Home Networking: The Missing Manual

Setting Up a Basic Powerline Network

Now that you know what goes into a Powerline network, you're ready to learn how to set one up. By the end of this section, you'll be able to jump on the Internet from any of the Powerline-connected computers in the house.

To get a simple Powerline network up and running so all your computers can browse the Internet at once, follow these steps:

1. Make sure you've got an Ethernet or WiFi router up and running.

   Pop back to Section 2.3 for information on how to set up an Ethernet router. Section 3.4.2 tells you everything you need to know to set up a WiFi router.

2. Buy your Powerline equipment.

   Remember that you need at least two Powerline adapters and that at least one of them has to be an Ethernet Powerline adapter for the connection to your router.

3. In the room with the router, plug the Ethernet Powerline adapter into the electrical outlet on wall.

   Try to use an outlet close to the router to keep the amount of cables snaking through the room to a minimum.

4. Connect the Powerline adapter to the router.

   Plug one end of an Ethernet cable into the Ethernet port on the Powerline adapter and the other end into a free Ethernet port on the router. Make sure both ends of the cable click into place to ensure a good connection.

5. Plug a Powerline adapter into the wall next to each computer and then connect the adapter to the computer.

   In each room where there's a computer, plug a Powerline adapter into an available electrical outlet. Connect the appropriate cable (USB or Ethernet) between the Powerline adapter and either the computer's USB or Ethernet port.

6. Go!

   At this point, all of your computers should be able to get to the Internet. Not too hard, eh?

Although your computers are on the Internet at this point, the data moving around your network isn't safe from nosy neighbors. That's because the Powerline signal could possibly "leak" out of your house via the electrical lines you share with the rest of the neighborhood (Section 4.4). This can be a big problem, especially if you live in close quarters with your neighbors, as in an apartment building. The next section shows you what you need to do to make sure you're secure.