Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

Tired of spotty Wi-Fi, but hate long Ethernet cables? New coaxial adapter provides an alternative

Kevin Parrish
By

networking comtrend coaxial
Comtrend
There’s nothing more annoying than to see numerous cables strung along the bottom of walls. It’s ugly and could potentially become a tripping hazard if they’re pulled out into the open. To that end, it’s not unusual to see Ethernet, standard coax cables, and even power cords grouped together like snakes slithering along the edges of a living room, office, or den. Thankfully, Comtrend wants to eliminate some of that mess.

Meet the G.hn Ethernet Over Coax Adapter, a device that’s based on the G.hn standard to extend a local network by using existing coax cables. That means consumers don’t have to purchase lengthy Ethernet cables to get devices on the Internet, but instead utilize the coaxial cables that are typically already installed in a home or office. The catch is that these cables can’t be used for anything else, such as sending video or additional data transmissions.

Recommended Videos

The G.hn specification is backed by the International Telecommunications Union and enables the transmission of data over three “legacy” cables: home power lines, coaxial cables, and telephone lines. The networking specs promise speeds of up to 1 Gbps, providing a faster alternative to adding wireless adapters and wireless network extenders. The specification also includes Forward Error Correction (FEC) technology, improving video lag and video quality.

The adapter offered by Comtrend can support up to 32 devices within a G.hn Coax Adapter cable network. The device can be managed by using a Web browser, and can receive upgrades over the local network. It also features AES 128-bit encryption and a one-button security setup.

To get an HDTV up and running, consumers will need at least two adapters: one that connects to the TV (directly or indirectly) and one connects to a modem, router, or access point. The first adapter would connect to the router via an Ethernet cable, a coaxial cable jack mounted in the wall, and the power outlet, while the second would connect to the power outlet, the coaxial cable jack, and an Ethernet-based device like a smart TV, set-top-box, game console, and so on.

Of course, this setup is intended for homes and offices that have coaxial cables installed within the walls. Customers can drape coaxial cables along the bottom of walls if cables aren’t pre-installed, but that defeats the purpose of Comtrend’s kit and customers might as well purchase long Ethernet cables instead.

Comtrend’s G.hn Ethernet Over Coax Adapter is offered in a two-piece kit for $100. Outlets selling this product can be found here. While powerline Ethernet adapters strike us as more versatile, these new coaxial adapters present an alternative for homes that have extra coax jacks, but lack a wealth of power outlets.

Topics
Kevin Parrish
Kevin Parrish
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kevin started taking PCs apart in the 90s when Quake was on the way and his PC lacked the required components. Since then…
The MSI Claw just got both faster and cheaper
Sonic Superstars running on the MSI Claw.

Compared to some of the best gaming handhelds, the Intel Core Ultra-powered MSI Claw has been behind in terms of overall performance. Interest has faded and it is cheaper at some retailers, but there's some hope. The latest BIOS updates for the device are improving gameplay, making it significantly faster. Combine that with some recent price cuts, and you're looking at an increasingly more promising-looking device -- at least, in theory.

Noted by MSI in a forum post, the BIOS on the handheld was recently bumped to version E1T41IMS.106, with Intel Graphics moving up yo version 31.0.101.5382. Thanks to these two updates, you can get big performance improvements in select games. Hogwarts Legacy, for example, now runs with rates that are up to 27.6% faster. Forza Horizon 5, meanwhile, runs with 18.4% faster frame rates.

Read more
The Vision Pro is already in trouble. Here’s how Apple can turn the tide
A man wears an Apple Vision Pro headset.

Apple’s Vision Pro headset lit the world on fire when it was announced at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June 2023, and again when it launched in February of this year. But in the months since, it’s apparently been losing steam, with sales down and people staying away from in-store demonstrations. That doesn’t bode well for Apple’s “next big thing.”

The key question, though, is whether this an actual problem for Apple. And if so, what can the company do about it?
In free fall?
If you read Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter, you’ll see some concerning reporting, at least from Apple’s perspective. Citing staff at Apple’s retail stores, Gurman claims that “Demand for [Vision Pro] demos is way down. People who do book appointments often don’t show up.”

Read more
Buying a Steam Deck has never been cheaper
Steam Deck over a pink background.

Valve is serving up huge price cuts on the Steam Deck, but there's a catch -- the consoles are refurbished. Part of the Certified Refurbished Steam Deck program, these handhelds have been fixed up by Valve to reportedly run like new -- and they're significantly cheaper. You can save up to $90, but is this too good to be true? It doesn't have to be.

Buying refurbished devices and hardware can be scary, but when the goodies come directly from the manufacturer, it becomes less risky. This is the case with Valve, which is now selling all three models of the LCD Steam Deck, refurbished and at a price cut. If this sounds good, you can now grab the base model for $279 instead of $349 ($70 savings), while the 256GB NVMe model costs $319 instead of $399 when purchased new. Lastly, the top handheld in the lineup with 512GB of storage costs just $359 instead of $449, which is $90 in savings.

Read more