XAVB1004

Not long ago, having a “connected home” meant your dad was in the mafia.  Today, dear old dad needs a degree from ITT Tech to fully understand all the networked devices proliferating the consumer space.  Everything from TV’s to refridgerators are being networked to “enhance” our lives.  Although the most common medium for carrying home based ethernet traffic is the 2.4GHz radio frequency spectrum, powerline networking products are becoming increasingly mainstream.

The allure of using the existing copper wires in your house was central in motivating Netgear to today announce the release of its Homeplug AV standards based powerline network adapter with ethernet switch.   The device promises up to 200Mbps throughput over existing power lines and will enable high-performance network applications, including HD video streaming.  The kit itself consists of the XABV1004 ethernet switch and XAV101 ethernet adapter.  The MSRP of $179.99 is a deal considering the cost of stringing CAT5 cable in your home.