Devolo

[Billie Erin Walsh]

Derek Broughton wrote:
> Eberhard Roloff wrote:
>
>   
>> Billie Erin Walsh wrote:
>>
>>     
>>>> Again there is nothing like a network cable, indeed! It is very cheap,
>>>> very fast and very secure. Just when ethernet cabling is no option and
>>>> wireless is lousy, then these devices do a great job. In most cases,
>>>> they are simply WAY better than wireless.
>>>>   
>>>>         
>>> Agreed as to cabling. However wifi connections don't need to be poor. If
>>> properly done, and with proper equipment, it should be very successful.
>>>       
>
> But not more so than networking over the household wiring.  I just can't 
> conceive of a way that a network _designed_ to be broadcast can be more 
> secure than a hardware network using the same encryption methods.
>   

That bit has nothing to do with security. That is totally about 
performance.

To answer your question. Yes, Devolo uses wires to run the network. They 
piggy-back an encrypted rf signal on the 60Hz line voltage. Unless your 
home wiring is completely run through metal conduit the wires will 
radiate this signal. [ If you had a receiver that tuned to 60 Hz you 
could listen to the wires in your home. ] Every light bulb, cord, 
appliance, etc will also radiate that signal. All it takes is a radio 
receiver to "listen" to the Devolo signal being radiated by the wiring. 
CAT5 is at least shielded.

>> Secondly more and more people that I work for, simply do not want to
>> have wireless anymore. They do not want to expose their children and
>> themselves to more radiation that they absolutely must. dLAN is a very
>> welcome alternative here, since your mains doubtlessly are already there
>> in your house and you will not alter their already existing irreducible
>> radiation.
>>     
>
> Run DC in the wires :-)
>   

Turn your house into a Faraday Cage

Living anywhere in todays world is rather like living in a microwave 
running full power.

>>> Personally, if I was setting up a wireless system as the OP mentioned I
>>> would use a Linksys WRT router with dual antennas. Install the DD-WRT
>>> firmware on the router. Remove one antenna and place it in a location
>>> that isn't to obvious on the lower level. After that you can adjust the
>>> power levels on the router and set it up to transmit and receive on both
>>> antennas.
>>>       
>> Sure you can try, but DD-WRT is not needed, although is is really great.
>> The "Antenna-Diversity"-feature is common to any halfway modern routers
>> with more than one antenna.
>>     
>
> I don't get it - what's the value of removing an antenna?  In fact, they 
> transmit _and_ receive on both antennas.  The antenna with the better signal 
> gets used, which works beautifully on my router - configured as a WDS 
> repeater, one antenna connected to a dish pointed at a router 1000' away, 
> and the other using the original stubby.  The machines in my home 
> communicate via the stubby, and the two routers communicate via the dish.
>   

With the Linksys router, the ones I'm most familiar with, you can remove 
and remote mount one, or both, antenna(s). In situations where, such as 
the OP, you have multiple levels one antenna can be used to serve the 
upper floor and one the lower floor. That doesn't preclude either 
antenna from being used by either location it just gives the best signal 
possible to both locations.

I don't know the exact layout of the OP's home but lets say the home 
office is above the entry area of the home. Below it there is a coat 
closet. It would be very simple to drop one antenna down into the coat 
closet. This brings the antenna down to a position more accessible to 
the downstairs user.

 By using the DD-WRT software you can adjust the transmit power on the 
router. Most off the shelf routers run about 28mW output. Turn the power 
up to say 56mW and you get better coverage. DD-WRT also has a lot better 
security features.

>  
>   
>> Actually if wireless is what the OP wants to have, it might also make
>> sense to use a much more focused antenna like this
>> 0 Euros / 0 Dollars example:
>> http://www.heise.de/netze/bilderstrecke/486/an0MTE2MzE5
>>
>> But please note: Such an antenna does not work for draft-n connections
>> and 5Ghz WLan will not get any benefit from it, either.
>>
>> Hmmm, apparently I already was able to brush up my radio knowledge a
>> little bit, at least as far as wireless LAN is concerned. ;-)))))))
>>
>> Kind regards
>> Eberhard
>>
>>
>>     
>
>   


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