* If you have two or more PCs where you live, a home network is a great idea. Until recently, the only ways to create one were to use connecting cables (fiddly) or a wireless WiFi router (also fiddly). But now there is a third option: your mains electricity system.
Packard Bell has launched its pound;99.99 net2plug Home Networking Kit, which makes it simple to install a home network. It converts computer data to a high-frequency signal which is carried around the home through standard electricity cables.
The kit consists of two plug adaptors which plug into the nearest mains socket and into your PCs via USB cables. A software wizard sets up the connection and hey presto, you have a home network. The system offers a data rate of 14 megabits per second - that’s faster than the WiFi 802.11b system used by most wireless networks, but is four times slower than the newer 802.11g wireless standard. www.packardbell.co.uk
