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HPNA
or HomeHPNA 2.0
10Mbps phoneline networks
Official Names: HPNA /
HomePNA
Versions
HPNA 1.0 1Mbps old standard
HPNA 2.0 10Mbps Avail Now popular
HPNA 3.0 100Mbps Est. release Q1 2002
PhoneLine networking, as its name applies,
uses your existing phone lines to connect your computers. It does
not interfere with voice operations or DSL on your existing live
telephone line. Your HPNA network, DSL and voice communications can
happen on the SAME phone lines simultaneously. Since HPNA does not
require new cabling in your home, it is one of my favorite network
types to install.
HPNA 1.0 was met in the industry with
excitement but limited success. 2.0 brought the speed up to a good
level and brought the price down too! Since then HPNA 2.0 has
been adopted by almost all of the home network manufacturers.
Network adapters, routers and bridges are all available. In
addition, many multimedia devices for your AV system come equipped
with HPNA networking.
The Adapters
HPNA network adapters come in both PCI and USB
versions. A PCI adapter is going to be less expensive and will
provide a little better performance - however, it will require you
to open your computer. USB to PhoneLine Network adapters plug into
an USB port on your computer so setup is a snap. USB adapters are
low voltage items so no external power supplies are needed.
The Connections
Connections between computers are made with
standard phone line cables. Like other phone line devices, Phoneline
network adapters have two jacks so that computers and HPNA enabled
peripherals can be daisy chained together. No hubs or switches are
necessary.
HPNA networks can stretch up to 1000 feet over
the existing phone line wiring in your home. HPNA networks do not
interfere with voice, modem, or DSL communications over the same
exact phone wire.
Link Lights
Most HPNA adapters have small indicator lights
called link lights. These lights tell you when you have everything
connected correctly. Often, these lights will not come on until your
computer has the proper network drivers installed.
Network Drivers
Each operating system and each network card
has its own install procedure. Please follow the directions that
came with your network card to install your network drivers.
When to use HPNA
When most of your computers are in the same
room, Ethernet is by far the best choice because of cost and speed.
Computers in other rooms can be added to your Ethernet network by
using a HPNA bridge and a HPNA network card in each remote computer.
HPNA bridges are devices that translate Ethernet into HPNA phoneline
networking. Broadband routers with built in HPNA have both HPNA and
Ethernet ports and act as a network bridge too.
Glenn Merkel has
also successfully connected two physically separate Ethernet
networks in his home using two HPNA bridges and no HPNA network
adapters. In his configuration, the bridges simply jump network
packets from one Ethernet network to the other through the phone
lines. Since a broadband router is on the network, all his computers
can get to the Internet even the ones in the entertainment room.
See his network diagram
here
Important
Links
External
Links
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