Swimming in the Alphabet Soup of Home Area Networks, Wired and Wireless Services
There is no sure-bet way concerning wiring, protocols, proprietary and open standards when it comes to home networking. Most often a number of wired and wireless methods coexist or run separately. Still, it is obvious that entertainment video, the smart grid, intelligent appliances, the Internet and a growing attraction by homeowners to receive information and control things through mobile devices are all influencing the future. Here are some thumbnails of existing and emerging approaches.