Crave

(Credit: Hercules)

For this week's installment of the weekly Crave giveaway, we're offering up the Hercules ePlug 200 Duo. The product is an Ethernet-to-powerline adapter set, and it's ideal for anyone who wants to extend a home network into another room of the house without running extra wires or setting up complicated wireless bridges. Just plug one of the ePlug units into the electrical socket near your router, and put the other one near the destination device (a game console, DVR, set-top box, or any other networked product), and you should be good to go.

Normally, this package would cost around $150, but you have the chance to get the whole thing gratis.

So, how do you try to win a free Hercules ePlug 200 Duo package? Let me enumerate the basic rules. Please read them carefully; there will be a test.

• Register as a CNET user. Go to the top of this page and hit the "Join CNET" link to start the registration process. If you're already registered, no need to register again.
• Leave a comment below. You can leave whatever comment you want. If it's funny or insightful it won't help you win, but we're trying to have fun here, so anything entertaining is appreciated.
• Leave only one comment. You may enter this specific giveaway only once. If you enter more than one comment, you will be automatically disqualified.
• The winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one (1) Hercules ePlug 200 Duo (which consists of separate source and destination modules). Approximate retail value is $150.
• If you are chosen, you will be notified via e-mail. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
• Entries can be submitted until Monday, August 31, at noon EDT.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. MUST BE LEGAL RESIDENT OF ONE OF THE 50 UNITED STATES OR D.C., 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AT DATE OF ENTRY INTO SWEEPSTAKES. VOID IN PUERTO RICO, ALL U.S. TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS AND WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Sweepstakes ends at 12 PM EDT on August 31, 2009. See official rules for details.

Good luck.

How PowerLine adapters work in a network.

(Credit: D-Link)

If you want to take your network connection to a far corner of the house where the wireless signal can't reach, the best way to get this done is with a pair of PowerLine adapters. These little devices basically extend the network connection through the electrical wiring of the house and turn any power socket into a network port.

Generally, you need at least two adapters to make a PowerLine connection. Each adapter can be plugged into a wall power socket and each also has a network port. Once plugged in the wall socket, the adapters will have power and will transmit the data signal between the two.

D-Link recently released its next-generation PowerLine HD Network Starter Kit the DHP-303, which comes with a green twist. The kit includes two adapters that are equipped with D-Link Green Technology. This allows them to detect data transmissions to automatically power down when idle.

PowerLine adapters generally use very little energy and this kit is the first I've seen that's designed to even further reduce the power usage.

D-Link's new PowerLine HD Network Starter Kit

(Credit: D-Link)

Other than that, the DHP-303 kit offers similar features as other products from Netgear, Cisco, or Belkin. It's capable of delivering speeds up to 200Mbps, fast enough for HD media streaming. It has support for Quality of Service to help prioritize data, enable smooth video streaming, and reduce lag for gaming. It also features an easy way to create a secure connection between the two adapters. You can simply get this by pressing on a button on each of them while connected. Users of Windows Vista will also be able to view the device in the operating system's Network Map.

The DHP-303 PowerLine kit is compatible with any device that uses a regular Ethernet port, including computers, printers, set-top boxes, and game consoles. All you need to do is connect one of the adapters into the router and the other into the network device, and then plug each into a power socket.

Unfortunately, D-Link's DHP-303 adapter has only one network port. This means if you want to connect more than one network device at the remote location, you will need to get a hub. New PowerLine kits from Belkin or Cisco offer up to three or four network ports at the remote location.

To make up for this, the DHP-303 kit seems greener and more importantly, comes with a friendlier price tag of $140, about $40 cheaper than the other vendors.

Powerline adapters generally don't work with power strips or surge protectors, needing to be plugged directly into the wall socket. This would be a problem if you have only one power outlet at the remote corner of the house where you want to put that home server.

The HDXB111

(Credit: Netgear)

This is why it's rather significant that Netgear introduced on Monday its new Powerline HD Plus Ethernet Adapter Kit that has a pass-through power socket. This really comes in handy in homes with a limited number of power outlets.

Other than that, the UPA-based Powerline HD offers network connections up to 200Mbps over existing electrical wires. This means you can bring your Internet and stream high-def content from anywhere there's a power outlet.

The kit has a plug-in design for easy setup. However, this design also means the adapter might obstruct other power sockets near by, unlike the more space-conscious extension-cord design that Cisco introduced awhile ago.

The Powerline HD Plus Ethernet Adapter Kit contains two identical Powerline HD Ethernet Adapters (HDXB111); each offers only one 10/100 Ethernet port. This is rather disappointing, because you'll need a separate switch if you want to add more than one network device at the remote corner. The Cisco adapter, on the other hand, offers up to four ports.

One more thing: the Netgear Powerline HD Plus's network port caps at 100Mbps, which is half of the speed that Negear claims the adapter can deliver.

The Powerline HD Plus Ethernet Adapter Kit comes with a one-year warranty and is available now for $170. Netgear also offers the Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Kit, which has the same specs minus the pass-though power socket and costs $150.

The 4-port HomePlug AV PLS300 adapter.

(Credit: Cisco)

It doesn't matter how powerful your home wireless router is, there might still be some corner in the basement the signal can't reach. This is when you need an alternative solution, such as a pair of Powerline adapters. Powerline adapters basically extend the length of the network cable by using the existing electrical wiring--this means you can bring your network port anywhere in the house where there's a power outlet.

The Home AV PLK300 PowerLine adapter kit.

(Credit: Cisco)

For that reason, it's pretty exciting that Cisco on Monday will announce its third release of Linksys by Cisco Powerline adapters. The new lineup includes both the HomePlug Turbo and the HomePlug AV specifications. The former caps at 85Mbps and is suitable for regular traffic such as Internet browsing or sending and receiving e-mail. The latter caps at 189Mbps and is optimized for applications that require more bandwidth, such as high-definition video streaming or gaming.

Improvements over the previous generation include a better, more compact design and more ports. They won't obstruct the wall sockets anymore and now you can use them to connect up to four devices right out of the box without buying an additional switch.

The new Powerline products from Cisco are delivered with a preconfigured password that can be changed by running the installation wizard. The products work straight out of the box and are compatible with any other HomePlug-certified Powerline adapters.

Both the new Powerline Turbo and Powerline AV will be available in November, costing $150 and $180 per kit, respectively. A kit includes one Powerline 4-port Ethernet adapter and one 1-port Ethernet adapter. You can also buy a single adapter but you need at least two to cover the two ends of a network connection.

This story has been updated. Other vendors, such as Netgear or Slingmedia also, offer multiple-port PowerLine adapters.

I remember Belkin was the first vendor who sent us a Pre-N router, the Belkin Wireless Pre-N Router way back in 2004. Ever since, it hasn't been the most prolific vendor in wireless networking in comparison with D-Link, Linksys, or Netgear.

Belkin's Powerline AV+ offers three network ports instead of one.

(Credit: Belkin)

However, I've learned recently that in October Belkin is releasing a few new networking products, including the all new Belkin N+ Wireless Router and the Powerline AV+.

According to Belkin's Web site, the new router will have network storage capability, similar to that of the Linksys WRT610n, where you can attach a USB external hard drive to the router and make the storage available to every computer in the network. It also has other standard features for high-end routers including: Wi-Fi Protected Setup, Draft N 2.0 compliance, Gigabite Ethernet, and so on. It's unclear whether or not the product will support dual-band, working in both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz frequencies spontaneously. The new router is slated to cost $120.

On the other hand, it's very clear that Belkin's new line of powerline networking adapters offers some interesting features. The Powerline AV+ has three network ports (instead of one like most others I've seen) enabling you to use up to three devices with it at a time without having to get a switch. Belkin claims that the new adapter is capable of delivering throughput speed up to 200Mbps (twice that of a regular wired connection), which is more than you need to stream HD media contents.

The Powerline AV+ comes in a kit that includes one three-port adapter and one single-port adapter with a estimated price tag of $180.

(Credit: Aztech)

Even in this age of Wi-Fi ubiquity, nothing beats a wired network for enhanced security and guaranteed bandwidth, especially in A/V applications. The latest iteration, Powerline, taps on your existing in-house power grid for data transmission. To further simplify installation, Singapore-based Aztech is debuting two products from its HomePlug series during CES 2008.

The HL109RN is possibly the world's first all-in-one WiFi-N router with integrated Powerline connectivity. Not only does it eliminate the need for a dedicated Powerline adapter, but it also minimizes cable clutter while supporting up to 200Mbps of theoretical fast data rate for standard- and high-definition video streaming. Another cool feature is a USB port capable of supporting multimedia playback on portable storage.

Running at a similar speed is the HL109EP, another Powerline network adapter with AC connectivity and "Simple Connection" functions. The former allows an electrical appliance to draw power directly from its onboard three-pin socket, while the latter is a one-touch button that automatically pairs a group of powerline adapters.

All provide elegant yet simple solutions that may renew interest in this slow-moving networking technology.

(Source: Crave Asia)

The ZoneBridge is a network accessory for Sonos users.

(Credit: Automated Home)

If last week's FCC leak wasn't proof enough, the UK's Automated Home (via Gizmodo) has pretty much filled in all the details on an as-yet-unannounced networking accessory for the Sonos Digital Music System. The Sonos ZoneBridge BR100 will act as a wireless bridge between other ZonePlayers in the Sonos' proprietary mesh network. That's useful because the Sonos system requires at least one of its boxes to be tethered to a wired network connection. Previously, that meant one of the two included base stations of the Sonos system would need to be near an Ethernet port, or you'd have to invest in another ZP80 or ZP100 unit--not an inconsequential expense, at $350 and $500, respectively. The integration of the ZoneBridge--which is rumored to cost only $100 when it goes on sale later this fall--into a Sonos-ized household means that it can handle the wired-to-wireless network handoff, freeing up one of those ZonePlayers for duty in a nearby room better suited to music (bedroom, den, etc.).

The ZoneBridge in action

(Credit: Automated Home)

Like the Sonos ZonePlayers, the ZoneBridge includes two Ethernet ports, so it won't monopolize an Ethernet connection that's already in use for something else. But that puts us in mind of another alternative: a powerline Ethernet adapter. We've used these in the past for getting a variety of wired-only networked gadgets online--TiVo, Xbox 360, Slingbox, and even the Sonos. A two-adapter set can cost anywhere from $80 to $150, but if you get one with a built-in four-port switch--or simply attach an inexpensive hub--you'll be able to have a quartet of devices on the Net without having to deal with any wireless setup headaches.

(Credit: Linksys)

It's a little ironic, don't you think, that with all the push for wireless this and wireless that, we're suddenly awash in PowerLine Ethernet adapters? One of Linksys' announcements at CES yesterday was for the HomePlug AV-compliant PowerLine AV Ethernet Kit (PLK200), which includes two Linksys PowerLine AV Ethernet Adapters (PLE200).

Setting up a PowerLine Ethernet network is one of the simplest ways to create a network capable of throughput fast enough to transfer high-definition data--such as video--smoothly. Simply plug in your first adapter to your router via an Ethernet cable and then plug it into an electrical outlet. The second adapter plugs into a different power outlet, and you can connect a PC or any other networkable device to the second adapter, also via Ethernet. The two adapters communicate and send data via the electrical network in your house. As with other PowerLine Ethernet adapters we've checked out (such as those from Netgear and Zyxel), the Linksys PowerLine Ethernet network can support up to 16 devices.

We've really liked the ones we've seen, and with the 802.11n spec still not finalized, we think PowerLine networks are the quickest and easiest way for consumers to get a high-def-friendly network up and running. Linksys' PowerLine AV Ethernet offerings are available immediately. The two-adapter kit costs $180, and each additional adapter costs $120.