HPNA or HomePNA home networks overview - lan tutorial

HomePNA, also called HPNA, works with your existing phone lines.  It transfers data at frequencies that are not used by standard phones or modems. You can talk to someone on your phone AND transfer files between computers at the same time.  It is also possible to connect to the internet over a modem while using the HomePNA network.  Rich multi-vendor support for version 2.0 will keep HPNA a good networking solution for many home networks.

At around $50 per computer and no additional hardware needed, Home PNA networks are affordable and very easy to install.  The only requirement is that there is a phone jack near each computer.  If the computers are in the same room, a phone cable can be run directly between the computers for maximum performance.  PNA now networks come in two flavors, 1.0 and the new version 2.0

PNA 1.0 (or 1Mbps PNA)

PNA 1.0 works at 1Mbps.  Although this is fine for sharing an internet connection, moving large files between computers becomes a chore.  Moving a 4Mb MP3 file from one computer to another can take an entire minute.  Simply moving 9-10 MP3's will cause you to wait quite a while.  PNA 1.0 is rarely marked as version 1.0.  Most hardware is simply marked HomePNA or HPNA. 

Support for HPNA 1.0.  HPNA 1.0 was a widely adopted standard and has shown up built in to many internet or network enabled products.  All HPNA 1.0 hardware manufacturers are redesigning their product lines for the far superior PNA 2.0.

PNA 2.0 (or 10Mbps PNA)

Home PNA 2.0 is based on the same standards that made 1.0 great and improves on the speed.  HPNA 2.0 works at a blazing 10Mbps and can co-exist and communicate with HPNA 1.0 devices at 1 Mbps.  HPNA 2.0's theoretical maximum is as fast as a standard 10Mbps LAN.  In practice, only homes with good phone wiring can reach these speeds.  If the phone wiring in your home is very old, you may only get 5Mbps or so.  Just like PNA 1.0, HPNA 2.0 does not need a hub.  Even if you only get 5Mbps from HPNA 2.0, it is still an inexpensive, easy, and relatively fast lan setup.

I have noticed that HPNA hardware is often not marked as HPNA.  Some manufacturers have chosen to mark their products simply as 'phone line' networks.  To be sure the product is HPNA, look for the HPNA symbol on the right.  To determine what version of HPNA a product is, simply look at the maximum speed.  1Mbps is version 1.0 and 10Mbps is version 2.0.  Make sure you buy 2.0 equipment!

HPNA or HomePNA home networks overview - lan tutorial