(NAPSA)—Parentstired of tussling with their kids for access to the Internet when the kids want to play a game and parents need to work have a nifty solution. It’s now possible to network your homefor shared access to highspeed Internet connections in a way that’s easier and cheaper than you think. The new technol- ogy lets you easily add a game console to your home network,letting you stay online while your kids play the latest online games or stream tunes in the other room. Best ofall, it’s doable without the need to trail unsightly network cables around your home According to industry analysts like InStat/MDR, online enter- tainment options like these are dramatically expanding interest in home networking and online, multiplayer gaming is one of the hottest areas. With the availability of Microsoft’s Xbox Live and Sony’s Playstation 2 online which support real-time play, with opponents from around the world, game consoles have joined the competition for the home’s Internet access. Fortunately, new consumer- focused networking products available from companies such as NetGear, one of the industry’s best known providers of wired and wireless networking solutions for home and small office users, can reduce family drama by enabling multiple computers in different rooms—and now game consoles— to share a single home broadband connection. Using products like these, a home can be networked for aslittle as $100 with both wired and wireless options available. Working and playing together is now easy thanksto technology that lets you share high-speed Internet access with your kids. For people who hate wires and cables, wireless is the answer. Wireless systems are available that allow computers—and now gameconsoles, Internet radio systems and other media devices—to share broadband connectivity without the need for connecting cables. If you already have an existing wireless network in your home and want to add your game console, all you need to do is plug a wireless Ethernet bridge into the Ethernet port in the back of your Microsoft Xbox or Sony PlayStation 2 network adapter and presto, your console is Internet-enabled. An alternative to wireless technology in rooms where wireless isn’t desired or practical is a relatively new technology called Powerline. It provides broadband Internet connectivity using your home’s existing electrical wiring. You can easily establish a network using your home’s existing electrical lines and wall sockets. Whichever method you choose, networking your game console is easy and inexpensive. For more information visit www.netgear.com.
