On the host computer, choose Start ➪ Programs ➪ Accessories ➪ Communications ➪

Chapter 8 ✦ Using Alternative Cabling Methods The HomePlug Bridge enables speeds up to 14 Mbps and offers 56-bit encryption. Range is up to 900 feet, and the bridge is compatible with Windows 98, Me, 2000, and XP. Looking at the Future of Networking Alternatives Home networking has become increasingly popular as more and more homes add two, three, and more computers and users to the family. Traditional cabling and networking hardware might be acceptable to many home users; however, manufacturers are always looking for less expensive networking solutions. In addition, manufacturers are looking for ways that make networking easier for home users. Laying wire, configuring software, adding drivers, management applications, and so on are all tasks manufacturers want to streamline. Microsoft, for example, has already created operating systems — Windows 2000 and XP — that can sense the network when they are first connected, configure themselves, and join the workgroup or clientserver network on their own. Other improvements and advancements are in the works, from many manufacturers. Mobile Communications Research also Microsoft is working on wireless connectivity to extend and improve its effectiveness. The target of the software they are currently research- ing is to enable wireless devices to be both mobile-aware and location-aware. This simply means the system adapts to any interference and to changing network topology quickly so that connections are not lost; connections are not even delayed. In addition to this wireless technology, other researchers are using Ultra-Wide Band UWB wireless for high-speed data communication. UWB is a digital pulse wireless technology that is able to carry huge amounts of data. UWB is currently being researched for wireless voice, land mine detection, and systems to help you see through walls; it might someday become available for networking as well. IBM is working with Bell Atlantic to provide wiring systems to homes that provide multimedia and fast speeds. The system installs a multimedia network hub in the home, uses two coax cables, an Ethernet cable, plus other phone wiring, all connected to multimedia ports. The system can send audiovisual signals and computer data, and it supports multiple telephone lines. Many companies are working with fiber optics and optical networking to create super high- speed data transmission. Optical networks send laser light through glass fiber. The media is more expensive than Ethernet or wireless networking, but they handle far higher capacity loads and are much faster. Broadband is another term you’re likely to hear now and in the future of networking. Broadband describes technology — such as cable modem, DSL, T1 lines, wireless technology, fiber optic and so on — that carries numerous voice, video, and data channels simultaneously. Broadband is a “pipeline” on which large amounts of data travel quickly, securely, and efficiently.