Home networking is the collection of elements that process, manage, transport, and store information, enabling the connection and integration of multiple computing, control, monitoring, and communication devices in the home.

Until recently, the home network has been largely ignored. However, the rapid proliferation of personal computers (PCs) and the Internet in U.S. homes, advancements in telecommunications technology, and progress in the development of smart devices have increasingly emphasized the last 100 feet of any consumer-related network (i.e., the American home).

Furthermore, as these growth and advancement trends continue, the need for simple, flexible, and reliable home networks will greatly increase. This tutorial addresses the market drivers, the current and future technologies, and the standards (or lack thereof) relative to home networking and the home-networking environment.

Home Networking, Behind the Numbers

Home-based Business

Telecommuting

Wired Home-networking Technologies

Wireless Home-networking Technologies

Where Home Networking is Headed

The Powers that Be: Home Networking Standards and Specifications