D-Link offers power line home network kit

D-Link, the company best known for its home networking products, today announced the availability of a new device, the "Power Line Network Kit", which allows consumers to expand an existing home network through existing electrical wiring. This solution offers a way to add new devices to the network without any additional cables, said D-Link.

After connecting the Power Line kit to a home network, users can tap into the network through AC power, meaning data transfer becomes possible through wall sockets, according to D-Link, who says this can be an easier way to add music players, video games, and other non-traditional network-enabled devices to a home network.

" The technology is fast, extremely easy-to-use, and is a natural complement to our popular wired and wireless home networking for moving data into areas of a home where it may be difficult to run a cable or achieve a strong wireless signal," said AJ Wang, D-Link’s chief technology officer in a prepared statement.

The kit includes two power line adapters, Ethernet cabling to connect to the home network, and an installation CD. According to D-Link, the kit allows for data transfer through electrical wiring of up to 200 Mb/s.

The Power Line Network Kit is available now at select stores, with rollout to all D-Link retail outlets planned soon. The suggested retail price is $220.