A powerline adapter is using the wiring of a home as a cabled computer network. You have to have at least two adapters to start out the connection for your network. You plug the first adapter into the router and the other plugs into the Ethernet cable and plug it into the wall socket. The other adapter is plugged into a wall socket, and the other end is plugged into the device you want hooked up to your computer network. You need another adapter for each device you want to plug into your powerline network.
Most of us have Wi-Fi networks that we run in our homes today. Powerline adaptor networks have some advantages over Wi-Fi. The powerline network has more reliability, easier to use, less hacky and runs at more consistent speeds. You can also use a powerline network system as a powerline Wi-Fi extender to areas of your home where Wi-Fi doesn’t reach.
Top 5 Best Powerline Adapters
The TP-LINK TL-WPA4220KIT AV500 Powerline Wi-Fi extender is great for sending 500 Mbps of high-speed transmissions for higher streaming needs like gaming consoles and HD videos. This powerline adapter has a Wi-Fi clone button for easy configuration throughout your home powerline network. Some things to keep in mind; the AV 500 is fairly harder to set-up for some, the Wi-Fi extension is not far enough at times, most times Mbps average around thirty to fifty, and it needs to be rebooted at least once a week.
NETGEAR PL1200-100UKS 1200 Mbps Powerline Ethernet Adapter Home plug comes as a twin pack as well, and you get an I Gb Ethernet port. This powerline adapter is great to use for your more demanding high-speed devices like smart TV’s and gaming systems because of the high rate of powerline speed at twelve hundred Mbps. The powerline network gives the ability to connect sixteen adapters for seamless gaming and streaming high-quality HD video. Some problems encountered were extreme heat in the powerline adapter causing connection issues and freezing. The speeds were not consistent, and powerline Wi-Fi extender seemed not to work longer distances.
TP-LINK TL-PA8030 three gig pass-through powerline network start kit is AV2 compliant and has a transfer rate of 1200 Mbps offer longer range higher transmissions with reliable connection. The 3 Gb ports offer more security for Smart TV’s, game consoles and desktops. Some cons would be only at 40% of boasted speed and have continuous drops of connection.
BT Mini WI-Fi 600 Home Hotspot Powerline Adapter kit comes in a 3 pack and works as a powerline Wi-Fi extender throughout any home. Works well for HD and 3D streaming video and with any broadband available. It has ease of use and set-up and connects to wired or wireless device. Some bad for the BT mini is that the Wi-Fi only extends about 13 feet per room and is dropping network connection regularly.
TP- LINK TL-WPA422oT AV500 Powerline is a Wi-Fi extender, booster and hot spot offered with 2 Ethernet ports as a three pack. It offers a Wi-Fi clone and automatically copies your SSID and password for your router. It provides high-speed data transfer and great to use for gaming, NAS hookup, and computers. Has a nasty drop rate, does not clone properly and a very frustrating set-up.
When choosing a good powerline adapter network for your home doing your homework and knowing what you are going to be using it for will help you make informed decisions. There are pros and cons to all of these powerline networking systems so choosing wisely will save you a lot of time, effort, and money.
