With the help of a powerline network adapter, you can easily ensure that your existing network reaches every corner of your house. This technology relies on the electrical wiring that’s already found in your home and won’t put a strain on the Wi-Fi network. Those who live in larger homes should probably consider investing in this kind of adapter especially if they prefer the superior stability of a wired connection as opposed to Wi-Fi connectivity.
Powerline adapters can be great alternatives to running long Ethernet cables throughout your house. If you’ve decided to buy one, there are a few considerations to keep in mind. Speed matters most because it’s important to get a model with a high enough traffic rating to suit the speed of your internet connection. Another thing to be aware of is the number of extra connections provided by power adapters. For example, some units feature pass-through power outlets. Powerline kits with passthrough power can be more convenient in certain situations.
1. Zyxel 2400 Wave 2 Powerline Kit Plug and Play
Extending your home network is possible if you have the right tool for the job. The Zyxel 2400 Wave is one powerline adapter that enables users to benefit from stable network speeds in the entire house. It comes with a speed rating of 1800Mbps which should cover many different needs. Another great aspect of this model is the plug-and-play operation.
Setting up this adapter is a very user-friendly process and thanks to a reliable pass-through power outlet design, there’s no need to deal with the inconvenience of an occupied outlet. After adding your network devices you can take advantage of strong wired connectivity without having to worry about poor Wi-Fi signals. It’s worth mentioning that this adapter offers Quality of Service (QoS) which smartly adapts the bandwidth to be shared smoothly across all of your devices without a noticeable drop in the overall network performance.
As it relies on advanced MIMO technologies, this powerline adapter should make the network performance feel extremely similar to the usual router connection. The addition of two Gigabit Ethernet ports makes the unit quite versatile. Great to set up and performant enough to handle even 4K video streaming, this Zyxel Powerline Adapter is a very cost-effective powerline adapter kit and that’s why it represents our top choice for this list.
2. NETGEAR 1000Mbps Powerline Adapter Kit
One model that seems to pack all the essential features for a powerline adapter is this NETGEAR. For a reasonable price, it offers 1000Mbps maximum speeds, HomePlug AV2 technology, and one of the fastest set-ups out there. Another aspect that deserves some appreciation is the convenient encryption button.
Using this powerline adapter is only a matter of finding the right electrical outlet and plugging it in. Without any further software installations or other complicated operations, you can connect your network devices and enjoy the superior speed of a wired connection even in a distant room. Thanks to the HomePlug AV2 technology, the adapter can handle Gigabit speeds. With a simple press of a button, the adapter makes the connection safely encrypted.
While this powerline adapter lacks a pass-through power outlet, it encapsulates a good range of features to make it a satisfying option. Taking into account the cost, the NETGEAR could be an easy and affordable solution to connect a wide range of network devices and to benefit from fast 1Gbps speeds. Gamers, in particular, can appreciate a lag-free experience when connecting consoles.
3. TP-Link AV2000 Powerline Adapter With 2 Gigabit Ports
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TP-Link is a very reputable manufacturer of various networking products and their powerline adapters seem to be created in the same reliable manner as their other devices. One model that stands out in particular in terms of cost-effectiveness is the AV2000. Some of the highlights are the 2000Mbps maximum speeds, pass-through design with noise filtering, and QoS traffic prioritization.
Setting up and securing your new extended network connection can be done in just a few easy steps thanks to the ‘Pair’ button which basically does all the work for you. One other design choice that we like is the addition of smart LED indicators which show you the connection strength in clear red or green signals. 4K streaming and gaming isn’t difficult to handle for this adapter as it makes use of a powerful combination of 2×2 MIMO and HomePlug AV2.
Other great abilities are the beamforming for enhancing the network signal and the addition of two Gigabit Ethernet ports for flexible connectivity. Coupled with the ability to reclaim your power outlet and stable QoS-style connections, it’s safe to say that TP-Link did a great job with their AV2000 model. This powerline adapter is recommended if you want a more high-performance set of features at a fair cost.
4. TP-Link AV500 Nano Powerline Adapter
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A more low-cost model from TP-Link is the AV500 Nano. It lacks many of the premium features of the AV500, but it can be a fitting solution for less demanding needs. If your internet connection isn’t very fast there’s no point in getting a high-end powerline adapter so a model like this one with a 500Mbps maximum performance should do the trick.
Those who appreciate a more compact unit will be pleased by the small footprint of this adapter. It comes in a very small housing design with just 28.5mm in thickness. This is good news if you don’t like occupying your wall outlets with bulky devices. One basic but useful feature is the addition of a ‘Pair’ button which makes the operation and encryption process simple to get through even for novices.
You should probably be aware of the 300 meters line limitation of this model. This is not exactly made for very large homes, but it can deliver a reliable connection with speeds comparable to a direct router connection. A patented Power-Saving mode significantly reduces energy consumption when the device is idle. All in all, the TP-Link AV500 is worth a shot if you don’t want to invest too much in a powerline adapter.
5. Extollo LANSocket 1500
The Extollo LANSocket 1500 is less known on the market for powerline adapters but it packs some features worth considering. Its price tag is justified when you take into account the performance for its class. Assuming you have good electrical wiring in your home you can expect network speeds that are very similar to a direct router connection.
Streaming video seems to be one of the specialties of this powerline adapter. This is because it has been enhanced with 512Mbit of DDR memory just for this purpose. It could be a performant solution for gamers that face latency problems when playing via unreliable Wi-Fi. Thanks to the pass-through outlet, this model gives you back the outlet space, and electrical noise is swiftly suppressed.
To extend the network range as much as possible, this powerline adapter works by combining two advanced technologies – MIMO and beamforming. It’s also worth mentioning that creating an expanded and secure home network won’t test your patience. The configuration process is done seamlessly in a plug-and-play manner allowing to take advantage of the adapter right after getting it out of the box. Convenient and performant, the Extollo LANSocket 1500 shouldn’t be missed if you search for a strong features-per-price ratio.
6. TP-Link AV1000 Powerline WiFi Extender
The last TP-Link model that we’ll be looking at is the TL-WPA7510 which works a bit differently as it’s designed to also extend the Wi-Fi in your home aside from wired connections. This powerful kit relies on the Powerline technology to boost the limited coverage of the router. As long as you have a power outlet in that distant room, it can benefit from fast data transfer speeds.
Due to its dual-band Wi-Fi technology, this model maximizes bandwidth throughput and minimizes interferences. There’s a Gigabit Ethernet port which is preferable to use for certain bandwidth-intensive processes such as 4K video streaming. You can expect maximum theoretical speeds of up to 1000Mbps. One feature that deserves a special mention is the Wi-Fi Auto-Sync which simplifies the Powerline experience if you want to add another extender.
Considering the plug-and-play nature and the versatile performance, the final conclusion is definitely positive. The TP-Link TL-WPA7510 deserves a mention on the list of the best powerline adapters. It has some extras like the Wi-Fi extending feature which isn’t found in many models out there and that alone can justify the cost. Having better internet connections regardless of the room is possible with the help of such a reliable device.
7. Linksys Powerline AV PLEK400
If you prefer powerline adapters that also come with attractive looks, check out the Linksys PLEK400. This model comes with a stylish all-black design and some solid features for its cost. It doesn’t boast a massive performance, but it makes up for it in other regards.
Similar to other adapters of this kind, fast wired speeds can be established with ease. The adapter only needs to be plugged in a suitable outlet and connected to the network devices. Connectivity can be expanded for a maximum of 4 devices which is quite generous. With the help of the HomePlug AV2 network standard, you can expect some reasonable data transfer speeds of up to 200Mbps. Use this device like you would a regular Ethernet port without the hassle of having to rewire the entire house.
Although it has some speed limitations, the Linksys PLEK400 represents a good overall solution for a powerline adapter. Device pairing is done quickly and efficiently with a single touch of a button and 128-bit encryption should dispel any safety concerns. All things considered, this device works as intended it and it’s worth investing in one if you wish to add Ethernet capabilities to your existing powerlines.
8. NETGEAR PLP2000 Powerline Adapter Kit
NETGEAR has some well-built powerline adapters to consider and one good example is the PLP2000. As its name seems to imply, it can reach speeds of up to 2000Mbps which should meet the demands of bandwidth-intensive activities such as lag-free online gaming. There are other interesting abilities found in this device that make it worth the expense.
One convenient feature is the pass-through noise-filtered outlet which means you don’t have to sacrifice an important outlet to expand your network connectivity. There are two Gigabit Ethernet ports provided which makes it easy to add your favorite network devices. Improved performance coverage is achieved in part thanks to the HomePlug AV2 technology, but the feature that contributes the most is MIMO with Beamforming capabilities.
In terms of security, this powerline adapter comes with convenient one-button encryption. The same level of convenience is provided for the set-up process which is incredibly straightforward. One disadvantage of this model is the bulky design which kind of defeats the purpose of the pass-through outlet as its large footprint can obscure the other free outlet. Still, when you factor in the performance and flexibility, the NETGEAR PLP2000 can still represent a decent choice for a powerline adapter.