A Whole House Home Network

[Chris Blount]

Although the experts have difficulty agreeing on an exact definition of home networking, most believe it's the wave of the future for home-based entertainment and data systems.

Increasingly, new homes are completed with built-in wiring for such networks and wireless solutions are evolving for pre-existing homes. While wireless solutions have "some really nice" applications, according to Michael Collette, CEO of Ucentric Systems, the networks also have significant drawbacks.

Most notably, Collette says, "We can't use wireless yet for video. You can't move HD- and SD-quality video over wireless lengths" with acceptable resolutions. Still, he notes, "I think that will change in the 2007 time frame."

For more information on home networks, check out the November issue of The BRIDGE at: http://www.mbc-thebridge.com.

http://www.skyreport.com (Used with permission)

[the_bear]

I watch SD over WiFi on a regular bases. IMHO, it looks better than the SD I am getting from Dish.

[jtechie]

Home network is a great thing i have 4 PC's hard wired i have not got into wireless yet i am waiting for it to get a little faster, there are more standards being approved soon. wireless is going to be the NEXT big thing soon. Its Big now but I see it exploding.http://standards.ieee.org/announcements/pr_80222.html

[AllieVi]

I have and use a wireless network , but I really prefer wired. It's nice to be able to take my portable anywhere in the house, of course, but if I had a desktop computer, I'd want it wired.

Radio interference will probably become more of a problem as more suburban houses use wireless since the houses are built so close together. My portable sometimes tries to connect to my neighbor's router (about 300' away) instead of mine (10' away). Security is a bigger problem with wireless, too.

I agree that it's hard to argue with the ease of installation of wireless.

[Chris Blount]

Home network is a great thing i have 4 PC's hard wired i have not got into wireless yet i am waiting for it to get a little faster, there are more standards being approved soon. wireless is going to be the NEXT big thing soon. Its Big now but I see it exploding.http://standards.ieee.org/announcements/pr_80222.html

Speed is no longer an issue. If you have your router properly setup under the wireless "G" standard along with some sort of super G technology, you will get the same speed as a wired connection. I have 3 computers in my house. One of the computers is wired (to the internet) and the other two are running under the D-Link super G standard. After running tests with and without wires, there were no differences in download and file sharing speeds.

Of course, your mileage may vary. :)

[JM Anthony]

Our household has 4 (humans) pretty prolific end users. Cable modem service from Comcast has been very reliable and we've got 2 PCs in the computer room that are hard wired and a couple of laptops that spend most of their time in the family room. Right now, Biker Mom and I have both fired up while we're watching a repeat of American Chopper!