WHITE PAPER Connectivity Solutions for Home Networking

Transcription

1 WHITE PAPER Connectivity Solutions for Home Networking

2 ABOUT THE AUTHORS SCOTT EDWARDS Business Development Manager Clipsal 25 years in telecommunications and data communications. Recently data communications consultant at Clipsal Australia. Then in to business development to implement the technical challenges of broadband and television distribution and to commercialise products and solutions for installation technicians. Industry participation in varied positions as technician, project manager, technical specialist, for networking and passive connectivity for enterprise and outside plant systems. ROBERT CARRICK Business Development Manager Hills Solution Group IAN MILLNER Technical Consultant Copper Development Centre TREVOR OATES Chief Boffi n Baby Boomers Boffin A career that spans Telecommunications, Broadcast Television and Information technology. He s worked for Telstra, TCN-9, The Sydney Opera House, Sony Broadcast, IBM, Avnet and Hills Holdings. Robert is a regular contributor to the Smart Wired industry initiative. Robert has been an advocate of minimising the impact that convergence is having in the residential space through good planning and preparation. Robert believes that even a small amount of planning by a resident can deliver a large benefi t in terms of access to services as well as minimising disruption as new convergent technology and infrastructure, such as Digital Television and the National Broadband Network roll out. Ian Millner s career in telecommunications spans over thirty years. He started his career with Telecom Australia working in transmission and broadcasting. He founded a training company that has trained over 30,000 electricians and telecommunications technicians and was instrumental in the development of the Smart Wired cabling platform and the Code of Practice for Home Wiring. Ian sits on various Communications Alliance Committees and also the Cabling Advisory Group. Trevor has over 30 years experience in the telecommunications industry, working for both telecommunications service providers and telecommunications equipment manufacturers, in roles across network design and implementation, software design, creation and testing, customer support and fault fi nding. He recently created and ran a world class Executive Briefi ng Centre, presenting technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences. He now runs his own technology advice and assistance service company. 2

3 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Developments in Home Networking...4 Connectivity solutions...6 New or renovated homes...6 Existing homes...6 About the solutions...6 SOLUTION 1 Wired - Fibre...8 Standards...8 Advantages...8 Disadvantages...8 SOLUTION 2 Wired - Cat 5 or Standards...9 Advantages...9 Disadvantages...9 SOLUTION 6 Wireless (Wi-Fi)...14 Standards...14 Advantages...14 Disadvantages...14 MULTIPLE CONNECTED DEVICES Wired Fibre...15 Wired - Cat 5 or Power Line Communications (PLC) (Ethernet Over Power Line)...17 Ethernet Over Phone Line (Telephony Twisted Pair)...18 Coax cabling...19 Wireless (Wi-Fi)...20 In summary...20 Conclusion...21 References...22 SOLUTION 3 Power Line Communications (PLC) (Ethernet Over Power Line)...10 Standards...10 Advantages...10 Disadvantages...10 SOLUTION 4 Ethernet over phone line (Telephony Twisted Pair)...12 Standards...12 Advantages...12 Disadvantages...12 SOLUTION 5 Ethernet over coax (Coaxial cabling)...13 Standards...13 Advantages...13 Disadvantages

4 DEVELOPMENTS IN HOME NETWORKING As new telecommunications services were developed and introduced over time, it was simpler for Service Providers to deliver them across individual networks. In recent years and, largely due to fi nancial pressures, Service Providers have converged their service backbones and delivery mechanisms to Internet Protocol (IP) platforms, gaining economies of scale and removing unnecessary duplication of links in their networks. Figure 1 illustrates how services are typically delivered to homes today. Whilst there is some sharing of network infrastructure between voice and data getting to the home, in the home they are separate. Free to air and pay TV come in on different networks and terminate on the same TV device. Other services such as security, audio and so on could be added to this diagram, each having its own domestic connections. The transformation of Service Provider networks to IP is now infl uencing the delivery of advanced services in the home and in February 2011 the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) published a paper titled Development in Home Networks which looked at the changing architecture of the traditional separate networks into the converged IP based Network. The paper stated that: emerging IP-based services such as health monitoring, security, home automation, entertainment and social networking accessible via home networks are reshaping the user experience. We are now seeing this major shift, from separate networks, to a common IP transport platform delivering a multitude of services. This transformation is being fast tracked by the rollout of fi bre to the home in the form of the National Broadband Network (NBN), an initiative of the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. As the NBN is implemented, all service providers will deliver their services across the NBN using IP. Voice and internet provider Pay TV head end $ Free to air TV Phone Socket ADSLmodem STB FIGURE 1 INDIVIDUAL NETWORKS TO SUPPORT SERVICE DELIVERY 4

5 Voice and internet provider Voice and internet provider Pay TV head end Free to air $ Delivery mechanism to the dwelling IP over fibre, radio and satellite Delivery mechanism to the device: IP over fibre, wireless, PLC, coax, twisted pair & Cat 5/6 Pay TV IP TV FIGURE 2 CONVERGED NETWORK Figure 2 shows how the separate specialised networks are replaced by one that is horizontally integrated with all services using the same IP delivery mechanism. Unfortunately, while all services are delivered to the home via IP, the connectivity in the home between the service providers network and the home devices may be achieved by using any one or mix of the following technologies: 1. Wired Fibre 2. Wired Cat 5 or 6 3. Power Line Communications (PLC) (Ethernet Over Power Line) 4. Ethernet Over Phone Line (Telephony Twisted Pair) 5. Ethernet Over Coax (Coaxial Cabling) 6. Wireless (Wi-Fi) The ACMA s paper concludes that: consumers will need to be more aware of technical aspects. Both industry and consumers will have a role in meeting this awareness through education to improve technical expertise and awareness of technological developments. How can we best support the consumer, so as to simplify the internal network in the home? One starting point for this is the deployment of a homogenised connectivity, open platform using a structured cabling solution based on category 5 or 6 cabling, augmented by wireless for mobility. This makes the future management of the network simpler, allowing the partnership between the consumer and the contractor to grow. Whilst this is the utopian position achievable in new homes, this at face value is not as cost effective for existing homes. It is therefore important to provide the consumer with a comparison of the range of connectivity technologies that are available so that they can make an informed decision. 5

6 CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS The purpose of this section is to expose you to the range of connectivity technologies available for use in a residential home. So you can, in turn, advise the consumer. All technologies presented are viable solutions but it is important to make an informed decision as to which is the best connectivity solution for a particular application. When looking at the best connectivity solutions for the home for the incoming and interactive services provided by the NBN, it is simpler to divide the home market into two main categories: 1. New or renovated homes 2. Existing homes ABOUT THE SOLUTIONS In this section we look at what you would need to establish a simple connection from the NBN s Network Termination Device (NBN Box) using each of the above listed technologies. At one end we have NBN s network termination device (, sometimes referred to as Optical Network Terminal or ONT) and at the other end a computer as seen in Figure 3. (This is representative of any device with an IP connection). For each technology, we show in red the connectivity solution in place from the to the. NEW OR RENOVATED HOMES The connectivity solution for a new home, or one that is being renovated, is best achieved through a hybrid of: 3. Wired (for fi xed location devices such as TV, alarm system, Smart Home controls) 4. Wireless (for devices mobile in the home such as laptops, phone handsets, tablet computers) Note: While the connectivity solutions listed below can be used in a new home once it has been built, a wired solution included in the build is considered the optimum solution given the cost of installation is low if it is installed when the home is being built. PSU EXISTING HOMES The connectivity solution for an existing home is a mixture of a much greater range of technologies, these being: 1. Wired Fibre 2. Wired Cat 5 or 6 3. Power Line Communications (PLC) (Ethernet Over Power Line) 4. Ethernet Over Phone Line (Telephony Twisted Pair) 5. Ethernet Over Coax (Coaxial Cabling) 6. Wireless (Wi-Fi) What the consumer needs to know is exactly what each solution is and what are the benefi ts and disadvantages of each solution. FIGURE 3 NBN S AND COMPUTER WITH NO CONNECTIVITY 6

7 7 CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS FOR HOME NETWORKING

8 SOLUTION 1 WIRED - FIBRE CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS FOR HOME NETWORKING Figure 4 shows the connectivity provided by fi bre. The full link consists of 5 elements. It shows optical fi bre running from the location of the to where the computer is located, and the fi bre terminated on fi bre connectors. At each end of the fi bre is a media converter and then a cat 5 or cat 6 fl y lead from the media converter to the or the computer. The media converter converts the electrical data signal RJ45 interface on the to an optical signal for transmission over the fi bre and back again. The IP data interface at the computer is typically an RJ45 connector. STANDARDS The installation of this type of connectivity is covered by cabling standards and must be performed by a registered cabler. (See References Section for Standards) ADVANTAGES 1. Dedicated link between the and the computer and there is no bandwidth limitation due to the media type as fi bre will support well beyond 1Gbps. The bandwidth is limited because of the media converter or computer Network Interface Card (NIC) but these are typically specifi ed at 1Gbps. 2. Highest security as the only way to intercept this link is physically. 3. Life cycle of fi bre is typically as long as the building s life cycle. 4. Easy to use, no specifi c confi guration requirements, no password or encryption required. DISADVANTAGES 1. Not good for mobile devices. 2. Higher cost to install in existing home. 3. If the cabling is installed in concealed locations, it must be installed by a registered cabler. 4. Each additional device or location you want to add to the network requires a new cable to be installed. 5. The media converters need to be permanently powered and will require replacement on failure. PSU fly lead Connection to power Media converter Optical Fibre Media converter fly lead Connection to power FIGURE 4: CONNECTIVITY PROVIDED BY FIBRE 8

9 SOLUTION 2 WIRED- CAT 5 OR 6 CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS FOR HOME NETWORKING Figure 5 shows the connectivity technology used. A fi xed cat 5 or cat 6 cable with RJ45 sockets at both ends and a fl y lead at both ends to connect to the and the computer. This link is composed of 3 elements, so the connectivity solution in this case consists of passive wire, sockets and plugs. STANDARDS The installation of this type of connectivity is covered by cabling standards and must be performed by a registered cabler. (See References Section for Standards) ADVANTAGES 1. Connectivity is passive and therefore very reliable. 2. Dedicated link between the and the computer so there is no bandwidth limitation. Typically 1Gbps, the only limitation is the speed of the interface card in the computer and the ONT. 3. Highest security as the only way to intercept this link is physically. 4. When not in use consumes no power. 5. Life cycle of cable is typically as long as the building s life cycle. 6. Easy to use, no specifi c confi guration requirements, no password or encryption required. 7. Easy to fault fi nd as there are no active components in the link. So a problem is either in the, the cable or the computer. DISADVANTAGES 1. Not good for mobile services. 2. High installation cost in existing home. 3. If the cabling is installed in concealed locations it must be installed by a registered cabler. 4. Each additional device or location you want to add to the network requires a new cable to be installed PSU Cat 5 or Cat 6 cable FIGURE 5: WIRED CONNECTIVITY PLATFORM 9

10 SOLUTION 3 CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS FOR HOME NETWORKING POWER LINE COMMUNICATIONS (PLC) (ETHERNET OVER POWER LINE) Figure 6 shows the 5 elements that go to make up the Ethernet over Power Line connectivity platform. In this case you need to have an adaptor at both ends that plugs into the existing power point, then a Cat 5/6 fl y lead from the adaptor to the and from the adaptor to the computer. The fi fth element is the physical electrical cabling installation in the home. STANDARDS There is a range of vendors implementation of standards that compete with each other and care should be taken when choosing additional equipment. Over time there will be harmonisation but until this happens care should be taken on which standards to deploy. DEVELOPING STANDARDS This section lists the more current development of standards. G.hn which is a new standard ratifi ed recently by ITU and supported by the Home Grid Alliance. IEEE 1901 which is a formalised adoption of the original Home Plug standards EXISTING STANDARDS These are standards developed by alliances of companies promoting standardisation to allow for the creation of a new market. HomePlug 1.0 HomePlug AV HomePlug Green PHY ADVANTAGES 1. Connectivity link utilises the existing electrical cabling installation. 2. Installation can be performed by the home owner. 3. Can provide temporary connectivity in rented homes. 4. No licensing requirements for installers. DISADVANTAGES 1. The performance of the link is dependent on the electrical installation. As the electrical installation was not designed as a communications link, the actual transmission speeds (throughput) may vary from time to time and be signifi cantly lower than the predicted maximum of the adaptors installed. 2. If the power points used are on different power phases there may be limited or no connectivity. 3. As you add more adaptors the electrical cabling becomes a shared medium, resulting in lower throughput. 4. Whilst the adaptors use encryption for security, they are on a shared cabling infrastructure that extends beyond the home. 5. There are competing standards and chipsets so care should be taken when buying additional adaptors. 6. Whilst the theoretical number of adaptors that can be connected is large, this does not seem to translate well into a real life practical installations. 7. The adaptor takes up a power point, though some models have a Pass-thru power outlet to overcome this. 8. The adaptors need to be permanently powered and will require replacement on failure. 9. Fault fi nding can be more complex as there are more elements between the computer and the. 10. Not best for mobile services, but the adaptors can be moved between power points as the computer is relocated. 10

11 PSU FIGURE 6 ETHERNET OVER POWER LINE CONNECTIVITY PLATFORM 11

12 SOLUTION 4 CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS FOR HOME NETWORKING ETHERNET OVER PHONE LINE (TELEPHONY TWISTED PAIR) Figure 7 shows the 5 elements that go to make up the Ethernet over Phone Line connectivity platform. In this case you need to have an adaptor at both ends that plugs into the existing phone outlets, then a cat 5/6 fl y lead from the adaptor to the and from the adaptor to the computer. STANDARDS There is a range of competing standards so care should be taken when choosing additional equipment. Over time there will be harmonisation but until this happens care should be taken on which standards to deploy. DEVELOPING STANDARDS This section lists the more current development of standards. G.hn which is a new standard ratifi ed recently by ITU and supported by the Home Grid Alliance. EXISTING STANDARDS These are standards developed by alliances of companies promoting standardisation to allow for the creation of a new market. HomePNA also an ITU standard G9954 ADVANTAGES 1. Connectivity link utilises the existing telephone cabling installation. 2. nstallation can be done by the home owner (assuming telephone cabling exists). 3. Can provide temporary connectivity in rented homes. 4. No licensing requirements to be installed. DISADVANTAGES 1. The performance of the link is dependent on the quality of the telephone cabling installation. Some home telephone cabling installations could be decades old. 2. As you add more devices the phone cabling becomes a shared medium. 3. Each adaptor requires access to a power point as they are active devices. 4. The adaptors need to be permanently powered and will require replacement on failure. 5. Fault fi nding can be more complex as there are more elements between the computer and the. 6. Not best for mobile services, but the adaptors can be moved between phone socket locations as the computer is relocated. PSU Connection to power Connection to power Existing telephone cable FIGURE 7 ETHERNET OVER PHONE LINE 12

13 SOLUTION 5 CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS FOR HOME NETWORKING POWER LINE COMMUNICATIONS (PLC) (ETHERNET OVER POWER LINE) Figure 8 shows the 5 elements that go to make up the Ethernet over Coax connectivity platform. In this case you need to have an adaptor at both ends that plugs into the existing coax outlets, then a cat 5/6 fl y lead from the adaptor to the and from the adaptor to the computer. STANDARDS There is a range of standards that compete with each other and therefore care should be taken when choosing additional equipment. Over time there will be harmonisation but until this happens care should be taken on which standards to deploy. DEVELOPING STANDARDS This section lists the more current development of standards. G.hn which is a new standard ratifi ed recently by ITU and supported by the Home Grid Alliance. EXISTING STANDARDS These are standards developed by alliances of companies promoting the creation of a new market. Connection to power PSU HomePNA also an ITU standard G9954 Cwave ADVANTAGES 1. Connectivity link utilises the existing coax cabling installation. 2. Installation can be done by the home owner. 3. Can provide temporary connectivity in rented homes. 4. No licensing requirements to be installed. DISADVANTAGES 1. The performance of the link is dependent on the quality of the cabling installation. Some television cabling installation could be decades old. 2. As you add more devices the coax cabling becomes a shared medium. 3. Each adaptor requires access to a power point as they are active devices. 4. The adaptors need to be permanently powered and will require replacement on failure. 5. Fault fi nding can be complex as there are more elements between the computer and the. 6. Not good for mobile services. 7. 7Care must be taken that any adaptors do not interfere with any existing RF services which may already be using the coax cable. 8. 8Very complex to deploy in high rise apartments or any home which uses a shared television distribution system such as a mast-head distribution amplifi er or cable splitter. Connection to power Existing television coax cable FIGURE 8 ETHERNET OVER COAX CABLE 13

14 SOLUTION 6 WIRELESS (WI-FI) CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS FOR HOME NETWORKING Figure 9 shows a typical wireless connection which consists of 3 elements. The 3 elements are the fl y lead from the to the wireless router, the wireless router and the link provided by the atmosphere. The wireless router is connected to the and uses the computer s wireless capability or interface card. STANDARDS Wireless standards have now been around for some time and the one dominant standard is IEEE commonly referred to as Wi-Fi. There are specifi c vendor enhancements to this standard which claim to deliver higher throughput, but only between pairs of wireless components that support the specifi c enhancement. ADVANTAGES 1. Easy to install. 2. Ideal for all mobile devices. 3. Very common support on portable devices. DISADVANTAGES 1. Performance suffers as the distance from the wireless router increases. 2. Walls and fl oors can reduce performance or prevent wireless communications. 3. Performance may be variable due to interference from other wireless devices such as microwave ovens, blue tooth devices etc. 4. Wireless in adjacent high rise apartments can cause interference leading to variable and poor performance. 5. Wireless is a shared medium so as the number of devices increases, individual throughput decreases. 6. Requires security confi guration (Modern wireless routers support push button security enrolment). 7. The wireless router is active and powered with a power pack. Either device may be a point of failure and require replacement. PSU Connection to power WIRELESS ROUTER FIGURE 9: WIRELESS 14

15 MULTIPLE CONNECTED DEVICES So far we have considered only one device connected to the. The question then arises, what happens when there is more than one device? To answer this question we can look at each connectivity option when more than one device is required. The connectivity options are: 1. Wired Fibre 2. Wired Cat 5 or 6 3. Power Line Communications (PLC) (Ethernet Over Power Line) 4. Ethernet Over Phone Line (Telephony Twisted Pair) 5. Ethernet Over Coax (Coaxial Cabling) 6. Wireless (Wi-Fi) NOTE Whilst the provided as part of the NBN roll out has up to four ports, each port is likely to be assigned to a different service provider. For example your ISP may be on port 1, your security may be on port 2 etc. 1. WIRED FIBRE Figure 10 shows multiple computers connected via individual fi bre links so every link has the full transmission capacity of the fi bre technology, which is easily 1Gbps. This involves two more media converters and their power supplies for each additional connected device. PSU Data switch fly lead Connection to power fly leads Media converter Media converter Optical Fibre Media converter Optical Fibre Media converter fly lead fly leads Media converter Note: The data switch must be a layer 3 switch or have router functionality with in built DHCP function Media converter Optical Fibre Media converter fly lead Optical Fibre Media converter fly lead FIGURE 10 MULTIPLE USERS, USING FIBRE LINKS Connection to power 15

16 2. WIRED - CAT 5 OR 6 Figure 11 shows multiple computers connected via individual Cat 5/6 links so every link has the full transmission capacity of the Cat 5/6 technology which is up to 1Gbps. PSU Data switch Note: The data switch must be a layer 3 switch or have router functionality with in built DHCP function Cat 5 or Cat 6 cable FIGURE 11 MULTIPLE USERS USING UTP LINKS 16

17 3. POWER LINE COMMUNICATIONS Figure 12 shows multiple computers connected via PLC links. In this case every device connected via the PLC link is sharing the one resource, which is the electrical wiring. The maximum transmission speed to each device will vary depending on the number of devices sharing the wiring. The number of adaptors will vary with the number of computers as this technology supports one to many connections from the one adaptor at the to the many at the computers. PSU FIGURE 12 MULTIPLE USERS USING PLC 17

18 4. ETHERNET OVER PHONE LINE Figure 13 shows multiple computers connected via Ethernet over phone cabling. In this case every device connected via the phone cabling is sharing the one resource, which is the telephone cabling. The maximum transmission speed to each device will vary depending on the number of devices sharing the resource. An additional adaptor and associated power supply will be needed for each additional computer. PSU Connection to power Existing telephone cable FIGURE 13 MULTIPLE USERS USING ETHERNET OVER TELEPHONE CABLING 18

19 5. COAX CABLING Figure 14 shows multiple computers connected via Ethernet over Coax. In this case every device connected via Ethernet over Coax link is sharing the one resource, which is the coax cabling. The maximum transmission speed to each device will vary depending on the number of users sharing the resource. An additional adaptor and associated power supply may be needed for each additional computer, especially if the computers are distributed through the home. TV Antenna cable RJ45 fly lead RJ45 fly lead TV Antenna cable RJ45 fly lead Existing television coax cable FIGURE 14 MULTIPLE USERS USING ETHERNET OVER COAX 19

20 6. WIRELESS (WI-FI) Figure 15 shows multiple computers connected via the wireless link. Every device connected via the wireless link is sharing the one resource, which is the RF spectrum. The maximum transmission speed to each device will vary depending on the number of users. PSU Connection to power WIRELESS ROUTER FIGURE 15 MULTIPLE USERS USING WIRELESS LINK IN SUMMARY When the number of users increases, the link speed to each user on fi bre and UTP cabling system will not change. When the number of users increases, the link speed will be adversely affected by the number of users, when using PLC, Ethernet over Coax, Ethernet over Phone Line or Wireless. 20

21 CONCLUSION All of the technologies detailed in this document are viable and have their place in the market as they allow for connectivity to be created in the home, making the deployment of services possible. Many of the technologies have been developed to be plug and play technology, so the home user can easily install and operate them. Whilst this is the intention, in the long term as the number of devices grows, fault fi nding becomes an ever growing challenge. As a professional it is advisable that due consideration be given to the use of each of these technologies so ensuring the connectivity platform is: Safe Secure Reliable / Robust Sustainable IN THE FOLLOWING TABLES A RATING HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE TECHNOLOGY ALONG THE TO AGAINST THE CRITERIA LISTED ON THE LEFT HAND COLUMN. THIS RATING IS: 1. Poor 2. Fair 3. Good Wired fibre Wired Cat 5/6 PLC Ethernet over Phone lines Ethernet over coax Wireless Connectivity Elements Standards Mobility Security Reliability Sustainability Installation cost Fault fi nding Regulated TABLE 1 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF CONNECTIVITY TECHNOLOGIES Affect on link speed due to multiple users Wired fibre Wired Cat 5/6 PLC Ethernet over Phone lines Ethernet over coax Wireless TABLE 2 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF LINK SPEED AGAINST MULTIPLE USERS As speed is the most critical peformence meassure it has been given a score out of 15 whilst all other critiria have a score out of 3 The overall comparative score for the technologies are shown in Wired fibre Wired Cat 5/6 PLC Ethernet over Phone lines Ethernet over coax Wireless Overall rating / TABLE 3 OVERALL RATING

22 OVER ALL TECHNOLOGY RATING RATING Wired fibre Wired Cat 5/6 PLC Ethernet over Ethernet over Wireless Phone LInes coax TECHNOLOGIES FIGURE 16 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF HOME CONNECTIVITY TECHNOLOGIES You can now look at the various technologies and make a more informed decision based on the advantages, disadvantages and your specifi c need. REFERENCES pc=pc_ CABLE INSTALLATION STANDARDS 1. AS/NZS 3080 Telecommunications installations - Generic cabling for commercial premises. 2. AS/ACIF S009 Installation requirements for Customer Cabling (Wiring Rules) (Deals primary with safety) 3. AS/NZS ISO /IC Information technology Generic cabling for homes There is also a range of international standard that have contributed to the development of the Australian and New Zealand Standard, these are: 1. EIA/TIA 568A - This is the American standard and was the fi rst to be published (1991). 2. ISO/IEC The International standard for structured cabling systems. 3. CENELEC EN The European cabling standard. 22

23 NOTES 23

24 For further information us at or call us direct on International Copper Association Australia Suite 1, Level 7, Westfield Towers 100 William Street, Sydney NSW 2011 Tel: (+612) Fax: (+612)