Covering the vast majority of current and emerging home networking technologies, standards, and trends, this practical resource offers a comprehensive understanding of this developing area. Home Networking Technologies and Standards presents an “end-to-end reference architecture,” in which the main residential services are identified and their network requirements are fully analyzed. Professionals find detailed coverage of both wireless and wireline technologies, including IEEE 802.11, Firewire, USB, HiperLAN, Bluetooth, IrDA, DECT, X10, and HomePNA, along with higher-layer technologies like OSCi, UpnP, HAVI, and VHN. The book explains how the technologies work, how they have evolved, what their capabilities are, and what markets they target. It also discusses xDSL, cable, fiber, fixed-wireless, and satellite access network alternatives.

Moreover, this forward-looking reference presents the scope, potential applications, operational concept, architecture, and protocol stack of higher-layer technologies that aim to provide convergence between multiple in-home and access networks. The book introduces the concept of the residential gateway (RG) as a single point of network convergence, and explores important considerations for future digital-smart networked homes.

About the Author

Theodore B. Zahariadis is the technical director of Ellemedia Technologies (an affiliate of Bell Laboratories). He received his Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from the National Technical University of Athens, Greece, and his Dipl. –Ing. degree in computer engineering from the University of Patras, Greece.