Wrap Up

Corinex' CableLAN probably won't take the consumer networking world by storm. Though its 4-6Mbps best case speed is adequate for many consumer data networking applications, most consumers will compare CableLAN / HomePlug's 14Mbps (raw data rate) to the larger numbers being pushed at them by the networking product marketing mavens and not bite. (Even I'll admit that CableLAN / HomePlug will be marginal if you plan to network your TiVo or DVD player.)

High per-client cost (at $123, it's 25 to 40% more expensive than its power line-based siblings in Corinex' product line) and limited retail availability beyond Corinex' on-line store doesn't help either.

But if you've tried everything else to network that hard-to-reach spot in your home or small office and already have coax run there, CableLAN will probably work - and with superior speed - where other methods have failed.