ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the G.hn multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) power line communication (PLC) technology. It also focuses an overview description of G.hn's network architecture and operation, the structure of the G.hn transceiver and G.hn's media access control (MAC) scheme and G.hn's functionalities and mechanisms. Standardisation work on G.hn started in the International Telecommunication Union, Telecommunication (ITU-T) sector in 2006 with a goal to develop a next-generation home networking technology with transceivers capable of operating over all existing types of wires within homes and businesses. The G.hn technology is specified in multiple ITU-T standards. These standards belong to the 'G' family of ITU-T. standards, specifying 'transmission systems and media, digital systems and networks'. The G.hn domain's architecture has the form of a mesh network, in which nodes within a domain can communicate with other nodes in that domain, either directly or via nodes acting as relay nodes. A domain master (DM) is capable of supporting at least 32 registered nodes.
