Power-Line Connection

The Power-Line Connection or Power-line Communication is a wired Internet connection, which uses the existing utility power grid as a medium to send broadband data communications. It is also known as PLC. Plugging a computer device into an existing power outlet would connect the user to the Internet by tapping into an already established national and global power grid network. Using AC wiring for data networking is called Powerline networking.

Advantages of Power-Line Connection

• Powerline networking can be a good choice for Internet connected devices like game consoles and digital video recorders, since entertainment centers tend to be enclosed and filled with lots of potential interference-generating equipment.
• It delivers more consistent level of throughput than wireless ones.
• It’s more secure than the wireless ones because they do not use the air as a transmission medium.

Disadvantage of Power-Line Connection

Tapping of connection is easy because the signals used for powerline data transmission go past electrical grids and travel all the way out to the transformer. A single transformer is often used by several households. Hence, tapping could be a common-place phenomenon.

Many power utilities are working on the technology of Power-Line Connection in the hope that one day it will serve the dual purpose of Internet accessibility and delivering electricity.