Cabled Security without having to run cables

Theres a lot of interest round here in wireless networks. Mainly for the convenience of not having cables strewn everywhere. But too many people are blindly setting up their networks oblivious to the fact that their connections are wide open to the world (well the world within x number of feet at least). I recently visited a client to set up his wifi connection to include his Playstation 2. To make sure his Wifi was on I got out my faithful palm T3, dropped in the SD Wifi card and voila, 8 wireless networks sat there begging to be tapped. This is not in the city either, this is small town rural new brunswick.

If you want wireless to have high speed interne access from more than one machine, why not try the Powerline products. They route the connection through the power circuits in your house so wherever there is a power outlet, there is access to your highspeed. Just plug in your adapter and away you go.

 

Because Ethernet over Power is not always reliable, and it is only as good as the wiring. The most you may get out of it may be 3mb, lucky in some homes to get 1mb. Setting up WiFi with WPA is more secure, WEP is secure.

Also keep in mind that even though a WiFi may show up, majority nowdays may be Hotspots, which means public access.

 

Surely with typical high speed internet access around 1.5Mb download speed why will a 3Mb threshold be a problem? Also with the new 200Mb throughput versions of powerline available if there's power there should be network connectivity.

 

I have to say I'd go with brownizs on this one...
Even tho powerline products are amazing and inovative Idea, its performance is not all the way up there yet - only an opinion. I'm sure it will get better every day tho.
Also, if you want to use the powerline products for security reasons, you should also think about the wiring around the facility. Most Condos, Town houses, Apts, and even some houses next to each other share power lines/wiring. Meaning, like hankyknot said, if you have power outlet, you are sharing connection.
Also, the cost of setting this up is fairly higher than current WiFi HW. (I think this is only due to popularity tho). You need to get the terminal, get all the converters for each outlet if you want it everywhere... and you're still wired and slower then wifi.
After all, wifi, is for wireless. Freedom from wires. I think that is the point. and what are you going to do when you're outside on your porch/deck, having coffee? wifi reaches you. Powerline doesn't.

I think, with new technology, WiFi can be as secured as you need it to be.
You can encrypt it, hide it from public, pw protect it and even mac filter it.
Me, I still prefer good old CAT5/6 cabling.

 

I have to agree with you guys. wireless is the way to go...just use WPA and you should be okay. Reality is that if a hacker really wants to get in he probably can because they are always one step ahead.

 

My issue with wifi is mostly the one of range and reliability. It seems no matter who the manufacturer is, and without doubt some manufacturers are better than others, some setups get occasional great range and others struggle to make it to the next room. Encryption seems to, in some instances, cut range by more than half.

While powerline is not a solution for everyone I can say from experience reliability isn't a problem the way it is with wireless.

But now that wireless hardware prices are coming down and ranges are going up things are definately improving and I'm its the popularity that driving both circumstances.

Now all we need is a secure out-of-the-box mesh solution that will allow us to roam wirelessly the same way we do with our cellphones.

 

Man, this is old one. I totally forgot about this one.
Do people still use that LAN over PL? Hanky, have you actually tried this and ran some tests? or Are you just curious? There are lots and lots of known issues with this method.