HomePNA

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The HomePNA seeks to establish standards for home networking over regular coax and phone lines within the home - for compatibility between telecom, computer and network products.

Home PNA (also known as HPNA) is an incorporated non-profit association of more than 150 companies, including the founding companies 2Wire, Motorola, CopperGate, AT&T, Conexant, Sunrise. Home Phoneline Networking Alliance does not enforce standards; it provides advice to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) which is a standards body.

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[edit] Overview

HPNA as an entity does not manufacture any products, though its members do. However, it endorses products as Home Phoneline Network Certified™. The current version of their Home Phoneline Network Certified™ specifications is 3.1 (after 2006 it is referred to as HomePNA 3.1).

HomePNA 1.0 technology was developed by Tut Systems, and HomePNA 2.0 was developed by Epigram, Inc. who continue to play a developmental role. HomePNA 3.0 was developed by Broadcom and Coppergate solutions [1].

HomePNA 2.0 received approval by the ITU as a global standard (Phoneline Networking Transceivers) known as Recommendation G.9951, G.9952 and G.9953.

HomePNA 3.0 and 3.1 received approval by the ITU as a global standard (Phoneline Networking Transceivers) known as Recommendation G.9954 (02/05) and G.9954 (01/07) respectively.

HomePNA is a relatively new technology, which allows you to network your home computers much like a LAN using your existing telephone wiring. Internet access can be shared among several computer with or without a router. Computers can access each other’s peripherals like printers and storage devices as well as the ability to play multiplayer games. HomePNA uses frequencies different from voice or fax calls while conducting data across the phone line.

Coaxial cables are included in the HomePNA 3.1 standard to increase the networking capabilities and overcome some limitations of phone jack location. It's not clear if this part of HomePNA 3.1 specification will be included in ITU G.9954 (01/07) or in any specification another standard body or will remain available only to HomePNA members.

[edit] Requirements

The Requirements for HomePNA 3.0 are:

  1. Telephone jacks spawned from a single phone line (the phone line does not have to be active). Almost 99% of home telephone wiring in North America works with HomePNA 3.0.
  2. Hardware approved by the Home Phone Networking Alliance. Generally, this applies to standard hardware such as network cards converting Digital to Analog and vice versa, but many brands of routers, software, ethernet bridges and USB adaptors offer the Home Phoneline Network Certified™ versions. Some PCs are prefitted with the Home Phone Networking Alliance approved adaptors. The average consumer normally needs only a certified network card.

[edit] Advantages

Some advantages of HomePNA 3.0 are:

  • Phone and fax are not disrupted since the networking function operates in a frequency band above voice, analog modem, and DSL modem, allowing one phone line to be used for regular telephone conversations.
  • No special or new home wiring is required.
  • Unlike LAN, HomePNA 3.0 can connect to another floor without additional wires and cables.
  • HomePNA 1.0 failed because the data transfer was limited to 1 Mbit/s. Home PNA 3.0 offers 128 Mbit/s, which should be sufficient for most needs. This can be increased to 240 Mbit/s for those with high data rate requirements.
  • A maximum of fifty devices can be connected maintaining 10 Mbit/s speed.
  • The devices can be up to a thousand feet (300 m) apart, spread over ten thousand square feet (900 m²).
  • Is Microsoft Windows, Macintosh, and Linux compatible.
  • The phone line used by HomePNA does not have to be active.
  • The required hardware is not expensive, and once installed, it is the user's to keep. No service fees or contracts.
  • A movie playing on a television in one room can be broadcast to another television in a different room provided both sets are Home Phoneline Network Certified™. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth can suffer from undefined range when transferring video.
  • HomePNA 3.0 will be compatible with emerging technologies such as Wi-Fi Wireless, Universal xDSL, G.Lite and Power line communication
  • HomePNA 3.0 is backwards compatible with products bearing HomePNA 1.0 and 2.0 specifications.
  • Broadband companies could deliver phone, Internet and video in a single package through Home Phoneline Network Certified™ hardware.
  • The hotel industry has found HomePNA a highly cost effective option [2].

[edit] Disadvantages

Some disadvantages of HomePNA 3.0 are:

  • Poorly placed telephone jacks can be an obstacle.
  • Actual speeds of many products using HomePNA 3.0 are yet to be ascertained.
  • Available chipsets are few and immature.

[edit] Alternatives

Other home network systems which do not require new wiring include:

[edit] External links

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