TABLE OF CONTENTS Broadband refers to technology that distributes high speed data, voice, and video throughout the home. It is used for networking, internet access and distribution and provides a means of connecting to the outside world without having to run new wires. Information is brought to the home using different methods, including phone lines, wireless radio frequencies (RF), fiber optic cable, coaxial cable, and satellite links. This information generally comes into the home at a single location. Therefore, a means for distributing this information throughout the home is required. Along with the distribution of information, networking plays an important role for the connection and interaction between different devices in the home.
There are three types of distribution methods that are used to distribute high speed voice, data, and video throughout the home. They include transmission over the power lines, transmission over phone lines and transmission through the air using RF communications.
A power line communications (PLC) system modulates voice, data, and video signals and send them over the existing AC power lines in the home. This method uses the infrastructure of the existing power lines inside a home and provides a very broad coverage without adding wires. Also, since the hardware requires a coupling to the power lines but no antennas or high frequency components, the cost of this method of implementation is low.
The power line medium itself is fairly noisy. In addition, there are several impedance mismatches caused by...
