T e c h n i c a l

Introduction to Home Networking

Can High-Tech Migrate Successfully into the
Consumer Market?

P a p e r

Introduction to Home Networking

Can High-Tech Migrate Successfully into the Consumer Market?
Contents
Internet Access, Resource Sharing and Multiplayer Gaming Boost Home Network Interest

The Technology Challenge: Making the Complex Simple

Ethernet Networks: Tried and True

The Need for Speed (box)

How Home Ethernet Networks Work

Ethernet Networking in the Home

Phoneline Networks: Up and Calling

How Home Phoneline Networks Work

Phoneline Networking in the Home

Powerline Networks: Not Quite Up to Speed

How Powerline Networks Work

Powerline Networking Limitations

Wireless Networks: Mobile and Versatile

How Home Wireless Networks Work

Wireless Networking in the Home

Choosing the Best Network Technology for the Home

Evaluating Home Network Solutions

Conclusion

10

Glossary

10

Introduction to Home Networking

Can High-Tech Migrate Successfully into
the Consumer Market?

Computer networking is being propelled from its

traditional corporate base into a brave new
worldthe home. This white paper discusses
networking from a technical perspective. The
paper explains why home networking is a viable
and growing market segment, and details the
benefits and market drivers behind the push. It
also introduces four basic home networking technologies, compares their advantages and limitations, and outlines the reasons behind their
recommended application in the home. Finally,
the paper presents factors that will determine the
successful introduction of home networking products in the consumer marketplace.

Acronyms and
Abbreviations
ADSL
asymmetric digital
subscriber line
bps
bits per second
CATV
cable television
CSMA/CD
Carrier Sense Multiple Access
with Collision Detection
CTP
centralized token passing

Internet Access, Resource Sharing and

Multiplayer Gaming Boost Home Network
Interest

DSL
digital subscriber line

The price of home computers keeps falling,

while the advantages for consumers to being
connectedonline investing and shopping,
keeping in touch with long-distance friends
and relatives, enjoying multiplayer games and
tapping the vast resources of the Internet
keep multiplying. No wonder an increasing
number of households own two or more PCs.
Forecasters predict that more than 30 million
North American households will own two or
more computers by the end of 2002 (Cahners
In-Stat Group, 1/99).
However, households are experiencing the
same limitations that confronted businesses
almost 20 years ago, when personal computers
migrated from the basements of home hobbyists to the desktops of office workers around
the world. Those limitations include the
inability to share computing and peripheral
resources or to share information easily
between computer users. The solution to
those problems then and now is networking:
the ability to interconnect devices, so that
users can communicate with one another and
share resources. Consider the four most compelling home network market drivers:

DSMA
datagram sensing multiple
access
DSP
digital signal processing
DSSS
Direct Sequence Spread
Spectrum
DVD
digital versatile disk
FDM
frequency division
multiplexing
FSK
frequency shift keying
HomePNA
Home Phoneline
Networking Alliance
IEEE
Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers

Simultaneous high-speed Internet access

using one Internet service provider (ISP)
account. As the Internet becomes an essential tool in business, education, medicine
and government, as well as our personal
lives, the demand for high-speed, convenient, easily accessible Internet access is
mushrooming.
Cable, Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), and digital subscriber line
(DSL) modems provide the fastest Internet
connections and allow family members to
talk on the phone and use the Internet
simultaneously.
Peripheral sharing. Families want to get the
most out of their computer equipment
investments by sharing the same printers,
modems, or other peripherals from any PC
in the home.
Sharing files and applications. Families also
want to maximize the value of their software
investments by sharing applications, and they
want the convenience of sharing files easily,
and eliminating sneakernetrunning from
machine to machine with floppies or CDs.
Entertainment. The new wave of multiplayer computer games, with their eye-popping graphics and exciting audio tracks, are
beginning to grab consumer interest. Market analyst International Data Corporation
(IDC) believes that PC games and entertainment software represent the swiftest
long-term growth segment of the overall
U.S. electronic gaming marketplace, and
has predicted a combined unit annual
growth rate of 24 percent between 1997
and 2002. The two biggest growth factors,
in IDCs opinion, are the continuing price
drop in home PCs (U.S. $500 PCs are
available today) and the opportunity for
multiplayer gaming. PC gaming historically
has trailed console gaming, especially in the
important adolescent category, precisely
because of the inability to play head-to-head
against friends and relatives (IDC, 6/98).
As Figure 1 shows, these popular emerging
applications require substantial bandwidth.
For a discussion of bandwidth, see the sidebar
The Need for Speed on page 4.

Voice and fax

64 Kbps
Digital or Internet audio/radio
200 Kbps
Complex text and graphics

Acronyms and
Abbreviations

1.0 Mbps
Computer or CD-ROMbased video (MPEG1)

IR
infrared

1.5 Mbps

ISP
Internet service provider

Home gaming with digital quality video and full CD-quality audio
3.0 Mbps

ISDN
Integrated Services Digital
Network

DVD, DirectTV (MPEG2)

6.5 Mbps

Kbps
kilobits per second

Figure 1. Home Networking Bandwidth Requirements

These major market drivers are spurring

the demand for home networks. Industry analysts are predicting a healthy growth curve for
home networking. Cahners In-Stat Group
(1/99) predicts that home networking will
grow from $233 million by the end of 1999 to
over $1.4 billion (U.S.) in annual sales by
2003. This anticipated 57 percent annual
growth rate over the next five years is enticing
everyone from established network vendors to
brash home gaming upstarts to enter the
emerging market.
However, success in the consumer market
requires that home networks be inexpensive,
easy to install and easy to use. Essentially, that
means the technology must be transparent to
the user. To meet this requirement, networking
technology is evolving to make home connectivity available to the average home computer
user.
The Technology Challenge: Making the
Complex Simple

While consumer demand has swelled, recent

advances have overcome the technological and
complexity barriers that once prevented networking from migrating into nontechnical
environments. Component prices have
dropped, available network speeds have accelerated, and signal attenuation and noise prob-

MAC
Media Access Control

lems have been addressed using low-cost,

high-performance signal processing. Consumers now have an impressive array of networking options to choose from, depending
on their application needs and how much
money and effort they want to invest.
Basically, the choices are divided into
wired networks and wireless networks. Wired
network technologies use some form of physical cabling to connect computing devices.
There are three technology choices for wired
networks today: Ethernet, phoneline and powerline. Wireless networks, on the other hand,
use electromagnetic airwavesinfrared or
radioto transmit information from one
point to another.

MPEG
Motion Picture Experts
Group
Mbps
megabits per second
NIC
network interface card
POTS
plain old telephone service
PSTN
public switched telephone
network
RF
radio frequency

Ethernet Networks: Tried and True

UTP
unshielded twisted pair

Ethernet, the most proven network technology,

is the Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers (IEEE) 802.3 standard technology
on which the majority of business networks
are built. The Ethernet protocol defines the
transmission of data over copper wire at a rate
of 10 Mbps. Fast Ethernet, an extension of the
IEEE 802.3 standard (802.3u), defines the
transmission of data over copper wire or fiber
optic cable at a rate of 100 Mbps. In addition
to their well-deserved reputation for reliability
and security, Ethernet-based networks deliver

WAN
wide area network
WLAN
wireless LAN

The Need for Speed

Bandwidth is a general term that can be used
in different ways. One use refers to the data
rateor speedof a network technology such
as Ethernet, powerline, phoneline, or wireless.
In this case, bandwidth is a function of the
amount of data transmitted or received per
unit of time, measured in bits per second (bps).
It is used to define network performance.

The higher the bandwidth, the faster the data

rate or network speed. The faster the network
speed, the faster text, audio, and video data
can travel from point A to point B. And, after
all, time is money. Figure 2 shows how long a
30 MB file would take to travel from one PC to
another over 1 Mbps, 10 Mbps, and 100 Mbps
networks.

2.5

Time (minutes)

2.0
Times shown are an average of three
tests for each data rate run on a twomachine configuration. Times can
vary depending on machine type, processor speed, other peripherals on
the machine and network congestion.

1.0

0.1
1

10

100
Data rate (Mbps)

Figure 2. File Transfer Time Comparison

far and away the fastest performance. At measurable rates between 10 and 100 Mbps, they
are ideal for bandwidth-intensive multiplayer
gaming and home office environments.
How Home Ethernet Networks Work

Ethernet is a shared network technology. Simple or small Ethernet networks typically employ
a central controlling hub to which all network
devices are attached (known as a star configuration). Network traffic travels through the
hub to the targeted PC or peripheral.
Ethernets Carrier Sense Multiple Access
with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) Media
Access Control (MAC) protocol defines the
rules of access for the shared network. The
protocol name itself neatly explains how the
traffic control process actually works. Devices
attached to the network first check, or sense,
the carrier (wire) before transmitting. If the

network is in use, the device waits before

transmitting. Multiple access refers to the fact
that many devices share the same network
medium. If, by chance, two devices attempt to
transmit at exactly the same time and a collision occurs, collision detection mechanisms
direct both devices to wait a random interval
and then retransmit. Ethernet is the most
popular networking technology in use today,
because the cabling and installation is comparatively inexpensive; it is also simple, secure
and requires very little overhead.
Ethernet Networking in the Home

Ethernet technology is nearly 30 years old, but

there were still a few technology challenges to
overcome before it was acceptable for home
use. Ethernet networks are perceived as complicated, expensive to install and administrationheavy. To overcome that perception, Ethernet

home network vendors have designed networking kitsconsisting of low-cost network

adapters, an inexpensive nonmanaged hub
and simple configuration softwareto make
it easier to set up and use.
Ethernet networks do require special Category 3 or 5 (preferred) unshielded twisted
pair (UTP) copper wire cabling between connected devices. This type of cabling can be
found in computer stores and home improvement stores, and is preinstalled in many new
homes. Because of Ethernets special cabling
requirements, Ethernet networks are easiest to
implement in new or remodeled homes where
network cabling can be installed as part of
construction. However, technically savvy home
computer users can run the cable, particularly
in situations where all the PCs are located in
the same room, such as in a home-based office.
Figure 3 shows how an Ethernet network
could be set up in the home. Internal or external network adapters are installed in each PC.
Peripheral devices without direct Ethernet
connection optionssuch as printersare
shared through a networked PC. Each PC is
then connected to the Ethernet hub over Category 3 or Category 5 cabling. The hub manages the communication between the devices

on the network. A single 56 Kbps analog,

ISDN, cable or DSL modem provides a
shared Internet connection.
Phoneline Networks: Up and Calling

Alternative phoneline and powerline network

technologies were developed to provide a simpler way to get home users connected. Since
every home already has phone and power circuits, there is no need to run new cabling to
install one of these networks.
How Home Phoneline Networks Work

Phoneline networking takes advantage of

unused transmission capacity to transmit data
over existing telephone wires. As shown in
Figure 4 on page 6, phoneline home networks
transmit information at frequencies well above
that of plain old telephone service (POTS) or
digital services like ISDN and DSL, so the
network does not interfere with the normal
use of the phone line for voice, fax or Internet
services running over the same telephone circuit. Nor do these other phoneline services
affect network data transmission quality.
The technology used to divide up shared
bandwidth is called frequency division multiplexing (FDM). This well-established technique

Internet
Home office

Analog, ISDN,
cable or DSL
link

Hub

Kitchen

Living room

Family room

Figure 3. Home Ethernet Network

POTS
20 Hz 3.4 kHz

Power

DSL
25 kHz 1.1 MHz

Home network
5.5 MHz 9.5 MHz

Frequency

Figure 4. Frequency Division Multiplexing

divides up the total bandwidth into different

frequency bands, called channels, using frequency-selective filters. Think of total available frequency spectrum as a freeway, with
each type of trafficpower, analog voice and
digital information (including data, audio and
video)assigned separate lanes.
The initial Home Phoneline Networking
Alliance specification (HomePNA 1.0) adopted
the IEEE 802.3 media access method; it is
essentially 1 Mbps Ethernet over phone lines.
The recently published HomePNA 2.0 specification, expected to be finalized in late 1999,
takes advantage of digital signal processing
(DSP) technology embedded in silicon to
offer consistently higher performance, better
adapt to poor line conditions by continuously
boosting signal strength and improve filtering
of noise (interference) from nearby appliances.
HomePNA 2.0based products can support
transfer speeds of up to 10 Mbps, ten times
faster than HomePNA 1.0based products.
Phoneline Networking in the Home

Figure 5 shows how a phoneline network could

be set up in the home. Internal or external network adapters are installed in each PC. Printers or other peripherals are then shared
through a connected PC. Each PC is plugged
into a nearby phone jack. A single 56 Kbps
analog, ISDN, cable or DSL modem provides
an Internet connection that every computer
on the phone circuit can use simultaneously.

Phoneline networking works best in

homes where the computers are located in different rooms near phone jacks on the same
circuitthat is, using the same telephone
number. (Recent surveys indicate that 80 percent of home PCs are located near phone
jacks.) Once more, installation is easy because
the network wiring is already in place. The
network is also very secure because each home
has a unique phone circuit from the telephone
companys central office.
Powerline Networks: Not Quite Up to Speed

Like phoneline networking, powerline networking takes advantage of the unused bandwidth of the power cable to transmit data over
existing home power cabling. A powerline network operates similarly to a phoneline network. Internal or external network adapters
are installed in each PC; printers or other
peripherals can be shared through a connected
PC. Each PC is then plugged into a nearby
power outlet. A modem provides the shared
Internet connection. Powerline networking
works best in homes where the computers are
located in different rooms near power outlets,
but on the same circuit.
How Powerline Networks Work

Powerline technologies use a variety of media

access methods, from CSMA/CD and token
passing to datagram sensing multiple access
(DSMA) and centralized token passing

Internet
Home office
Bedroom

Kitchen

Living room

Analog, ISDN,
cable or DSL
link

Family room

Figure 5. Home Phoneline Network

(CTP). DSMA acts much like Ethernet to

mediate multiple access contentions on the
wire, by sensing and randomly backing off if
traffic is detected. In some powerline home
network implementations, once a network
device has gained access, it switches to a
dynamic, centrally distributed, token passing
scheme so that it has control of the network
until it finishes transmission. This dual
method reduces the incidence of transmission
collisions while preserving limited bandwidth.
Powerline technology also employs a
modulation technology called frequency shift
keying (FSK) to send digital signals over the
powerline. FSK uses two or more separate frequencies in narrow band; one is designated
1, the other 0, for binary transmission.

A powerline network could also have

security issues due to the way power is distributed. A single power line from the utility company goes to multiple homes; a power meter
at each house measures actual usage. Like an
old party telephone line, anyone can potentially listen in on the shared bandwidth. A
powerline network relies on encryption, or
data scrambling, to prevent others from
accessing the data running over the home network.
Because of these limitations, powerline
home networking is not expected to be as
viable an option as competing home networking technologies. Powerline technology
will more likely be deployed in home automation and home security applications.

Powerline Networking Limitations

Wireless Networks: Mobile and Versatile

Powerline networking boasts many of the

same benefits as phoneline networking. However, some powerline networks are not as fast
as other networking choices. Powerlines tend
to be very noisy, and consequently slower
(compared to phonelines). Bandwidth speed
using todays available technology tops at
much less than 1 Mbps: rates range from 50
Kbps to 350 Kbps.

As with the others, the technology for wireless

networks has also been around for some time;
home networking just takes it to another level
of functionality. Over the last several years,
wireless networks have achieved success in a
number of vertical markets, including healthcare, retail and manufacturing.
Wireless LANs (WLANs) can now offer
the same advantages to consumers: first and

foremost is mobility. Consumers have the flexibility to move inside or outside their homes
and still remain connected to the Internet or
to other computing devices on the network.
Installation is easy because there are no wires.
Wireless network components can be set up
anywhere in the home. Wireless networking
makes it easy to move computers and other
devices without the need to reconfigure the
network.
How Home Wireless Networks Work

Wireless networks use high-frequency electromagnetic waves, either infrared (IR) or radio
frequency (RF), to transmit information from
one point to another without relying on any
physical connections. RF is expected to be of
more practical use in home networking than
IR because it is not limited by line-of-sight
transmission; radio waves travel through walls
and windows. Data and voice traffic is superimposed, or modulated, onto the radio waves,
or carriers, and extracted at the receiving end.
Multiple radio carriers can exist in the same
space at the same time without interfering
with each other by transmitting at different
frequencies. To extract the data, a receiver
tunes in or selects one radio frequency while
filtering out the others.

The home wireless RF network features

an independent, peer-to-peer network that
connects PCs with wireless adapters operating
within one of three frequency ranges: 902 to
928 MHz, 2.400 to 2.483 GHz and 5.725 to
5.875 GHz. Any time two or more wireless
adapters are within range of each other, they
can set up an on-demand network that
requires no administration.
There are a large number of different
technologies that can be used in WLAN home
network applications. As just one example,
3Com Corporation employs an IEEE
802.11HRstandard Direct Sequence Spread
Spectrum (DSSS) technology for its home
wireless network implementation. DSSS generates a redundant bit pattern, called a chip or
chipping code, for each transmitted bit. Error
recovery mechanisms embedded in the
adapter silicon can recover corrupted data
without the need for retransmission. Transmission rates are surprisingly highfrom 1 to
11 Mbps.
Wireless Networking in the Home

Figure 6 shows how a wireless network could

be set up in the home. Internal or external
adapters are installed on each PC. Printers or

Internet

Bedroom

Home office

DSL or
cable link

int
ss po
Acce ice
dev

Kitchen

Living room

ess
Wirel held
d
n
a
h

Figure 6. Wireless Home Network

Family room

Outdoors

ess
Wirel held
hand

Table 1. Home Networking Technology At-a-Glance Comparison

Phoneline

Powerline

Ethernet

Wireless

Speed (1 Mbps = 1000

Kbps)

100 Kbps10 Mbps

50 Kbps350 Kbps

10 Mbps100 Mbps

700 Kbps11 Mbps

Relative cost*

$50$130

$70$150

$75$200

$150$300

Advantages

Convenient, simple (no

new wires), secure

Convenient, simple (no

new wires)

Fastest, most secure and

reliable

Convenient, mobile,
simple (no wires), secure

Requirements

Need computers and

peripherals near phone
jacks on the same
phoneline

Need computers and

peripherals near power
outlets on the same power
circuit

Requires Ethernet
(Category 3 or 5) cabling;
best in new home installations or remodels

Network components must

be within a 250-foot range

Best use

Ideal for shared Internet

access, file sharing and
peripheral sharing; good
for home gaming

Good for low-bandwidth

applications such as home
security and control

Ideal for home gaming,

home offices and shared
Internet access

Ideal for laptops, desktops

and handheld connected
organizers inside and
outside home or small
office where mobility is
required; great for shared
Internet access; good for
home gaming

*For comparison purposes, the prices include all the necessary software and hardware required to network two PCs. Dollar amounts refer to U.S. currency.

other peripherals can be shared through a connected PC. The devices then communicate
using a set of reserved high-frequency
radiowaves. An access point device connects to
a DSL or cable modem and enables high-rate
(broadband) Internet access for the entire network.
Because RF-based wireless home networking technology is not restricted by lineof-sight, network components do not need to
be located in the same room to communicate.
In a typical home, the maximum distance
between devices is about 250 feet. Family
members can wander from room to room or
relax on the patio while surfing the Internet
from their laptops.
Choosing the Best Network Technology for
the Home

Table 1 compares four home networking technologies and identifies important factors to
consider when selecting a home networking
solution.
Evaluating Home Network Solutions

As mentioned earlier, a critical component for

success in the consumer market is that the

technology be transparent to the user. The

home network must be simple to install, set
up and use. Consumer complaints about current home network offerings point to the
importance of masking product complexity
and developing solutions that are easy to use.
Users should look for home network vendors
that have streamlined the installation process
and user interface to make the networking
experience easy and understandable for the
non-technical consumer.
More and more products are addressing
the home networking market. But it remains
to be seen how many companies really understand both the technology and consumer
needs. To be successful in the consumer market, a home network solution must also be:
Reliable and easy to expand as the home
network inevitably grows.
Compatible with other network devices,
which means a standards-based solution.
Built by reputable, experienced companies
that know the complexities of networking,
yet shield the consumer from that complexity.
Secure and private; consumers are understandably concerned about the ability of

hackers to tap into sensitive financial or personal communications.

Backed by easily accessible, sound technical
support. No matter how simple products
are intended to be, some consumers will
need assistance. The company that offers
free or low-cost technical support will come
out ahead through word-of-mouth recommendations.
Conclusion

Sharing high-speed Internet access. Sharing

peripherals, files and applications. Playing
exciting multi-user, multimedia games. The
benefits of home networking are clear and
consumers are more than ready to investan

estimated $1.4 billion by 2003in solutions

that will allow them to experience a truly
connected lifestyle.
Consumers now have an encouraging
variety of networking options to choose from:
Ethernet, phoneline, powerline or wireless
technologies. Each technology, with its advantages and limitations, has its optimum home
application.
Vendors that are successful in this emerging market will be those that have experience
in the complexity of computer networking
and that are able to provide a reliable, scalable
solution that is easy for nontechnical home
consumers to install and use.

Glossary
Access point device A wireless LAN device
that connects to a DSL or cable modem and
enables high-rate (broadband) Internet access
throughout the home network.

continuous connection to the Internet. Cable

modems feature asymmetric transfer rates:
around 36 Mbps downstream and from 200
Kbps to 2 Mbps upstream.

Asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL)

A popular implementation of DSL. The
asymmetric in ADSL means that it transmits
data at faster speeds downstream (from the
Internet to the computer) than upstream
(from the computer to the Internet). ADSL
can support speeds of up to 8 Mbps downstream and up to 1 Mbps upstream. It is ideal
for Internet surfing, where users typically
download more information than they send.

Digital subscriber line (DSL) A next-generation digital phone service that allows for the
transmission of voice, video and data over
existing copper telephone wires at very high
speeds. There are several implementations of
DSL, which differ by the upstream and downstream speeds they support.

Bandwidth A general term that can be used

in different ways. One use refers to the data
rateor speedof a network technology and
is used to define network performance. In this
case, bandwidth is directly proportional to the
amount of data transmitted or received per
unit of time, measured in bits per second (bps).
Cable modem A type of modem that connects a computer to the cable (CATV) network, which in turn connects to the Internet.
Once connected, cable modem users have a

10

DSL modem A type of modem that connects a computer to a DSL network, which in
turn connects to the Internet. Once connected, DSL modem users have a continuous
connection to the Internet.
Ethernet An international networking standard, IEEE 802.3, that defines the transmission of data over copper wire at a rate of 10
Mbps.
Fast Ethernet An extension of the Ethernet
IEEE standard, IEEE 802.3u, that defines the
transmission of data over copper wire or fiber
optic cable at a rate of 100 Mbps.

Frequency The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, or channel, in which a device

operates.
Frequency division multiplexing (FDM) A
technology that separates different types of
traffic traveling over the same wire by dividing
up the bandwidth into separate channels or
signals.
G.lite A version of ADSL technology that
does not require a POTS splitter to be
installed in the customers home. A POTS
splitter separates voice from data transmission
for simultaneous telephone and data access
use. G.lite supports downstream data rates of
up to 1.5 Mbps and upstream data rates of up
to 512 Kbps.
Home Phoneline Networking Alliance
(HomePNA) A professional association of
high-technology companies working to ensure
the adoption of a single, unified phoneline
networking standard, and to bring to market a
variety of interoperable home networking
solutions. 3Com is a founding member of the
HomePNA.

speed is measured in thousands of bits per second (approximate).

Local area network (LAN) A computer network located in a single physical location,
such as an office building or a home. See also
Wide area network (WAN).
Megabits per second (Mbps) A measure of
the speed at which data can travel. The rate of
speed is measured in millions of bits per second (approximate).
Motion Pictures Experts Group1 (MPEG1)
An international standard for video and audio
transmission that covers format type, data rate
and compression technique.
Motion Pictures Experts Group2 (MPEG2)
An international standard for full-motion
video that covers format type, data rate and
compression technique.
Network A collection of devices, such as
PCs, printers, minicomputers, servers and so
on, that are connected together in order to
share and exchange information and resources.

Hub (Ethernet) A networking device that

enables attached devices to receive all the
information transmitted over the network,
and to share network bandwidth.

Network interface card (NIC) An expansion

board that plugs into a PC or peripheral and
manages the flow of information over the network. Also known as a network adapter.

IEEE 802.11 HR The international IEEE

standard for high-rate wireless networking at
11 Mbps.

Plain old telephone service (POTS) The

analog telephone service that runs over copper
wires and is based on the original Bell telephone system.

Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)

An all-digital, circuit-switched telephone network.
Internet service provider (ISP) A commercial organization that provides Internet access
to individuals and organizations.

Wide area network (WAN) A public or private computer network serving a wide geographic area. The public switched telephone
network (PSTN) is the best-known example
of a public WAN. Typically, users do not own
the network, but pay a fee to use it.

Kilobits per second (Kbps) A measure of the

speed at which data can travel. The rate of

11

About 3Com Corporation

With more than 300 million customers worldwide, 3Com Corporation connects more
people in more ways to information than any other networking company. 3Com delivers innovative information access products and network system solutions to large,
medium, and small enterprises; carriers and network service providers; PC OEMs; and
consumers. 3Com. More connected.
3Com Corporation
5400 Bayfront Plaza
P.O. Box 58145
Santa Clara, CA
95052-8145
Phone: 1 800 NET 3Com
or 1 408 326 5000
Fax: 1 408 326 5001
World Wide Web:
www.3com.com
3Com Americas International
U.S. Headquarters (serving
Canada and Latin America)
Phone: 1 408 326 6328/1 408
326 6075
Fax: 1 408 326 5730/
1 408 326 8914
Miami
Phone: 1 305 461 8400
Fax: 1 305 461 8401/02
3Com Canada
Burlington
Phone: 905 336 8168
Fax: 905 336 7380
Calgary
Phone: 403 265 3266
Fax: 403 265 3268
Edmonton
Phone: 780 423 3266
Fax: 780 423 2368
Montreal
Phone: 514 683 3266
Fax: 514 683 5122
Ottawa
Phone: 613 566 7055
Fax: 613 233 9527
Toronto
Phone: 416 498 3266
Fax: 416 498 1262
Vancouver
Phone: 604 434 3266
Fax: 604 434 3264
3Com Latin America
Argentina (serving Argentina,
Paraguay, and Uruguay )
Phone: 54 11 4510 3200
Fax: 54 11 4314 3329
Brazil
Phone: 55 11 5641 5001
Fax: 55 11 5641 3444
Chile (serving Bolivia, Chile, and
Peru)
Phone: 562 240 6200
Fax: 562 240 6231

Colombia
Phone: 57 1 629 4110
Fax: 57 1 629 4503
Costa Rica
Phone: 506 280 8480
Fax: 506 280 5859
Mexico
Phone: 525 201 0000
Fax: 525 201 0001
Peru
Phone: 51 1 221 5399
Fax: 51 1 221 5499
Venezuela
Phone: 582 267 5550
Fax: 582 267 3373

Phone: 632 849 3979

Fax: 632 849 3970
Singapore
Phone: 65 538 9368
Fax: 65 538 9369
Taiwan
Phone: 886 2 2 377 5850
Fax: 886 2 2 377 5860
Thailand
Phone: 662 231 8151 5
Fax: 662 231 8158

Asia Pacific Rim

Melbourne, Australia
Phone: 61 3 9934 8888
Fax: 61 3 9934 8880
Sydney, Australia
Phone: 61 2 9937 5000
Fax: 61 2 9956 6247
Beijing, China
Phone: 8610 6588 0568
Fax: 8610 6588 0602
Shanghai, China
Phone: 86 21 6350 1581
Fax: 86 21 6350 1531
Hong Kong
Phone: 852 2501 1111
Fax: 852 2537 1149
India
Phone: 91 11 629 3177
Fax: 91 11 623 6509
Indonesia
Phone: 62 21 572 2088
Fax: 62 21 572 2089
Osaka, Japan
Phone: 81 6 6379 1767
Fax: 81 6 6379 0871
Tokyo, Japan
Phone: 0120 31 3266
(toll free from Japan)
Phone: 81 3 5977 3266
Fax: 81 3 5977 3370
Korea
Phone: 82 2 3455 6300
Fax: 82 2 319 4710
Malaysia
Phone: 60 3 715 1333
Fax: 60 3 715 2333
New Zealand
Phone: 64 9 366 9138
Fax: 64 9 366 9139
Philippines

3Com Benelux B.V.

Belgium
Phone: 32 2 711 94 00
Fax: 32 2 711 94 11
Netherlands
Phone: 31 346 58 62 11
Fax: 31 346 58 62 22

3Com Austria
Phone: 43 1 580 17 0
Fax: 43 1 580 17 20

3Com Eastern Europe/CIS

Bulgaria
Phone: 359 2 962 5222
Fax: 359 2 962 4322
Czech Republic
Phone: 420 2 21845 800
Fax: 420 2 21845 811
Hungary
Phone: 36 1 250 83 41
Fax: 36 1 250 83 47
Poland
Phone: 48 22 6451351
Fax: 48 22 6451352
Russia
Phone: 7 095 258 09 40
Fax: 7 095 258 09 41
Slovak Republic
Phone: 421 7 317 850
Fax: 421 7 317 849
3Com France
Phone: 33 1 69 86 68 00
Fax: 33 1 69 07 11 54
3Com GmbH
Unterfoehring, Germany
Phone: 49 89 992200
Fax: 49 89 9577 220

3Com Iberia
Portugal
Phone: 351 1 3404505
Fax: 351 1 3404575
Spain
Phone: 34 91 509 69 00
Fax: 34 91 307 66 63
3Com Italia S.p.A.
Milan, Italy
Phone: 39 02 253011
Fax: 39 02 27304244
Rome, Italy
Phone: 39 06 5279941
Fax: 39 06 52799423
3Com Middle East
Phone: 971 4 319533
Fax: 971 4 316766
3Com Nordic AB
Denmark
Phone: 45 48 10 50 00
Fax: 45 48 10 50 50
Finland
Phone: 358 9 435 420 67
Fax: 358 9 455 51 66
Norway
Phone: 47 22 58 47 00
Fax: 47 22 58 47 01
Sweden
Phone: 46 8 587 05 600
Fax: 46 8 587 05 601
3Com Southern Africa
Phone: 27 11 700 8600
Fax: 27 11 706 0441
3Com Switzerland
Phone: 41 844 833 933
Fax: 41 844 833 934
3Com UK Ltd.
Edinburgh
Phone: 44 131 240 2900
Fax: 44 131 240 2903
Ireland
Phone: 353 1 823 5000
Fax: 353 1 823 5001
Manchester
Phone: 44 161 874 1700
Fax: 44 161 874 1737
Winnersh
Phone: 44 1189 27 8200
Fax: 44 1189 695555

To learn more about 3Com products and services, visit our Web site at www.3com.com. 3Com Corporation is publicly traded on Nasdaq under the symbol COMS.
The information contained in this document represents the current view of 3Com Corporation on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because 3Com must respond to changing market conditions, this paper should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of 3Com, and 3Com cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication. This document is for
informational purposes only; 3Com makes no warranties, express or implied, in this document.
1999 3Com Corporation. All rights reserved. 3Com and the 3Com logo are registered trademarks and More connected. is a trademark of 3Com Corporation. Other brand or product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
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