Home networking purchases are driven by demographics, technological advances, convenience, and the increased number of people working at home. This report provides detailed analysis of the home networking market, as well as consumer attitudes and behavior based on Mintel’s unique research.

In-depth discussion of important issues in home networking includes:

• America’s youth and students will become early adopters of home networking technology and will help drive growth in the near future. Hispanics, Asians and Pacific Islanders are especially interested in home networking, especially relating to entertainment.
• Wireless living has developed to include a wide range of products and services for communication, computing, and entertainment. Wireless access is even commonplace in retail establishments.
• Availability of entertainment content online will drive demand for more reliable home networks. This demand will push manufacturers and service providers to establish industry standards and products that meet current consumer needs.
• Consumers want home networking systems that are easy to install and maintain, and many find the task challenging. Males and consumers aged 18-24 are the most comfortable with the new technologies, while women express a need for more assistance.

Additionally, the report explores how consumers are networking their homes (how many devices they have networked, in which rooms, and what types of service providers they are using), and the direction in which the home networking market is heading.

As defined in this report, a home network is used to connect at least one PC to another device in the home for sharing files or printers, and a single connection to the Internet. Products covered include home computers, printers, modems, routers, Internet service providers, and entertainment electronics.