A comparative performance study of wireless and power line networks

Local area networks based on the IEEE 802.11a/b wireless networking standards and emerging power line communication (PLC) standards are attractive for establishing networks with no new wires for in-home and business applications. This article presents a theoretical performance comparison of the 802.11 a/b and HomePlug 1.0 PLC protocols. The article also presents comprehensive comparative field test results addressing such issues as coverage, channel stability, and reliability as well as the associated implications on the capability of these technologies to provide QoS support for multimedia traffic in typical residential settings.