Kurt Scherf, VP of research at Parks Associates in Dallas, Texas, noted that from a very broad technical vantage point, networking is a two-way communication between at least two devices.  From an application level, however, "it's primarily PC networking, but there are other devices that can be a part of data networks," he said.  "The other angle is multimedia networking, and that primarily focuses on devices that store data and stream content."

Scherf does not include some home management systems in his definition of home networking.  "The signals are different; they are at a low bit rate, and you don't need Category 5.  They focus on things like energy management, pool control and that sort of thing," he concluded."

.... While the industry may not agree on the precise definition of home networking, there is little argument about its potential.  According to Primary Perspectives:  Profile of Today's Home Network Owner, a recent survey issued by Parks Associates, almost 10 million U.S. households are equipped with a PC-based network.

"There is definitely a growing need for connectivity in the home," Scherf observed.  "Entertainment sells, and high entertainment in the realm of flat-panel television, home theater and those applications are on the rise.  There is a national appetite for content when the homeowner wants it and where they want it, and it will certainly drive home networking."

From the article "Working the Net," by Carolyn Heinze.

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