Estimating the Theoretical Value for LAN Network Throughput Based Power Line Communications Technology Under the Homeplug 1.0 Standard

Abstract

Power Line Communications (PLC) refers to a group of technologies that allow to establish communication processes under the use of the grid as a physical means of transmission. The use of the grid as a physical means of transmission of information is not a new idea. Until a few years ago, the use of PLC had been limited to the implementation of solutions of control, automation and monitoring of sensors; which did not require a high bandwidth for its operation.During the late 1990s due to the new technological developments and the need to implement new alternatives for transfer of information, it was possible to reach speeds on the order of the Mbps, establishing the possibility of making use of the electricity network as a network of access. The current state of technology PLC allows to reach speeds of up to 200Mbps, which has enabled the transformation of the grid in a true network of band wide, capable of supporting data, voice and video provided by a telecommunications operator. The use of PLC-based network adapters allow easily design LANs and broadband communications through the electrical network, making any outlet in a point of connection for the user, without the need for wiring additional to existing ones. The electrical network is a structure which so far has been exclusively used for the transport of electrical energy. However, it is possible to make use of this network in processes of communication and transmission of information such as: voice, data and video; Bearing in mind that grid had not been designed for this purpose. The performance is without doubt one of the aspects of greatest interest in the global analysis in networks LAN, due to the effect it produces on the end user. Basically, the most common parameters for evaluating the performance of a network are: Throughput, use of the canal and various measures of retardation. In this article is presented a simple analysis of the HomePlug 1.0 standard applied to the transmission of information using the grid as a physical means of transmission. The analysis considers the influence of the size of the packages, number of stations, mechanisms of access to the medium, the window size of initial containment, among other important aspects; in order to analyze the behavior of the Throughput on LAN networks, making use of PLC technology for their implementation at the theoretical level.

Keywords

• canal
• modelamiento
• PLC
• ruido
• throughput