Affordable Ethernet in the Living Room

Apple TVs and TiVos that stream Netflix movies are putting the stress on wireless networks. Wireless is fine for most things, but when it comes to low latency streaming, even at 802.11n speeds, things can get a little rough.

While perusing the TivoCommunity.com website I discovered a cool little device: The Motorola NIM100.

These babies allow you to send ethernet packets over your existing cable tv wiring.

These devices are no longer available new, but Verizon used them in the initial rollout of FIOS and are now available used on EBAY.

I paid $88 for 3 and here is what you get:

The NIM100 is a little box that looks like a cable modem, with one ethernet port, one USB port and two RF ports.

A power adaptor

Step One

Now move to your office. Connect the RG6 coax from the wall to a NIM100. Then connect another RG6 coax cable from the NIM100 to your cable modem.

Connect an ethernet cable from the NIM100 to your router.

Step Two

In the living room, you connect the RG6 coax cable from the wall to the NIM100. Then connect another RG6 coax cable from the NIM100 to the TiVo cable in port.

Then you connect an ethernet cable from the NIM100 to the TiVo, or an ethernet switch.

Wahlah!

You now have 100mbps ethernet in your living room.

Got a TiVo in the bedroom? Repeat Step Two with another NIM100. You can now send video between TiVos much much quicker than over the 802.11g wireless speeds the TiVo has.