Understanding Broadband over Power Line

by Held; Gilbert

• ISBN13: 9780849398469
• ISBN10: 0849398460
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-05-17
• Publisher: Auerbach Public

Summary

Understanding Broadband over Power Line explores all aspects of the emerging technology that enables electric utilities to provide support for high-speed data communications via their power infrastructure. This book examines the two methods used to connect consumers and businesses to the Internet through the utility infrastructure: the existing electrical wiring of a home or office; and a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point.Written in a practical style that can be understood by network engineers and non-technologists alike, this volume offers tutorials on electric utility infrastructure and home wiring, to ensure that all readers have a common base of knowledge. It reviews power line operations, analyzing how electricity is generated and delivered to consumers, and how the wiring inside buildings forms individual circuits. An appreciation for how technologies work allows for an understanding of how broadband over power line has the potential to provide ubiquitous communications that offer home users, network managers, and LAN administrators with another solution to meet their high-speed networking requirements.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xiii
Preface	xv
Understanding Broadband over Power Lines	1	(18)
Overview	1	(4)
Evolution	2	(1)
Mechanical Switches	2	(1)
Electric Wiring	2	(1)
The HomePlug Standard	3	(1)
Broadband Over Power Lines	3	(2)
Fundamental Concepts	5	(6)
Digital Subscriber Lines	6	(1)
Power Line Operation	7	(1)
Overcoming High Voltages	8	(1)
Medium- and Low-Voltage Line Operation	8	(1)
The Home and Office Connection	8	(1)
Modulation Methods	9	(1)
CDMA	9	(1)
OFDM	10	(1)
Current Problems	10	(1)
Competitive Internet Access Technologies	11	(8)
Advantages of BPL	11	(1)
PSTN	12	(1)
Cable Modem	13	(1)
DSL	14	(1)
Satellite	15	(1)
WiMax	16	(3)
Power Line Operations	19	(24)
Understanding Electricity	19	(12)
Atoms and Electrons	20	(1)
Electric Generators	20	(2)
Turbines	22	(1)
Circuit Measurements	22	(1)
Circuits	23	(1)
Electrical Power	24	(1)
Direct Current versus Alternating Current	25	(1)
Ground	26	(1)
Communications Measurements	26	(1)
Powers of 10	27	(1)
Power Measurements	27	(1)
The bel	28	(1)
The Decibel	29	(1)
Decibel above 1 mW	30	(1)
Electricity Distribution	31	(12)
The Power Plant	31	(1)
Transformers	32	(2)
Types of Transformers	34	(1)
Transformer Wiring	34	(2)
Service Methods	36	(1)
The Service Panel	37	(1)
Types of Service Panels	38	(1)
Operation	38	(1)
Inside the Service Panel	39	(1)
Circuits	40	(3)
Data over Power Line Operations	43	(30)
BPL System Architecture	44	(14)
Power Grid versus In-Building Wiring	44	(1)
Architecture Overview	45	(1)
High-Voltage Lines	46	(1)
Medium-Voltage Lines	46	(1)
Low-Voltage Lines	46	(1)
The Electric Utility Infrastructure	46	(2)
Grid Problems	48	(1)
Line Noise and Attenuation	48	(1)
Fault-Tolerance Equipment	49	(1)
Grid Connection Method	49	(1)
BPL Terminology	50	(1)
Backbone or Backhaul	50	(1)
Network Components	51	(2)
BPL Network Architectures	53	(1)
OFDM-Based System	53	(2)
OFDM-WiFi-Based System	55	(1)
DSSS-Based System	56	(2)
Summary	58	(1)
Transmission Methods, Modulation Techniques, and Network Access	58	(15)
Transmission Methods	58	(1)
Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing	59	(5)
Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum	64	(5)
Code Division Multiple Access	69	(4)
Interference and FCC Action	73	(18)
BPL Interference	73	(11)
Good Transmission Characteristics	74	(1)
Transmission Loss	74	(1)
RF Radiation	75	(1)
Attenuation	75	(1)
Propagation Delay	76	(1)
Noise	76	(1)
Power Line Transmission Properties	77	(1)
Noise	77	(1)
Attenuation	78	(1)
Propagation Delay	79	(1)
The Transformer Effect	79	(1)
Power Line Problems	80	(1)
Lack of Symmetry	80	(1)
Antenna Effect	80	(1)
ARRL Opposition to BPL	80	(2)
Interference Prevention	82	(1)
Power Level	82	(1)
Avoidance of Locally Used Frequencies	83	(1)
Differential-Mode Signal Injection	83	(1)
Using One Active Device per Area	84	(1)
Selection of Signal Carrier	84	(1)
The Regulatory Effort	84	(7)
Role of the FCC	84	(1)
FCC Action	85	(1)
Frequency Use	86	(2)
Other Regulatory Issues	88	(3)
BPL in the Home and Office	91	(32)
The HomePlug Standard	92	(15)
Evolution	92	(1)
HomePlug Products	93	(1)
Applications	93	(1)
The HomePlug 1.0 Specification	94	(1)
Physical Layer	95	(2)
Forward Error Correction	97	(1)
Performance	97	(1)
Adaptive Channel Allocation	98	(1)
MAC Layer	98	(1)
Encryption	98	(1)
Frame Formats	99	(2)
Delimiters	101	(1)
Channel Access	102	(2)
Priority Support	104	(2)
HomePlug Queuing Model	106	(1)
Retries	107	(1)
Working with Powerline Adapters	107	(10)
Overview	108	(1)
Software Installation	108	(3)
Belkin Powerline Configuration Utility	111	(1)
Device Tab	111	(2)
Network Tab	113	(1)
Security Tab	114	(1)
Advanced Tab	115	(2)
HomePlug AV	117	(1)
Overview	117	(1)
Operational Characteristics	117	(1)
Compatibility	118	(1)
IEEE Wireless LANs	118	(5)
Overview	118	(1)
The Wireless LAN Infrastructure	119	(1)
Communications Methods	119	(1)
Medium Access	119	(2)
IEEE 802.11 Extensions	121	(1)
802.11a	121	(1)
802.11b	121	(1)
802.11g	122	(1)
802.11n	122	(1)
Equipment Vendors and Field Trials	123	(30)
Equipment Vendors	124	(17)
Ambient Corporation	124	(1)
Network Layer Components	125	(1)
Physical Layer Components	126	(1)
Amperion, Inc.	127	(1)
Product Lines	127	(2)
Corinex Communications Corporation	129	(1)
Powerline Ethernet Wall Mount	129	(3)
Current Communications Group	132	(1)
CT Coupler	132	(1)
CT Backhaul-Point	132	(1)
CT Bridge	132	(1)
Powerline Modem	133	(1)
CT View	133	(1)
DS2	133	(1)
Enikia	134	(1)
aiPACK	134	(1)
Power Bridge	135	(1)
Main.net Communications Group	135	(1)
Main.net PLUS Solution	136	(1)
Smart Repetition	136	(1)
PLUS Architecture	136	(3)
Customers	139	(1)
Siemens Corporation	139	(1)
Speed Stream Powerline 2501 USB Adapter	140	(1)
Speed Stream Powerline 2502 Ethernet Adapter	140	(1)
Speed Stream Powerline 2521 Wireless Access Point	140	(1)
Speed Stream Powerline 2524 Wireless DSL/Cable Router	140	(1)
BPL Field Trials	141	(12)
Alliant Energy	143	(1)
Background	143	(1)
Interference Issue	143	(1)
City of Manassas	144	(1)
Pilot Project	144	(1)
The Franchise Agreement	144	(1)
City Infrastructure	145	(1)
Use of Existing Fiber	145	(2)
Injector Operation	147	(1)
Repeater Utilization	147	(1)
Construction Cost	147	(1)
Technical Issues	147	(1)
Current Broadband	148	(1)
Service Offerings	148	(1)
Discount Rates	148	(2)
Progress Energy	150	(1)
Overview	150	(1)
Technology	150	(1)
Architecture	151	(2)
Evolving Standards and Organizing Bodies	153	(18)
IEEE Standards	153	(10)
Overview	153	(1)
P1675	154	(1)
Focus	155	(1)
Interference Issues and PAR 1775	155	(1)
P1675 Group Meetings	156	(1)
June 2004 Meeting	156	(1)
July 2004 Meeting	157	(2)
October 2004 Meeting	159	(2)
January 2005 Meeting	161	(2)
Current Status of the Standard	163	(1)
Other Standards and Organizations to Note	163	(8)
HomePlug Powerline Alliance Specifications	163	(3)
HomePlug 1.0	166	(1)
HomePlug AV	166	(1)
HomePlug BPL	167	(1)
Compatibility	167	(1)
Other Organizing Bodies	168	(1)
United Power Line Council	168	(1)
Electric Power Research Institute	169	(1)
Summary	170	(1)
The Future of BPL	171	(8)
Challenges Facing BPL	171	(6)
Economics	172	(1)
Technology	173	(1)
Interoperability	174	(1)
Radio Interference	174	(1)
WiFi versus the LV Power Line	174	(1)
Automatic Electric Meter Capability	174	(2)
Regulatory	176	(1)
Taxes	176	(1)
QoS and Common Carrier Issues	176	(1)
Predicting the Future	177	(2)
Best Case Scenario	177	(1)
Worst Case Scenario	178	(1)
Author's Prediction	178	(1)
Index	179