Netgear XE104 85 Mbps Wall-Plugged Ethernet Switch adds speed to powerlines
We haven't heard much about power-line networking lately, in part because it's not nearly as sexy as WiFi, and in part because HomePlug gear tended to be slow, balky and overpriced. But wireless vendors have started to address that with next-gen devices, and the latest to do so is Netgear, which has launched what the company says is the first 85 Mbps wall-plugged Ethernet switch, cleverly named the 85 Mbps Wall-Plugged Ethernet Switch. According to NetGear, the switch turns any outlet into a four-port Ethernet connection, at throughput rates capable of handling multiple video streams. The switch has a street price of about $80, which is still more expensive than many WiFi routers, especially since you'll need at least two of them to set up any kind of useful network. But if you want a high-speed wired network and don't want to spend a weekend fishing Cat5 cables through the walls, it may just be worth it.
[Via Digital Media Thoughts]
