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Powerline Ethernet Adapter

Extend your Ethernet at home through your electric wall sockets

Tips

  • Powerline supports distances up to 300m.
  • Try buy one with a pass-through outlet (also cuts out data noise)
  • Look out for Gigabit Ethernet ports for the fastest transfers. Most quality Powerline adapters go for this standard, but entry-level 500Mbs adapters often have the slower 10/100 Ethernet ports.
  • some have a Wi-Fi hotspot, which is superior to Wi-Fi extenders

Pros & Cons

Cons

  • Powerline adapters need to plug directly into AC wall sockets and nothing in-between.
  • Phone chargers & microwaves interfere with signals over electrical current

Pros

  • excellent option for hard-to-cable structures or too costly installations
  • no need for extra cabling, take it with you when you move.

Speed

Outbrain consumer testing reported a 200Mbps Powerline achieves speeds between 20 and 90Mbps, while 500Mbps kits reach speeds between 20 and 200Mbps.

e.g. a Gigabit 1,300Mbps fastest real-world speed was 115Mbps

  • TP-Link AV1300 top speed was 410Mbps (same wall)
  • few walls away
    • TP-Link AV1300 (100Mbps)
    • Solwise SmartLink 1200AV2: (107Mbps)
    • Devolo 1200 (104Mbps).
    • TP-Link 300Mbps AV500 (68Mbps average, up to 92)

portable
minimalism