WTVN Radio • Columbus, Ohio • Sunday morning from 8 until 9

Sunday, September 5, 2003

Random thought:

That was entirely too easy!

Networking is supposed to be difficult. You're supposed to have to run CAT5 cable hither and yon. You're supposed to have to climb up into the attic. Or you're supposed to use WiFi and then tinker for hours to get everything positioned right so that it will work. You're not supposed to be able to add two remote locations to rooms that aren't network ready in 30 minutes, but that's just what I did. And now that I've done it, I could add another two rooms in 10 minutes or less.

In the past, I've told you about WiFi, the wireless alternative to stringing cables through walls, ceilings, attics, and basements. WiFi is wonderful if you want to take your notebook out into the yard. It's not so great if your goal is to hook up various computers scattered around the house. Signal strength drops quickly and the remote computers end up connecting with only marginal reliability and at slow speeds.

Two other networking possibilities exist for home use: One uses telephone outlets so you can put a network extension wherever a phone line exists and the other uses standard electric outlets. Yes, that means you can put a network extension wherever there's an outlet.

In the past, the phone line option has been better because electric line networking was too slow to be useful. In the past year or so, advances in technology have pushed this technology to 14Mbps. Faster than phone line networking. Faster than WiFi.

The choice was easy

One of the rooms where I wanted to have a network connection doesn't have a phone line. Actually, there's probably a line in there, but it's behind a wall and, without knowing where it is, I'd probably have to break the wall in several places to find it. Phone-line networking was out.

Wireless didn't work well between where the base station was and this room and two years ago, when I first installed a computer in that room, powerline networking was too slow. So for the past couple of years, we've had this bright yellow CAT5 cable lying in the hall.

When I saw the latest powerline networking gear at TechX New York, I knew that I had to test it, so I asked NetGear to send me 3 XE102 Wall Plugged Ethernet Bridge devices. I said that because I'll be out of town for PowerPoint Live, I wouldn't even have time to open the box until late October.

But the box arrived on Friday afternoon about 3:30. I opened it, just to make sure all 3 units were in there. Then I opened one of the unit boxes just to see what came with it -- not much: Just a cable, a CD, warranty stuff, and a pamphlet of instructions. I thought I'd read the instructions to estimate how much time it would take me to install the devices when I got home.

The process appeared to be so easy that I unboxed all 3 devices. The hardest part of the installation turned out to be plugging the local XE102 into the outlet by the router. The outlet is behind a desk panel. I had to crawl under the desk and work my hand up into the space (which wasn't really large enough for my hand). After 5 minutes or so, I got the thing plugged in. (Powerline network devices need to be plugged in to WALL OUTLETS, not into power strips or UPS units.)

I plugged in the CAT5 cable to the router, installed the control software, restarted the computer and saw that the control software detected the local device.

Blinnhouse now has wireless and wired networks. Remember when the computer just sat there -- not attached to anything but the power plug? If you'd like to actually read the words on the diagram, click the image above for a larger view.

Done. That's it. That's all I had to do. Honest. The yellow CAT5 cable no longer snakes down the hall.

I wouldn't have had to install the encryption password, but it's a good idea (and highly recommended by NetGear.) NetGear seems to be a little more security conscious than some home networking companies. Even though signals from the powerline devices can't pass through transformers, they could wander around the neighborhood. I have no reason to suspect that there are people in the neighborhood get their kicks from breaking in to nearby networks, but safe is still better than sorry.

I was concerned that these devices might add an unacceptable amount of RF noise to the house, but so far I haven't found any increase. As far as I can tell, this is just about the perfect way to do home networking.

In fact, the only disadvantage I see is this: In about a month, NetGear is going to ask me to send these 3 XE102 units back and I'm not going to want to. Technology Corner is turning into an expensive hobby.

Potential problem?

What happens during an electric storm? Your computer will now have another connection that involves the wall outlet and it's a connection that cannot be connected through a surge suppressor or a UPS unit. Should you be concerned?

Yes. No. Maybe. The opinions of experts vary a bit. Generally it seems to come down to this: Yes, you'll have a connection through your home's power system, but a standard modem line and a cable modem line are probably in more danger. To be absolutely safe, during a thunderstorm you should disconnect the computer from all power sources. Home wiring has a relatively low risk, though. High voltage entering on standard telephone lines has probably damaged more computers than high voltage coming in on the power lines. Cable modems use copper lines (coax outside and up to the modem, then CAT5 after that). If you really need a computer that's 100% safe during an electrical storm, use a battery-powered notebook and a WiFi network connection.

More information? NetGear.

Technology corner rating for NETGEAR XE102 WALL PLUGGED ETHERNET BRIDGE

20 CATS: Yes, this is impossible. No product can get 20 cats. The maximum is 10 cats. Here's how the impossible happened: First, the devices do exactly what they're supposed to do. Second, they do what they're supposed to do well. That was enough for ten cats. Third (and the reason for some of the extra cats) is that the documentation was short enough that it enticed me to read it ,yet complete and accurate in every regard. Fourth (gaining the devices the rest of the cats) the control software was so quick to install and so easy to use that powerline networking has moved from murky and obtuse to astonishingly easy.

Choosing the right CD or DVD

How many people copied old 8mm movies to VHS tape only to find that VHS tapes have a life span that's more limited than 8mm film? More than you want to know about, probably. Now people are converting VHS, beta, and other video tape formats (along with their old 8mm or 16mm movies) to CD and DVD. For digital cameras, the only storage medium is disc. Are you buying discs that will last?

All CDs are not made the same. I remember when floppy disks were used to transfer files and store backup. Some people bought floppies that cost $1 each (or more) and others bought the ones that came bulk, 100 for about $10. In general, the more expensive disks failed a lot less, but even the cheap ones usually came with a "replacement guarantee". The guarantee replaced the disk, though, not the information on it. If the information on the disk happened to be the final copy of your master's thesis or a backup file of your company's customer database, you didn't get it back.

Smart people concluded that paying a little more for a disk that would store critical data was a good idea.

Fast-forward to 2003: We see the same thing with CDs and DVDs, but the price difference between "name brand" and "no-name" CDs is a lot less. When you can buy 100 Verbatim DVD+R discs for $265, 100 Verbatim DVD-R discs for $285, or 100 Verbatim CDs for $50, is there logic in paying $175 to $200 for generic DVDs or $30 for 100 generic CDs?

My answer: It depends. If you're using the CD or DVD to send someone data that can easily be replaced and has no time value, go with the cheap stuff. The cheap ones will fail more often, but as long as you can replace the disc and the person you're sending it to can afford to wait until you replace the disc, there's no problem. On the other hand, if you're creating archival copies of photos for your children, don't go cheap. A well made and properly stored CD or DVD can be expected to last 50 to 100 years -- long enough that the technology will be replaced by something better.

I spoke with Ron Hanafin of Verbatim about what to look for in discs ...
Ron Hanafin - 4:13 - q-placing it into a jewel case Prophet 52520-cut 7

For more information about Verbatim discs, see the company's website.

Nerdly News

VeriSign's hand found in cookie jar (again)

Hey guys, you're no longer a government monopoly. I guess we could forgive you for thinking that you are one, but that supposedly ended when Network Solutions took over from InterNIC (which was always a lot easier to deal with than you've ever been) and well before you bought Network Solutions.

This business of hijacking mis-typed URLs put you in the same classification as the people who buy domain names with slightly misspelled versions of well known domains (mircosoft.com would be a example -- I don't know if this one exists or not). Go to one of those mistyped sites and you might get porn you weren't looking for. You might get a site that wants you to set it as your default search site. These are operations run by the kind of sleaze-ball slime merchants that have largely been put out of business in what we think of as the "real world". On the Internet, they still flourish.

Welcome to the crowd, VeriSign! This is exactly what I would expect from a domain registrar that once kept a client of mine from accessing his own website for more than 3 months. It's another reason why I have moved every domain I'm responsible for to a new registrar. It might even explain the success of the various alternative registrars.

VeriSign may have friends in Congress, but the folks at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) feels that the playing field should be level -- not tilted in VeriSign's favor. Like a little kid caught with a hand in the cookie jar, VeriSign says that it will stop hijacking browsers when people type incorrect URLs. Are they doing this because they have realized the errors of their ways? Hardly. ICANN threatened to file suit.

The VeriSign "Site Finder" offers links to sites with names similar to the user's original query, when the domain name typed can't be found. In addition to that, VeriSign displays a search function and a directory full of ads. VeriSign now says it will work with the Internet community to resolve any problems triggered by Site Finder, but denies Site Finder causes any problems. (Does this suggest to you how open-minded these guys are?)

Despite VeriSign's claims to the contrary, numerous network engineers claim that Site Finder short-circuits the worldwide Domain Name System. The result, they say is problems with e-mail delivery, failures of spam-blocking systems, and various other problems.

Upgrade your computer

Have an older computer you'd like to upgrade? Get the parts. Clear your calendar for a few hours on November 1 (a Saturday) and register for the Columbus Computer Society's Computer Upgrade Clinic.

If you're a CCS member, the cost is $25. Non-members pay $75. (Hint to non-members: Become a member for about $35 and pay the $25 fee. You'll be $10 ahead and you'll have access to all CCS functions and capabilities for a year.

Register now if you're interested because space restrictions limit the number of participants to 5.

Here's how it works: Bring your PC, tools, monitor, keyboard, and mouse to the workshop along with the parts you would like to add or upgrade. Also, bring hardware manuals if you have them. You will be instructed as you do the work.

CCS also offers to assist with the installation of Linux and to assess your computer to determine if it will support a particular upgrade.

To register, visit the CCS registration page. After you register, CCS will send you a questionnaire so that you can provide details about the hardware or software you wish to install.

Let us know what you think about this program! Write to:
Bill Blinn --
(wtvn@blinn.com still works)
Joe Bradley --

Joe
(Photo by Sally)

Bill
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Annoying legal disclaimer
My attorney says I really need to say this: The Technology Corner website is for informational purposes only. Neither Joe nor I assume any responsibility for its accuracy, although we do our best. The information is subject to change without notice. Any actions you take based on information from the radio program or from this website are entirely at your own risk. Products and services are mentioned for informational purposes only and their various trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners. Technology Corner cannot provide technical support for products or services mentioned on the air or on the website.