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Re: [RE] What's wrong using FireWire as the home backbone?



Kevin,

>> 1/ FireWire does not like to go further than 4.5m
Good point, for the basline PHYs. It does, however,
get a bit fuzzy on some of physical layers, possibly
allowing more.


>> 2/ FireWire does not scale well -
>> fixed amount of bandwidth is shared amongst all devices on the network.

This is a misperception shared by all too many.

Firewire devices can extend themselves, without a bridge,
for up to 63 devices. This is similar to Ethernet hubs.

Firewire groups can go through bridges, for up to 1022 bridges.
This is similar to Ethernet bridges.


>> 3/ FireWire is not Ethernet
I agree, and this is the main point.

DVJ

David V. James
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>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: owner-stds-802-3-re@IEEE.ORG
>> [mailto:owner-stds-802-3-re@IEEE.ORG]On Behalf Of Gross, Kevin
>> Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2004 11:50 AM
>> To: STDS-802-3-RE@listserv.ieee.org
>> Subject: Re: [RE] What's wrong using FireWire as the home backbone?
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: owner-stds-802-3-re@IEEE.ORG
>> [mailto:owner-stds-802-3-re@IEEE.ORG] On
>> Behalf Of Hugh Barrass
>> Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2004 12:28 PM
>> To: STDS-802-3-RE@listserv.ieee.org
>> Subject: Re: [RE] What's wrong using FireWire as the home backbone?
>>
>> >What is missing from FireWire that prevents it from solving the problems
>> of wired home networking?
>>
>> 1/ FireWire does not like to go further than 4.5m
>> 2/ FireWire does not scale well - fixed amount of bandwidth is shared
>> amongst all devices on the network.
>> 3/ FireWire is not Ethernet
>>
>> Items 1 and 2 have been addressed by enhancements to the IEEE-1394
>> specification (FireWore over CAT5 and bridging). I'm not seeing
>> quick market
>> uptake on these advances. Probably because of item 3. Ethernet
>> is popular.
>> Independent of technical capabilities, the more popular an
>> interconnect is
>> the more powerful it is. This is a basic property of networks Datacom and
>> otherwise.
>>