Wired versus wireless (10/17/2006)

When is a wired network better than a wireless one?

We've written a couple of articles about how wireless networks are now approaching wired speeds. So why use wires at all when we're thinking about networking? Why shouldn't the Internet of the next 10 years be completely wireless?

That topic is too big to tackle in depth in a blog posting, but there is a simple answer: power.

You see, when we think about the Internet, too often we just think about the wires carrying the information to and from our computers. Wireless seems to offer so much promise because it cuts the cord. So what's wrong with that?

The problem is that wireless devices still need power. Even if the data connection is wireless, the wireless device needs power, either from a battery or a power supply plugged into the wall. And in the case where you want continuous operation, such as with a file server, a networked video camera, or even a router, you can't really cut that cord. So even our wireless devices end up being wired.

Fortunately, we can use that one wire to good advantage in a couple of ways. One is to actually send data over the power line to extend the range of a wireless network. Imagine that you have your internet connection with a wireless router in your living room, but you'd like to also be able to use your laptop in your garage that is down the hill from your house. By using a pair of NETGEAR Powerline Ethernet Adapters (HDX101), you could bring your Internet connection down to your garage by sending the Ethernet data over the power connection, avoiding the need to string a wire.

This same concept -- combining power and networking onto one set of wires -- can work in reverse for many small business networks. Using a technology called Power Over Ethernet or PoE built into many network switches such as NETGEAR's ProSafe line, network devices like Voice-Over-Internet phones and video cameras can be powered by their wired Ethernet connections. The result: despite the fact that you're not using a wireless network, you still get to cut one of the cords needed to run the device.

There's no question that wireless technology will evolve to become a bigger part of our Internet lives -- it is just too convenient not to. But our Internet future isn't going to be wire-free, any more than the bathrooms of the future are going to become paper-free (although the Japanese actually have made some remarkable strides there). But with innovations such as PoE and Powerline networking, at least we'll keep the wires to a minimum.