Easy Ethernet in any Room!

[cowguy]

Check this thing out! You use your wall socket to transfer your Ethernet! http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/accessories/95ec/?cpg=53H

[ChadTower]

Configuration utility requires Window 98SE, Me, 2000, or XP

Ow.

[Buddabing]

Old news, but definitely worth checking out.

[ChadTower]

I wonder how all that chatter would affect things like power supplies in other devices.

[Hoagie_one]

KINDA EXPENSIVE

[saint]

We use a similar device by Linksys that runs about $80. Once configured you don't need a particular operating system - the configuration is just to encrypt them.

[2600]

I wonder how all that chatter would affect things like power supplies in other devices.

It's at a high enough frequency that it gets filtered out pretty easily.  It's also why you can't run them through surge protectors, etc as it will filter the signal out.


As for the setup, I imagine it would be pretty simple and one may already exist for a tool that runs on other OS's to configure these.  Just sniff the ethernet data and send the same thing.

[ChadTower]

Would that conflict with the telephone adapters that use the same method?

[2600]

I don't know about 10 years, but it has been around a while. What's new is that they release a new version that get's decent real speed.


Chad,
Which telephone adapters are you talking about so I'm on the same page?
On a related note, compatibility with other adapters are up to the device and which chip it uses, especially compliance with the older specification.  Some aren't as forgiving.

[ChadTower]

Eh, don't bother looking into it.  I remember a few years ago before I learned to run wires, I was looking into some similar devices that would allow you to use your house electrical wiring to add phone outlets.

[saint]

Phone network adapters run on physically different wiring of course so no conflict that I can see. I *have* seen some potential interference with other power-based stuff, like intercoms that run through the electrical wiring or X-10. For the most part however, I run X-10, intercom over the electrical lines, and the power-ethernet adapters in my house without conflict.

[ChadTower]

Phone network adapters run on physically different wiring of course so no conflict that I can see.

The ones I'm talking about were exactly like these network adapters, piggybacking on the AC wiring.  Not using 4 conductor cables.  They may not even make them anymore now that wireless phones are so prevalent.

[saint]

AH, the add a phone thing, not add network over phone wiring. Mmmmm Wouldn't surprise me if there were conflicts there. Probably one of those YMMV things you'd have to test.

[ChadTower]

I used to have an old frequency adjustable baby monitor like that.  Picked up all kinds of random stuff from the neighborhood, some stuff that was quite private that I have no idea why it would be broadcast on anything at all.  There was a couple down the street that had quite the active sex life and we could hear it clearly.

[MustardTent]

How's about some USB 2.0 over power line?  Now that's something I haven't seen before.

[MustardTent]

To my knowledge, Ethernet over power line doesn't reach 100 Mbps.  Think it's closer to about 60 maybe...  So seems like USB 2.0 is overkill (unless they are doing something different than how Ether over power is done).

[shorthair]

I used to have an old frequency adjustable baby monitor like that.  Picked up all kinds of random stuff from the neighborhood, some stuff that was quite private that I have no idea why it would be broadcast on anything at all.  There was a couple down the street that had quite the active sex life and we could hear it clearly.

Bonus. Only live is better. Course then you may have all kinds of other options.

[patrickl]

To my knowledge, Ethernet over power line doesn't reach 100 Mbps.  Think it's closer to about 60 maybe...  So seems like USB 2.0 is overkill (unless they are doing something different than how Ether over power is done).

I just saw an add for 85Mb ethernet over power. Probably actual speeds depend on several factors again though.

BTW that article says they reached 190Mbps with USb 2.0 over standard power lines

[MustardTent]

Guess the point is that it's still faster than USB 1.x.

[2600]

I believe, the latest spec for the power PHYs are 200Mbs.  85Mbs is the actual throughput.

Hadn't seen the latest Icron thing.  I imagine they are using the same PHYs as the Ethernet ones.  Icron the only company that make really good USB extenders.  Every other one I've seen are crap.

[patrickl]

Lol, yeah I could receive my neighbours camera (which they had pointed on their driveway) on our baby monitor TV.  Of course that meant they could also keep an eye on the baby  (although I turned the antenna away from them so it would be hard to receive a useful picture)

[ChadTower]

Bonus. Only live is better. Course then you may have all kinds of other options.

They were fat and old.

Actually, I could have a use for usb over AC lines.  I keep my main PC in the basement and often it's too cold down there for a printer to function reasonably.  Causes real pain every time I want to print.  If I could keep the printer in an out of the way spot upstairs without having to have a whole PC setup just for printing, that would be pretty big.

Would such a device have to be on the same physical circuit?

EDIT:  ah, it's not even out yet. 

[Guaranos]

I had something like that a few years back.  I used it for a month and found that my power bill had almost doubled.  So the next month, I plugged it in only when I needed it, and my bill went back to normal.  I called Linksys about it and they told me that couldn't possibly happen.  So the next month, I left it plugged in all the time and my bill went back up to almost double again.  The day after I got the bill, I sold the devices on eBay.

I'm guessing that's not the norm.  Maybe I had a defective device or something weird with my home's wiring, but I won't be risking it again.  On this house I spent the money and time required to wire the place for Ethernet.

[ChadTower]

How could that possibly happen unless the thing was eating amps like candy? 

[Guaranos]

How could that possibly happen unless the thing was eating amps like candy? 

No clue.  It didn't make any sense to me either.  I wasn't going to keep the thing around to investigate, though.  It was the only variable I changed during that time, and there were no major differences weather-wise between the three months I had it that would change my air conditioning needs or whatever.

[patrickl]

Actually, I could have a use for usb over AC lines.  I keep my main PC in the basement and often it's too cold down there for a printer to function reasonably. 

You could also use a USB printserver (I bought one for $30 or something and it worked perfectly). You'd need a network connection going from your basement to the printer then though.

[ChadTower]

There are already network connections in most of those rooms... adding another would be a nonissue if it were a room that doesn't have one yet.  I'll look into the USB printserver issue.  Thanks!