2Wire HOME PORTAL 100S - Manual (Page 6)

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HomePortal
The 2Wire HomePortal residential gateway makes it possible to create a home network using any of the
above technologies. By enabling you to connect the computers in your home, the HomePortal provides you
with all the benefits of networking, including the ability to share one Internet connection among all the
computers and computer users in your household.
The HomePortal securely delivers rich content such as games and music from the Internet, distributing it to
multiple simultaneous users within your household. The HomePortal is easy to install and as easy to use as
browsing the Web. The HomePortal also makes it easy to share printers, MP3 players, Internet radios,
game consoles and other Internet devices.
The HomePortal enables high-speed, always-connected Internet access to the computers on your home
network—while keeping your private files safe from Internet hackers. The firewall and denial-of-service
attack protection built into the HomePortal keeps your data safe.
Home Phoneline Networking (HomePNA)
The HomePortal supports the HomePNA (Home Phoneline
Networking Alliance) protocol. Home phoneline networking
uses HomePNA technology to allow you to connect computers
in different rooms using your home’s existing telephone wiring.
To create a home phoneline network, you need either a PCI HomePNA card installed into
your computer or an external HomePNA adapter. These devices make it possible to connect
each additional computer through the phoneline.
Home phoneline networking (HomePNA) is recommended for connecting secondary
computers to your HomePortal if those computers are in the same room as the HomePortal,
and for connecting computers in other rooms to the HomePortal.
Wireless
Wireless networking uses radio waves to connect your computers to
your network. A PC Card (PCMCIA) wireless adapter looks like a flat,
metal credit card with a piece of black plastic attached at one end.
Other types of wireless adapters can be attached using a USB connector. Wireless technology
is recommended for networking computers in the same room as the HomePortal or for adding
computers in other rooms to the network.