Model: Western Digital Livewire Powerline AV Network Kit
Manufacturer: Western Digital
Provided By: Western Digital
As one of the biggest names in the storage industry, Western Digital doesn't need much of an introduction. Founded in 1970, the company got its start by manufacturing calculator chips. As time went on, Western Digital expanded into the PC market, adding floppy and hard disc controllers to its product lineup. It wasn't until 1988 that it introduced its "Centaur" series of hard drives. Since then, the company has grown to become the world's second largest manufacturer of hard drives. Western Digital currently offers a wide range of internal and external hard drives as well as a growing number of multimedia devices.
With many of today's HDTVs and Blu-ray Disc players offering access to online content, the need for some form of home network is greater than ever. While Ethernet offers the best performance, it's not always possible to drill holes and run the cables needed to connect each device. Wireless networks are another popular solution. Unlike Ethernet, there are no cables to run. However, performance and range can be greatly affected by obstacles such as walls or interference from other wireless devices.
Western Digital recently introduced its own home networking solution. Instead of Ethernet cables or wireless signals, their new WD Livewire Powerline AV Network Kit uses your home's existing electrical wiring to create or extend a network. As Western Digital likes to point out, setup is as easy as plugging in a lamp. Simply plug the adapters into your electrical outlets to create a high-speed network connection anywhere in your home. The two adapters included in the WD Livewire Powerline AV Network Kit are HomePlug AV compatible and are capable of data transfer speeds up to 200 Mbps. Each adapter also comes equipped with four Ethernet ports so that you can connect your router and up to seven additional devices.
