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Then and Now: The Evolution of the Home Network
Then and Now: The Evolution of the Home Network
Check Out How the Technology Has Changed Over Time Scholars have filled thousands of pages explaining how the internet evolved from a system used between a handful of employees into the high-powered Wi-Fi we have today. Instead, in this blog we’ll focus more on the consumer aspect, to see how homeowners have shaped the internet over the past 40 years. Read on to learn some of the biggest moments in home networking history and see how you could embrace the future in your Wayzata, Minnesota home. SEE MORE:Improve Your Network with Router Upgrades1977: The idea of a home modem was first established with the Hayes 80-130A in 1977. It used a direct connection with a phone line to connect to your computer. 1981: The next upgrade was the Hayes Smartmodem which allowed users to dial in directly to the internet. Beforehand, users had to dial a number manually then hook up the modem when there was an answer. This new Smartmodem allowed them to autodial and hang up directly from the modem and allowed impressive speeds of 1.2 Kbps (it would take an hour to open a web page today at those speeds). The 1990s’: Home internet took off during this decade as the price of internal models began to plummet and speeds improved to 28-34 kbps. During this time, modems were included within desktops and laptops. The internet connection was still being used primarily to send and receive emails. 1997: As analog hit a speed barrier when it came to upload and download speeds, phone companies began offering high-speed DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) connections. Not only did this allow for greater speeds but it also let homeowners use the internet and phone at the same time. 1998: One of the most revolutionary advances in the history of home networking was the arrival of the 56K modem. Users could now send email, search the Internet and even download MP3s without having to wait for hours at a time. 1999: Six companies: Intersil, 3Com, Nokia, AirNet (Now CISCO), Symbol and Lucent created the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance that worked to make sure all wireless vendors were compatible with each other. They gave the new WECA compliant technology the name Wi-Fi. They also created the DOCSIS standard for all cable modems. Late 1990’s: Initially meant to allow a broadband connection with multiple PCs, VLANS (subnetworks within the system) grew to include gaming consoles, media streaming, and even home automation services. By creating individualized networks that could be bolstered by access points, this technology became the precursor for the solutions used in many homes today. 2002: Until the turn of the century, Internet and Wi-Fi connections had been reserved for computers or laptops. That changed in 2002 with the arrival of 3G which made it easy to have wireless access on mobile phones to check email, make phone calls or stream video. 2003: ZigBee standardized its mesh network protocols. Mesh networking uses multiple nodes to boost the system and is typically used in home automation systems. As of 2015, it has also been introduced in some home Wi-Fi Routers. The late 2000s: As the number of wireless devices continued to rise, many users began switching to dual-band routers that could handle multiple bandwidths. This allowed users to divide traffic for quicker internet speeds. 2015: The latest technology to hit the home networking industry is MU-MIMO. This protocol has improved speeds by dividing traffic into individual streams to increase network bandwidth. Wondering if your home network is already outdated? Contact us to set up a consolation. We can help you figure out if your system could use an upgrade.