homeplug_walls

When wired networking is not possible or too cumbersome and wireless is also not an option, you have another solution – Homeplug. The plug has a Ethernet connector on the bottom and plugs into the wall, you need another one plugged into say your wall/router to them transfer the signal. To summerise a simple set up then – you plug into the wall a homeplug and connect a wire to your router or switch and then on the other end (say in another room of course) you plug in your appliance Ethernet into the other homeplug and thus into the wall – you now have fast networking (depending on which model you buy).

What do they look like?

homeplugThe picture above is the 85mbps model, prices vary and it is worth looking around to find a nice cheap price, store’s will often charge a premium for these items. These are the British models which explains the big prongs on the plugs (you USA people have much smaller prongs)

How many can you have?

When I wired up a building which had metal walls and thus blocked wireless, I plugged one per room need and a laptop into each one, they could all connect to the internet and be online. One important factor though is the wiring of the house / building must all be one – you cannot go and plug this into your neighbours house and expect it to work.

Cheapest method?

Not by a long shot – the price of a wireless adaptor for the Xbox for example is cheaper then one of these and remember you need two. Cabling the house yourself is even cheaper and faster and of course does not take up a plug socket plus faster but you may not want the ugly wires outside your house.

A good alternative then?

This is just one more one you can get a network signal from one machine to another, whichever works best for you is the way to go. I prefer my 1 Gbit Wired Lan over wireless and over these but I though I would write about them anyhow just to show you.