Patent ID: 8363797

Claim:
An outlet for coupling at least one data unit to digital data carried over in-wall wiring having one or more twisted wire pairs that simultaneously carry a bi-directional packet-based serial digital data signal and a power signal over same conductors, and the outlet comprising: a wiring connector for connecting to the in-wall wiring; a first transceiver coupled to said wiring connector and operative for transmitting and receiving bi-directional packet-based serial digital data over said in-wall wiring; a first data port coupled to said first transceiver for bi-directional packet-based serial digital data communication with one or more data units; a multiport device consisting of one of a repeater, a bridge, a router and a gateway coupled between said first transceiver and said first data port for passing data bi-directionally between said one or more data units and said in-wall wiring; and a single enclosure housing said first transceiver, said wiring connector, said multiport device and said first data port, wherein said enclosure is dimensioned to be mountable into a standard wall outlet receptacle or wall outlet opening, and wherein said first transceiver and said multiport device are coupled to said wiring connector to be powered from said power signal.