Powerline Networking

[Nahte]

Powerline Networking (networking through your existing home power outlets) looks to be a possible alternative to a home LAN, but the question I have is: can it work to network with your neighbor who lives in the the house next door?
The best answer I can find so far (which seems to be "no"), from sites that hype it, is that it is relatively secure because the signal cannot get past the transformers up on the power poles.
Does anyone know if this technology can be used to connect houses (and not just rooms within a house and without running extension cords)? My friend (who lives next door) and I would like to hook up our computers, but a wireless network is tough because of trees blocking line of sight
Any ideas on the restrictions of powerline networking?

 

[Cerian]

How far apart are the computers you want to network?

 

[upec]

Wireless network does not require line of sight. You only need to worried about how far the computers are.

 

[Nahte]

The houses that we want to network are about 1/4 of a mile apart as the crow flies (rural area), which is not a problem with a wireless setup using homemade waveguide antennas, except that there are trees (and trees and trees) between the houses which we do not have permission to cut down. So, a wireless idea is out, without using tall towers to get over the trees.

My question to the forum is whether or not Powerline Networking can extend 1/2 mile (as the powerline runs - we measured) down the road to another house.

My thinking is that the signal would not get that far due to noise, distortion, signal strength, etc, but I haven't had confirmation that it wouldn't.

thanks