If I had a phone jack in the garage and later on converted it to an office or apartment, that would be a good place for a phone line network. Live Wires Power line networks use the home's electrical wiring. Though no products are yet available, the alliance has selected a 10 Mbps technology from Ocala, Fla. based Intellon as its baseline technology. HomePlug president Alberto Mantovani expects to publish a written standard by the end of this year. He says the alliance wants to open a certification lab where it will test products for compliance in early 2001.
Critics say that power lines tend to be noisy.
Before a packet is sent, the sending device will check the line, then send the data along one of the noise-free bands. HomePlug is field testing its technology in 500 homes. X-10 created HA back in 1978 and is still a major player. It has since been joined by others. The gateway links the power line network to the Internet through a DSL line, a cable modem, or a wireless connection.