32 MAC (media access control) addresses, which will allow users to install a Fast Ethernet switch to provide networking to multiple devices in one location.

      Technical Analyst Andrew Garcia can be reached at andrew_garcia@ziffdavis.com.

      Next page: Evaluation Shortlist: Related Products.

      Page 3

      Evaluation Shortlist

      D-Links DHP-301 Powerline HD Ethernet Starter Kit

      D-Links solution also is based on DS2s chip set (www.dlink.com)
      Draft 802.11n or other MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) wireless equipment
      Draft-802.11 and MIMO gear can provide top-end bandwidth performance to spare, but interoperability and interference remain questions at this time NSMC Networks HomePlug-compliant product family With only 14M-bps and 85M-bps solutions in the HomePlug stable, this family is a little long in the tooth (www.smc.com)

      Check out eWEEK.coms for the latest news, views and analysis on servers, switches and networking protocols for the enterprise and small businesses.

      Andrew Garcia
      Andrew cut his teeth as a systems administrator at the University of California, learning the ins and outs of server migration, Windows desktop management, Unix and Novell administration. After a tour of duty as a team leader for PC Magazine's Labs, Andrew turned to system integration - providing network, server, and desktop consulting services for small businesses throughout the Bay Area. With eWEEK Labs since 2003, Andrew concentrates on wireless networking technologies while moonlighting with Microsoft Windows, mobile devices and management, and unified communications. He produces product reviews, technology analysis and opinion pieces for eWEEK.com, eWEEK magazine, and the Labs' Release Notes blog. Follow Andrew on Twitter at andrewrgarcia, or reach him by email at agarcia@eweek.com.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Applications

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Applications

      Kyndryl’s Nicolas Sekkaki on Handling AI and...

      James Maguire - November 9, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nicolas Sekkaki, Group Practice Leader for Applications, Data and AI at Kyndryl, about how companies can boost both their AI and...
      Read more
      Cloud

      IGEL CEO Jed Ayres on Edge and...

      James Maguire - June 14, 2022 0
      I spoke with Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL, about the endpoint sector, and an open source OS for the cloud; we also spoke about...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×