While the new coax-only speed exceeds the current throughput available via household power lines (200Mbs) and phone lines (240Mbs), it's slower than the HomePNA Alliance's upcoming spec for both phone lines and coax (320Mbs). And it's way behind the new wireless standard, 802.11n, of 600Mbs.

Before you get too excited, deduct about 100Mbs from the quoted speeds. That's the usual difference between the physical-layer speed across the wires and actual transfer rate for data.

Hardened network managers who are aghast at the relatively slow speeds should remember that all of these standards are designed to push high-definition data across oxidized wire that was patched together in 1967 by a jack-jockey nursing a hangover.

On the other side, newbies who think they can use these specs as the basis for bombing data across town need to sober up. They're all designed for short runs.

The question is, as always, which is best? Each of them works fine, in the right environment. In fact, individual vendors, like Linksys and 2Wire, have adopted most, if not all of the technologies.

Depends on which method best matches your equipment, wiring and wallet.