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From the Wall Street Journal Online: "There's a simple alternative to deliver a fast Internet signal to the farthest corners of your home that's often overlooked: using small gadgets called Powerline adapters, you can route your Internet connection around your house over your regular electrical power lines, the ones already in your walls. It really works, it's fast and it doesn't disrupt your electrical system. Even better, it requires zero technical skill.

You just plug one of the adapters into a standard electrical outlet near the place where your Internet connection enters your home. Then, you connect the adapter to your wired or wireless router. Next, you plug a second, identical adapter into an electrical outlet in a distant room where you lack an Internet connection. Finally, you plug a computer (or even a wireless access point) into that second adapter. There's no setup, no required software and no technicians or tools are needed.

When you plug in a computer into the second Powerline adapter, it's as if that computer was right next to your cable or DSL modem and router. You are on the Internet at full speed. If you plug a Wi-Fi wireless access point into the second Powerline adapter, it will create a wireless network in and around the distant room, which multiple computers can use.

I've been testing one of Netgear's newest models, the XE104, which costs $100 per adapter, and I can heartily recommend it. It couldn't be simpler or more effective. In my tests, the XE104 gave me wicked-fast connections. I tried plugging Windows and Macintosh laptops directly into the adapters in rooms where my wireless signal was weakest. I also tried plugging a Wi-Fi wireless access point into an XE104 adapter and picking up the connection wirelessly on the laptops. (An access point is a wireless gadget that takes a wired Internet connection and propagates it through the air.)

The XE104 can handle speeds up to 85 mbps, far faster than any common connection.

You can use up to four Netgear adapters at once, and the company claims they will cover a 5,000-square-foot home. Netgear includes optional software to encrypt your Powerline connection, but this is needed only if you share an electrical system with other families.

The XE104 is a small, white rectangular gadget about 4 inches high, 3 inches wide and 1.5 inches thick. It carries a standard two-pronged electrical plug and mounts right into the wall outlet.

On the side, there are four standard Ethernet network ports, like the kind on your router and laptop. Netgear includes a short Ethernet cable so you can connect the first adapter to your router and the second one to a PC or a wireless access point.

The four Ethernet ports are what make the XE104 a 'switch.' They allow you to connect each adapter to multiple devices. For instance, the first adapter can be connected both to your router and to a PC. The second might be connected to a PC, a wireless access point and a device like a game console.

These adapters are a terrific way to clear up Internet dead spots."

Labels: DSL, Internet Connection

These days, there are many ways to connect your home computer to the Internet. There are advantages, disadvantages, and varying costs to these methods. We wanted to give you a primer on your computer connection choices. As new technology is introduced, you'll want to make sure you know the basics so that you can keep up with your options as well as the new products available to you.

Today, here are your options to get on the 'Net:

• Dial-up modem - Was considered the most common, and many are still connected this way, but prices have fallen on DSL and Cable connections, but the number is dropping rapidly. It has been around the longest of all the Internet connection technologies, but it is the slowest.
  

• Cost:
  
• Dial-up modems used to come free with most computers. They can be purchased for $10 to $15
• Dial-up subscriptions are $10 to $25 a month
  

• DSL Connections - A fast and inexpensive way to connect your computer. You can download files and open up sites/pages faster than dial-up. The connection is always there - there is no need to request or dial into a network. DSL modems can transmit around 10 Mbps.

• Cost:
• The equipment is usually free these days. You may be able to rent the equipment if the service provider does charge for it. Professional installation has a fee associated with it
• DSL subscription is normally $20 - 30 per month, sometimes up to $50 (if you're paying for more Mbps), and you may be able to get deals as low as $12 to $15 a month with year or longer contracts
  

• Cable Modems - Similar to DSL, cable modems are also faster broadband connections than dial-up and are always connected. The cable modems are slightly faster than DSL. It is also an affordable option for the home. Cable modems can transmit 30 Mbps. However, cable modems can slow down considerably if a lot of people in your neighborhood are online at the same time.

• Cost:
• The cable modem runs around $50 to $100, depending on the ISP. There may be a rental option
• The cable subscriptions are $40 to $75 per month
  

• Satellite or Wi-Fi - If you do not have cable modems or DSL connections, you can have satellite broadband installed. You're already likely to have a satellite service in place for your cable TV subscription if you're in a remote area, so added broadband service is easy. Others may use satellite broadband because they already use it for television use and want to condense their bill. Some areas in some cities have a free wi-fi service and it can be purchased in time allotments at airports and other business areas.
  

• Cost:
  
• Professional installation is normally required. The equipment can be rented as part of the subscription, but many charge from $100 to $600 to buy it and it can be more if it is not part of a one or two year commitment
• Subscriptions for satellite service run $40 to $60 a month
• For wifi, equipment varies - you usually need a wifi card to allow your computer to receive local signals. Receivers and attennas can range from $75 to $1000. Subscriptions are more, around $100 a month
  

• T1 Connections - A standard among middle to large-sized businesses, a T1 line is the most expensive. The line is the fastest connection of all the others and it is dedicated to only you and not other subscribers. But the cost prevents it from being a realistic residential application.
  

• Cost:
  
• You must purchase a T1 line from the provider as well as a loop charge to use this line with the Internet. The line costs $300 to $1100 a month. The loop charge is $200 to $300 a month.
  

If you're looking for a professional installation company to install any Internet connection, you can use ConstructionDeal.com. Our service matches you up with 4 local Internet installation pros. And it's free to post your job. You'll also receive multiple bids which means you can get the best price for the installation or repair job.

Labels: DSL, Home Technology Installers, Internet Connection, T1