Networking over power lines due for a boost

Netgear has introduced products for powerline-based home networking at up to 500Mbps (bits per second).

The products are based on the forthcoming IEEE P1901 powerline standard. The increased speed, up from the 200Mbps offered today, should allow users to send simultaneous 1080p HD video to multiple TVs throughout the home, according to Netgear. Also, powerline-based networks can offer "whole home coverage" in homes that measure up to 5,000 square feet, Netgear said.

Netgear has announced two adapter kits: the Powerline AV 500 and the Powerline AV+ 500, both of which include two adapters. A gigabit ethernet port is used to connect any Ethernet-equipped device to the rest of the network. The kits offer support for traffic prioritisation and encryption is configured with the push of a button on the adapters, according to Netgear. The company has also added a number of features to improve power efficiency, including the ability to power down units when they are not used, it said.

The main difference between the two is that the Powerline AV+ 500 comes with an integrated socket.

The two kits will start shipping in the third quarter, at which time pricing will be announced, according to Netgear.

Netgear isn't the only company showcasing powerline-based home networking at up to 500Mbps. German company Devolo will also demonstrate products that support the speed at Cebit, it said.