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Home networking (finally) takes hold

By Toni Kistner
Net.Worker, 04/23/01

Are we there yet? Yes, finally. After a string of disappointing years, in 2000, the home network equipment market increased by 97% to reach $290 million, according to Cahners In-Stat.

It took its time, that's for sure. Wired Ethernet has been around forever, but it was generally assumed that home workers would never tear up the walls to snake cable. So when the alternate technologies came along in the past few years - home phone line, wireless and AC power line - it seemed like a sure bet. But consumers wanted to share broadband and didn't care about sharing files and printers. So neat products sat on store shelves waiting for broadband to take hold. Now that it has, the real fun begins.

While phone line and AC power line standards battles are over, the wireless standards between HomeRF and Wi-Fi (802.11b) rages eternal. In our April 9 issue, we ran a Face-Off between Wi-Fi's Dennis Eaton and HomeRF's Wayne Caswell with an accompanying online forum. Trouble is, the technology debate is dead-tired old. But if you're looking for entertainment or want to join the fun, check out the forum. There's blood all over the walls in there.

HomeRF is dead, but like a zombie, it doesn't seem to know it. Industry zealots go on and on about voice codecs and how superior the technology is for residential use. Even if it were superior (and how many of us can really understand what the heck these radio engineers are arguing about?), who cares? HomeRF proponents have promised higher speeds and industry support for years. Reality is, the technology is stuck at 1.6M bit/sec, and no one's selling product but Proxim and maybe Siemens. Isn't this getting a little embarrassing, guys?

Wi-Fi has widespread industry support and products in the channel. Its prices are coming down (and are less expensive than HomeRF gear), and ease of use is improving. Vendors such as SOHOware, Linksys and D-Link are selling affordable 802.11b hardware. 3Com and Cisco are targeting the small office/home office market with improved documentation, install wizards and extended support hours. Isn't it obvious that because we want to work from anywhere, we'd want to use one wireless LAN technology?

Heck, even Microsoft gets it by announcing 802.11b support for its upcoming Windows XP. Not support for both, mind you, just 802.11b.

Carl Stork, general manager for Windows hardware strategy, said in an interview posted on the Microsoft site: "Because 802.11b is robust, it's also going to be the logical technology for wireless networks in the home, for people who bring their laptops home from school or work. And there's great support for this kind of usage, including automatic configuration built right into Windows XP." Sounds like Microsoft hopes to sell more XP by touting 802.11b support.

In other home network news, the Cahners numbers reveal that folks are still buying wired Ethernet like crazy. The market grew 135%. But home phone line products aren't flying off the shelves the way we thought they would two years ago. That is partly because folks are buying something else - such as wireless or Ethernet. But look around your house, in your office. How many phone jacks do you have? How many power outlets to do you have? Are they in close proximity?

It'll be neat to see how the market responds when the first Home Plug-specified power line products hit the shelves next year. If they work, Home-PNA could share HomeRF's fate.