As you know we’re partnering with D-Link this fall to release the Boxee Box.  We also recently completed a trial of MoCa (Multimedia over Coax Alliance) Ethernet to coax bridges with Entropic Communications for 50 of our users.  Over the last month we’ve met with press to talk about the Boxee Box and what it’s going to mean for users this holiday season.  More specifically, we talked about what people can watch and what they’re going to need to get the best experience out of it. One of the issues that some people will be confronted with is the ability to transfer content quickly across your home network into your living room.

With that in mind, here’s a quick rundown of the most popular ways to get Internet into every room in the house and what each technology is best suited for.

Ethernet

If your house is already wired with Ethernet cables then please proceed to Go and collect $200, you’ve already won.  If you’re looking for the best possible speeds then cabling your house with Ethernet cable (the one that looks like a big telephone cord) is your answer.  “Cat 6” cabling is the preferred cable today, which has improved performance and allows you to reach speeds of over 1Gbps (that’s with a G!) which is the fastest speed you’re going to get inside the home for a reasonable price.  It’s great for HD streaming, and if you’re building a house, this should be standard in every room for any hardcore techy.

Typical Cost: We recommend monoprice.com where you can get a 75ft cable for less than $10 and a 1000-ft spool for under $100.

WiFi 802.11n

Everybody loves them some Wi-Fi.  It’s easy to install and has good range, up to 100 ft or more in some cases.  The latest “N” routers have what’s called multiple input multiple output (MIMO) technology that utilizes multiple antennas to broadcast and collect signals which makes it possible to reach actual bandwidth speeds over 100Mbp/s (your mileage may vary) – good enough to stream HD movies from your computer or NAS to a Boxee device without a problem.  MIMO also provides better performance in the presence of factors that interfere with wireless.  While older “802.11 g” routers may be able to handle most streaming Internet content without a hitch, they’ll start having trouble if you want to play extremely high quality video from your home network.  Using an “N” router for streaming HD content provides higher speeds over longer distances which means your copy of The Dark Knight streams in beautiful 1080p with no buffering or blocky spots from your network.

However if you’ve got a house made of concrete, metal, or brick (or you’ve got lots of mirrors – are you listening Louis XIV?) you might have trouble getting the signal to extend very far at a reasonable speed which is where our next few options come in.

Typical Cost: $40-80 for WiFi router (check out D-Link’s Extreme N WiFi router at Amazon)

MoCA (Coax)

For people with homes wired for cable, MoCA is a good alternative to Wi-Fi. MoCA runs over the same wires your cable does, but on a different frequency (850-1550 MHz) so there’s little interference from Cable TV or Cable Modems (although satellite issues might pervade). Depending on the MoCA product you choose, speeds range from 100Mbps to 270Mbps which make it capable of delivering 2-3 streams of HD content without breaking a sweat. Typical MoCA adaptors are about the size of an iPhone and about twice as thick.  Since coax cable is pre-installed in many homes, MoCA can be a very convenient way to get Internet from your office to your living room.

I’ve been using it in my house for 6 months now and it’s made it easy to quickly access files from my NAS as well as get the Internet into an upstairs bedroom that had a hard time getting a Wi-Fi signal.  I’m looking forward to getting a MoCA / WiFi router that lets me blend both technologies for each of their strong suits.

Typical Cost: $149-199 / pair of MoCA adaptors

**From now through Oct 16th, ActionTec is offering Boxee users a pair of MoCA Ethernet to coax bridges for $99  (half the regular price of $199) with the code “BoxeeMocaDeal”.**

Powerline

Finally, if your home isn’t wired for cable and doesn’t seem a good fit for Wi-Fi, then Powerline may be your answer. By plugging a Powerline adaptor (similar in size to a MoCA adaptor) into your wall, you create an instant, encrypted wired network throughout your house. Each Powerline-to-Ethernet adaptor makes it possible to extend your network into presumably any room in the house. Previous versions of Powerline have had some issues with interference and compatibility, but most of those have now been solved by innovation and standardization.  Today’s Powerline adapters are rated for 200Mbps and are HD compatible.
**Update – look for the HomePlug AV2 or HD standard to ensure you’re getting the latest technology

Typical Cost: $80 – $159 / pair of Powerline adaptors

This is a topic that I’m sure a lot Boxee users have experience with so I’d love to hear about your home setup (square footage, throughput, # of devices, etc.) and what you’ve found works best for your home in the comments.