Powerline Network
A powerline network uses the building's existing electrical system as the transmission medium and wall outlets as connecting points. Computers and network devices are cabled from their Ethernet ports or via USB to powerline bridges (adapters) that plug into the AC wall outlets.
![]() | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2009 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- Netgear introduces latest Digital Entertainer Live networked media player
- Netgear's Digital Entertainer Live streaming device has predated connected TVs and Blu-ray players in the living room by a couple of years, but it needed to step up its game to compete with the new services these other products are offering. Its new EVA2000 can't let...
- Blog posts 2009-09-08
- Sony's Blu-ray player with built-in Wi-Fi, no interesting Internet services available this week
- If you're looking for a cheaper alternative to buying an Internet-ready HDTV, and don't need all of the widgets the sets will be rolling out, a networked Blu-ray player could be a viable option. Most importantly, these units are offering the same Netflix and Amazon On Demand video-streaming...
- Blog posts 2009-09-07
- Netgear unveils 4-port XAVB1004 Home Theater Internet Connection Kit
- still a small portion of TVsthose that do have the built in ethernet are brand new. What most are doing now are hooking up small computers to the TV for weather, movies, games, and anything that they would do at the computer desk. This time they have their...
- Discussion threads 2009-08-12
- Netgear unveils 4-port XAVB1004 Home Theater Internet Connection Kit
- If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know that network-ready HDTVs and other home theater devices almost exclusively rely on an Ethernet port for their Internet connectivity, even if most people don't have an Ethernet jack into their living room and would find built-in Wi-Fi far more useful....
- Blog posts 2009-08-11
- Don't underestimate the power of the electrical power plug in the smart grid
- Lots of attention is paid to the role of wireless communications devices in the smart grid and smart energy systems build-out, but the dark horse of this movement could be technology that uses the electrical wires living inside your walls to communicate relevant usage metrics. That's the...
- Blog posts 2009-07-29
- Get involved: build me your perfect tech-filled house
- Get involved: build me your perfect tech-filled houseBeer taps.http://craziestgadgets.com/2008/11/26/beer-tap-system-with-lcd-tv/RE: Get involved: build me your perfect tech-filled houseEvery day should start with kitty:http://www.amazon.com/Hello-Kitty-Clock-Pink%252f-%2528KT2053%2529/dp/B0015ESWHI/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1240923927&sr=8-1RE: Get involved: build me your perfect tech-filled houseNeeds:PS3 - $399 plays Blu-rayLogitech Cordless mediaboard pro (for both PS3 and TV-connected PC) - $7032" Samsung LCD TV - $549Belkin...
- Discussion threads 2009-04-28
- Netgear, D-Link roll out coax-Ethernet adapter kits to network your home theater
- For those of you skeptical of using powerline technology to connect your network-ready home theater devices to your home network when you don't have nearby Ethernet ports, there's another option: using a coaxial-cable-to-Ethernet solution like Netgear's new MoCA Coax-Ethernet Adapter Kit (MCAB1001) or D-Link's new HD MediaBridge Starter...
- Blog posts 2009-04-23
- News to know: Windows 7; U.S. CTO; Quickoffice; Ubuntu
- Here are today’s notable headlines. You can get News To Know via email alert and RSS daily. For continuous updates see BNET’s around-the-Web tech coverage. Brian Sommer: The immediacy of value: Where SaaS must go next Mary Jo Foley: Windows 7 Release Candidate due date is...
- Blog posts 2009-04-20
- D-Link introduces new PowerLine HD kit for network-capable home theater devices
- D-Link introduces new PowerLine HD kit for network-capable home theater devicesBad, Bad, BadIn my first year in engineering at university (21 years ago), we did a project on "current carrier". It is exactly what these devices do. They use a bandwidth that is not that of the electricity that is...
- Discussion threads 2009-04-17
- D-Link introduces new PowerLine HD kit for network-capable home theater devices
- More and more home theater devices are being introduced that offer "connected features," but many of them require an Ethernet connection, which isn't a common feature in most living rooms. One workaround gaining some traction is using powerline networkingplugging an adapter into an electrical outlet on one end and connecting...
- Blog posts 2009-04-17
- D-Link turns every power outlet into wall-to-wall network
- D-Link turns every power outlet into wall-to-wall network...nothing newI've had this running in my home for about a year now...I mean, I get that this may be a new product for D-Link, but don't go making it sound like they've invented something new here. They're just catching on, there are...
- Discussion threads 2009-04-15
- D-Link turns every power outlet into wall-to-wall network
- D-Link today introduced its next-generation PowerLine adapter kit that connects computers, high-definition media players, game consoles, network attached storage and Internet content in the home. The PowerLine HD Ethernet Adapter Starter Kit (DHP-303) allows the user to take advantage of existing home electrical wiring to...
- Blog posts 2009-04-15
- ZyXEL PLA-450 Wireless Access Point
- ZyXEL PLA-450 Wireless Access PointGreat Wireless Access Point for Added RangeWe recently built out our basement and before I spent the time and money to cat5 my whole house or possibly add a second cable modem, I decided to give the PLA-450 + 1 PLA-401 a try. To my amazement,...
- Discussion threads 2009-04-03
- Sony debuts Blu-ray player with built-in wireless networking support
- I know I'm not alone in not being able to figure out Sony's strategy from one product offering to the next, and once again I'm scratching my head a bit. At the same time the company is unveiling new networked TVs with Ethernet connections (providing faster...
- Blog posts 2009-03-05
- Acoustic Research HDP100 HDMI Powerlink System
- If you've paid to have your HDTV installed in any kind of permanent way, you know that the cost of installation can often overtake the cost of the television itself. Part of that installation cost involves wiring: running cables from your gear up to the TV, generally through walls. In...
- Product reviews 2008-12-02
- HomePlug revival continues with new Netgear Powerline gear
- HomePlug revival continues with new Netgear Powerline gearPowerlineToo expensive. I would buy it in a heartbeat at 1/2 that cost.HomePlug Powerline EthernetI have to agree - too expensive, and then I have several concerns:1) Power line spikes happen all the time. All it would take is one spike to...
- Discussion threads 2008-11-19
- News to know: Microsoft; Psystar; Mozilla; Storm; Office 2.0
- Here are today’s notable headlines. You can get News To Know via email alert and RSS daily: Ryan Naraine: Microsoft kills OneCare, replaces it with freebie ‘Morro’ Mary Jo Foley: Microsoft kills off Windows Live OneCare and Equipt subscription services Adrian Kingsley-Hughes: Microsoft...
- Blog posts 2008-11-19
- Big telecom acquiring a Google fixation
- Big telecom acquiring a Google fixationPlease clarify.I don't understand your conclusion.Quoting:What Google, and all of us, most need to do is work that problem, finding business models through which content owners can profit while the end-to-end integrity of the search-and-find Internet is preserved.That will break the link between the content...
- Discussion threads 2008-11-10
- Linksys flips the switch on new powerline networking gear
- Linksys flips the switch on new powerline networking gearStill to expensive.You can set up 10 computers with wi-fi for the same cost.You may not have a state of the art/latest model wi-fi network, but you can get a stable one for less than $60.Paying $150 for access to a SINGLE...
- Discussion threads 2008-10-21
- Linksys flips the switch on new powerline networking gear
- Powerline networking is a clever technology that hasn't really taken off against Wi-Fi equipment, but Linksys hopes to put a charge in it with its new line of Linksys by Cisco Powerline products. For the uninitiated, powerline technology uses electrical outlets rather than wireless radios to transmit...
- Blog posts 2008-10-21
Neighboring Terms
Premier Vendor Content Whitepapers, webcasts & resources from our Power Center Sponsors
- The more you simplify, the more you save
-
When you transition from your existing Red Hat environment to SUSE Linux Enterprise from Novell, you can recognize dramatic cost savings, perhaps as much 50%

- Learn more >>
- Keep Up With The Latest In Document Management with The DocuMentor.
-
Doc delivers the scoop on today's enterprise content management, printer maintenance, and all other issues related to document management. It's the DocuMentor Blog.
- Learn more >>
- New Online Dashboard for IT Leaders
-
Read about top issues IT decision-makers face every day, plus get cost-effective solutions to real-life IT problems.
- Learn more >>
- Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online - Free Six-Month Trial for Eligible Organizations
-
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online provides fast online access, simple contact management and better sales performance for a low monthly cost - the best value on the market today.

- Learn more about the free, six-month trial offer>>
Enterprise Applications
- Check out some of the easiest and most powerful ways to boost productivity while saving money on your application infrastructure. See ZDNet's comprehensive Enterprise Application resource center, now!
- New Online Dashboard
- Read about top issues IT decision-makers face every day, plus get cost effective solutions to real life IT problems. Oracle Topline








