Setting Up a Hybrid Network

You have desktops that don't really need the portable capability of wireless networking hardware and laptops that could benefit from wireless network adapters. You could mix no-new-wires technologies, such as phoneline and powerline, which use your existing house wiring. These technologies are available at your local electronics or office supply store. You can connect powerline and phoneline network equipment with your wireless access point and network adapters.

Phoneline network adapters cost less than $50 per adapter. Powerline adapters are a bit more expensive than wireless ones, at around $120-$150. Ethernet adapters are the budget choice (as well as being the fastest technology mentioned here), costing less than $20 per adapter.

Hybrid networks are probably the most difficult to set up. However, they are potentially the only kind of network that will get the job done in some environments, such as very large homes that are already wired for phone and electricity but are too large for a wireless network to cover. Another instance where a hybrid network can be useful is an office setting that has an existing wired network.