Netgear XE102 Powerline Ethernet Adapter Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I looked forward to excellent performance from these devices as an alternative to running additional cable in my home, based on the generally good reviews on this site. The devices seemed to work well, right out of the box, for distances of two rooms away. However, they would lose connection whenever the computer was turned off and then turned back on later. The only way to restore ethernet input to my computer was to unplug and plug in again the nearest XE102. This is not the unsatisfactory reliability my wife and I desire from our internet connection. Even when the two adaptors were plugged into AC receptacles in the same room (as a best-case test), they would not continue to provide ethernet input to my computer if it was turned off and then on again later. My attempt at telephone support from Netgear was fruitless ("call back later"). When I used their online service center, I initially received a general list of possible problems back, but nothing that addressed this specific problem. When I asked for more specific help, after five days I finally received a response which said the problem I reported was "a limitation of the devices." In other words, this was the best performance I could expect.

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For a truly simple way to bring the Internet to any room in your home, look no further than NETGEAR's Wall-Plugged Ethernet Bridge. It plugs into an electrical outlet and uses your existing electrical wiring to give your entire household access to your Cable/DSL connection. With no expensive new wiring or cabling to install, your family can surf the Web, participate in online gaming, send and receive e-mail, and share files and printers, all from different rooms at the same time. Uncomplicated and very quick to install, it plugs right into a wall outlet, reducing clutter and saving valuable desk space. Designed for ease of use, it has new, easy-to-read icon LEDs, and protects your network communications from eavesdroppers and hackers, while not increasing your electricity bill.Networks your PCs and shares a Cable/DSL Internet connection using existing 110V electrical outlets in your home. Automatic rate adaption chooses the best data rate depending on the level of interference caused by other electrical appliances. Compatible with 10 Mbps or 10/100 Mbps Ethernet products, and it also works seamlessly with NETGEAR Cable/DSL routers.Boasts Ethernet-like data rates of up to 14 Mbps. Works across multiple phases and circuit breakers to provide complete coverage in your home. Ensures privacy and security over the Powerline network with 56-Bit Data Encryption Standard (DES).Saves both time and money, since there's no expensive new wiring to install or modify. Plugs directly into your wall outlets, preserving valuable desk space, and works with two and three-prong standard 110 volt electrical outlets. Allows you to remotely connect popular gaming consoles to your cable/DSL Internet connection, and features distinctive status LEDs.

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NETGEAR WGXB102NA Wireless G Router Wall Pg Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I use a wireless router in the house with great success. However, the range is pretty weak or my house is too big, and I am pretty sure it's not the latter. As a result, I researched a variety of solutions, none of which seemed too appealing to implement (bridges, wireless range extenders, new RF antenna, etc). It just all seemed too complicated, and I consider myself pretty tech savvy.
Fortunately, I was reading through some tech reviews and stumbled upon the Netgear Wireless wall-plugged router kit. It seemed like it was pretty simple to setup and easy to use. Well, I can report that it is exactly that.
There is no software to install at all. You simply plug in the ethernet cable from the cable modem in one room into the Netgear plug and then plug that into the wall. Check that all three green lights are lit and you are good to go.
The next step is to take the second half of the Netgear plug into the desired room in the house and plug it into an electric socket. When its three lights are lit, you have a connection and are good to go in there. My laptop computer picked up wireless signal immediately and I was surfing the web in no time flat. Basically, it was flawless.
So, WHY am I am only giving it four stars? Two reasons:
First, the wireless range of the Netgear plug is pretty weak. It definitely doesn't have the power of my main wireless modem. Then again, it doesn't have an antenna AND it still works, so it's no big deal; it's just not perfect.
Second, the Netgear plugs need to be plugged in somewhat near each other to function correctly and get the Homelink green light to turn green. When the Netgear plugs were plugged in on opposite ends of the house (what I was hoping for to maximize range), it did not achieve a homelink connection. However, when I moved the plugs to outlets that were closer together (but still outside my wireless routers range), it DID work. So, partial credit again here. While I cna't explain why it did not work, perhaps the electrical homelink signal degrades the farther the outlets are apart.
Anyway, everything is working pretty smoothly now and I am excited that I can get a signal in another area of the house that was not covered by internet previously.

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The NETGEAR WGXB102 Powerline Wireless Range Extender includes everything you need to provide wireless access to an existing network using only power outlets. You can now extend an internet connection to even the farthest reaches of your home without a tangled mess of cables.
Elegant Design and Simple to Install The WGXB102 is a kit that comes with two devices, the Wireless Range Extender (WGX102) and the Powerline Network Bridge (XE102).
The WGX102 is a small silver-colored box with rounded edges that has no wires or ports of any sort. Installation is truly plug and play: simply plug the device into the outlet and you have a wireless network originating from that spot.
The XE102 is a similarly shaped box that connects from an existing wired or wireless router to the power line. It then sends a network connection between connected NETGEAR Powerline devices. In addition to the included WGX102, other compatible devices include NETGEAR's XE104, XE103, XEPS103, and XE102, all sold separately.
Fast and Secure The WGX102 complies with both the Homeplug 1.0 and 802.11g wireless standards for compatibility with a wide range of devices. Since 802.11g is backwards compatible with 802.11b, you don't have to worry about your older devices that might not yet support the newer standard. The WGX102 supports 64-bit and 128-bit WEP encryption as well as WPA so you can be sure your data is safe from prying eyes. Additionally, it has VPN (IP-Sec and PPTP) passthrough, as well as the option to turn Wireless SSID broadcast on and off.
The NETGEAR WGXB102 Powerline Wireless Range Extender is backed by a 2-year warranty.
What's in the Box WGX102 wireless range extender, XE102 Powerline network bridge, ethernet cable, two setup CDs, installation guide, and warranty/support information card.

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Cisco-Linksys PLUSB10 Instant PowerLine USB Adapter Review

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(More customer reviews)I have one computer that has Winme and the other that has XP. I have has these adapters for around 1-2yrs and niether one of my computers ever had a problem with them.

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ZyXEL NBG318S 200 Mbps HomePlug AV Powerline Router w/4Port Fast Ethernet Switch and PLA401 200 Mbps Powerline Wall-plug Adapter (Starter Kit) Review

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(More customer reviews)I needed wireless coverage to extend to the front yard and bedroom of my home. I bought this, plugged in my current wireless modem the powerline adapter, then plugged in the new wireless router in my front room. It synched in seconds. I returned to my computer to set the WAP password. Piece of cake. Very simple. This was exactly what I needed.

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Innoband HomePlug AV Wireless N Starter Kit Review

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(More customer reviews)The Good: Bridges Ethernet devices and extends Wi-Fi coverage using *existing power lines*. Performance is exceptional.
The Bad: Setup is less than straightforward. Documentation is limited.
The Ugly: The 210P-I1 access point's antenna is poorly designed and fragile.
I purchased this product because Wi-Fi reception in my kitchen (which has a lot of stainless steel cabinets and is far away from our Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Router) is poor.
Before setting up the Innoband HomePlug Kit, laptop reception in the kitchen was bad but tolerable. However, a Logitech Squeezebox Duet Wi-Fi Internet Radio we purchased recently was unusable. We had to walk out of the kitchen to use the Squeezebox Controller, and the Receiver in the kitchen simply couldn't keep up with the streaming audio. Synching with our older Squeezebox was impossible because both players would cut out for seconds at a time.
When I purchased the HomePlug Kit, I was worried that ethernet over power lines simply wouldn't work or would perform so poorly that it wouldn't be useful. I was also concerned that the 210P-I1 access point would be annoying to configure or incompatible with my 802.11g devices. Finally, I was taking a chance by buying an unreviewed product from a company that I didn't recognize.
But the HomePlug Kit does just what it is advertised to do. Namely, it bridges Ethernet devices and extends wireless coverage over existing power lines. And it does so with exceptional performance--better, it feels like, than my existing wireless network. In fact, after the 210P-I1 access point had been running for a few minutes, all 5 of the devices that had been using my router's Wi-Fi selected the 210P-I1--automatically.
My one major complaint about the HomePlug Kit is the 210P-I1 access point's fragile antenna, which I managed to snap within moments of removing the device from its packaging. The break is only cosmetic (the wiring is intact even though its housing was comepletely separated from the unit) so I decided to use some super glue rather than go through the hassle of a return. But I hope Innoband will address this design flaw in future revisions of the product.
My second, lesser complaint is that although Innoband effectively promises a plug-and-play configuration, the experience is in truth less straightforward. The main issue I found is that the 210P-I1 access point was not configured to work with my home network (it was using a different subnet and wireless network). Which isn't really that surprising, but I had to exercise some trial-and-error in order to get everything configured as desired.
In order to integrate the 210P-I1 with my home network, I had to:
1. Connect my laptop via the supplied Ethernet cable to the 210P-I1.
2. Configure my laptop for the same subnet as the 210P-I1:
IP Address: 192.168.1.1
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.1.210
3. Connect a web browser to http://192.168.1.210.
4. Reconfigure the 210P-I1 with an IP address on my home network.
A. Click "Lan Setting" [sic]
B. Enter an IP address from my home network (e.g., 192.168.0.NNN for addresses ranging from 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.0.255)*
C. Click "Apply"
* Your specific configuration may vary.
5. Reconfigure my laptop for my home network's subnet. Generally this just means using DHCP, but you can use a static configuration like:
IP Address: 192.168.0.NNN
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.0.XXX
6. Connect a web browser to http://192.168.0.NNN (i.e., the IP address configured in step #4).
7. Reconfigure the 210P-I1's SSID to match my router's existing SSID.
A. Click "Wireless Settings"
B. Change "Network Name(SSID)" [sic] from "innoband" to "mywifi".
C. Click "Apply"
8. Ensure that my router's wireless channel and the 210P-I1's do *not* overlap.
A. Channels 1, 6, and 11 do not overlap
B. The 210P-I1 access point is already configured to use channel 6
C. I reconfigured my router to use channel 11
9. Ensure that my router uses the same encryption and secret as the 210P-I1.
A. Click "Wireless Settings"
B. Click "Security"
C. Choose the "Security Mode" (WEP or WAP) that matches my router's
D. Enter the WEP key or WAP pass phrase that matches my router's
E. Click "Apply"
Admittedly that's a lot of configuration (and the documentation doesn't cover it adequately), but in the end the Innoband HomePlug Kit does exactly what I need it to do. Which is more than I can say for a lot of products I come across.
I plan on ordering another 200P-I1 (the wired device) to bridge more A/V devices like the Samsung BD-P1600 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player.
p.s., Innoband included a black knit watch cap with the HomePlug Kit they sent me. This was a nice gesture (and not a bad cap either).

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Belkin 200 Mbps Powerline 3-Port Adapter (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)This worked better for me than my wireless but wasn't as good has hardwired. I did several test of transferring a 101MB file from one PC to another on my LAN. I had one PC upstairs on my 2nd level and one PC on my ground level. The two outlets I used for the Belkin 200 Mbps Powerline 3-Port Adapter were on a different circuit breaker (I never did do speed test on the same breaker to compare those speeds). When using the Belkin 200 Mbps Powerline 3-Port Adapter it averaged transferring this file across my LAN in around 30 seconds, so around 3.4 MB/s or (27.2 Mbps). The highest transfer speed I saw in my test was 5.0 MB/s (or 40 Mbps). As you can see nowhere near the claimed 200 Mbps. I also tested copying this same file over my wireless network using a linksys wrt54gs router and linksys wpc54gs wireless PCMCIA card. The wireless connection averaged transferring the 101MB file in about 1 minutes 15 seconds, so around 1.3 MB/s (or 10.4 Mbps). The highest transfer speed I saw in my test over wireless was 2.3 MB/s or 18.4 Mbps. When I transferred this 101MB file over a hardwired LAN cable it averaged at about 17 seconds, so around 6.0 MB/s (or 48 Mbps). I forgot to check the highest transfer rate I saw in this test. I also tested copying over a large file of 1.54GB on my LAN with the Belkin 200 Mbps Powerline 3-Port Adapter and did see a better average time with transferring this larger file. I averaged copying this file in 5 minutes and 54 seconds, so about 4.4 MB/s (or 35.2 Mbps). I bought this device to connect to my PS3, and it has worked well for me so far. I also have PS3 Media Server installed on one of my PC's upstairs and it is able to stream video to my PS3 downstairs rather well, something the wireless connection I was using previous to buying the Belkin Adapter struggled with sometimes. I can now stream HD content from my media center PC from upstairs to my PS3. Another big plus is that I didn't have to drill any holes in the walls to run a LAN cable downstairs.

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If you need multiple ultra-high-speed network connections in the farthest reaches of your home, the Belkin Powerline AV+ Starter Kit is just what you've been looking for. This kit includes everything you need to create three network connections that provide data speeds of up to 200 Mbps using your home's existing electrical wiring.
Create a Small Office in Your Attic With the Belkin Powerline AV+ Starter Kit, you can send high-bandwidth content from the Internet to computers and network devices all over your home through the electrical wiring in your house. This kit lets you convert any electrical outlet in your home into three network connections.

This kit is the perfect solution for setting up an office with multiple network devices. For instance, if you'd like to set up a work space in the attic or another room where a wireless signal is weak, the Powerline AV+ makes networking simple. You don't need to drill holes to extend Ethernet cable, and you won't have to worry about the slow data speeds and intermittent dropouts that weak wireless connections are plagued with. Additionally, unlike wireless connections, the Powerline network connection isn't affected by factors such as cordless telephones and other wireless interference.

There is no performance penalty that comes with the convenience of the Powerline AV; data speeds along at up to 200 Mbps, meaning it can handle even heavy Internet usage, such as downloading and streaming music and video files, playing online games, and making VoIP phone calls, all without any lag time or hiccups.

Enhanced Security Keeps Out Snoopers There is no need to worry about security either; with 128-bit DES link encryption, the Powerline AV ensures that your information is safe and secure from intruders. Since the information is all transferred with wires, hackers can't simply sniff your information out of the air, as they easily can with insecure wireless connections.

Simple Plug-and-Play Setup Setup is as simple as plugging one adapter into a wall outlet and connecting it into your router, and then plugging the other adapter into an outlet where you need multiple network connections. This kit includes two adapters: one adapter has a single port to connect to your cable modem, and the second adapter has three ports so you can create multiple network connections. If you have need for another connection, just purchase an additional adapter.

The Belkin Powerline AV+ is HomePlug AV certified, can coexist with HomePlug 1.0, and is compliant with 802.3/802.3u standards. It is backed by a lifetime warranty.

What's in the Box Two Powerline Networking Adapters (one single-port, one three-port), two Ethernet cables, two power cords, two wall plug adapters, quick installation guide, and CD-ROM with installation software and user manual.



Belkin Powerline AV with Amazon Video on DemandWith Amazon Video on Demand, you can instantly watch thousands of movies and TV shows online. Now, instead of watching videos on your computer, you can stream it to your home theater for a premium viewing experience. To get the best streaming video quality, update your home theater and home network by adding Belkin Powerline AV to your Amazon Video on Demand. Belkin Powerline offers the best bandwidth and fastest speeds for the ultimate video experience in your home--even in HD. Belkin Powerline is simple to install and faster than any wireless connection--just plug it in and instantly connect to the Internet. Use Powerline to stream high quality video to cable boxes, TiVo, or gaming consoles and show Amazon Video on Demand programs in your home theater as well as any other TV or computer in your home.

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Panasonic BL-PA100A HD-PLC Ethernet Adaptor Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Note that this package has only one adapter. You need at least two adapters for them to be useful. I own three of these.
The configuration of my third adapter took me all of 5 mins. I am currently using it as I type.
Pros:
Very easily to configure.
Very reliable.
Low latency and high bandwidth. This is reliable enough for my gaming: Warcraft 3, World of Warcraft.
Cons:
Very expensive.
I may buy one more. I really like these adapters.

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Panasonic BL-PA100KTA Ethernet Adaptor Starter Pack Includes two HD-PLC (High Definition Power Communication) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I researched competing products from DLink and NetGear online and read numerous reviews. Any of the HD-PLC products should perform similarly in the same situation. Before deciding on a powerline Ethernet product be sure to understand that the quality of your home wiring and the distance the signal must travel all can affect the performance of the product. Poor quality wiring or very long electrical runs may limit performance.
What I liked most about the Panasonic product is that the kit which includes two units is preconfigured, so it works right out of the box without any special configuration. I didn't have to install ANY software to get my network running. I plugged in one unit to my Internet router, and the other unit into a power outlet in a nearby office. Once I connected the Ethernet cable, I was up and running. It was really that easy.
One nice thing with this unit is that you can run a speed test from the unit itself, with the front LED's displaying the estimated network performance. This was handy as I tried different outlet combinations to acheive the best performance. As a side note, I found that plugging the "Master" unit into an outlet as close as possible to the breaker box yeilded the best results. By putting the master as close to the break box as possible (electrica wiring distance) I was able to get a much better signal. I have the master unit in a downtairs room that is about 40' from the breaker box, and the secondary unit in an upstairs office that is about 65' feet from the breaker box.
Note that any powerline Ethernet product is susceptible to interference from other devices. Pay attention to the manual regarding the types of devies that can cause interference, and avoid ever pluggint the device into a surge protector, since that will greatly limit performance.
An additional nice feature of the Panasonic unit compared with DLink and NetGear is that the unit has a power cable. This allows me to plug it into "hidden" outlets, and then place the box in an easy to reach location. Both the NetGear and DLink products are a box that plugs directly into the outlet. This makes them more difficult to access, especially if you want to look at the box to see what it is doing. I like that the Panasonic can sit nicely on the corner of my desk and I can see the lights. I also suspect that the Panasonic will operate cooler since it can be placed in locations where there is air flow all around the unit.
Performance will vary by house and situation. I have a gigabit network switch that connects my machine directly to a server. When I copy a 50 megabyte file to my server using Windows XP, it takes 8 to 9 seconds to copy a 50 megabyte file. Running the same 50 megabyte file copy to a machine on the HD-PLC network connection took about 27 seconds. This seems to be pretty good performance overall. Note that "speed test" is only as good as what is being tested. My test was a real world test under Windows XP copying a 50 megabyte ZIP file.

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NETGEAR WGX102 54 Mbps Wall-Plugged Wireless Range Extender Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased 3 of these devices to set up a wireless network at one of my customers. I have been setting up networks for six years and I have set up many wired and wireless networks. The basic marketing material sound great, like it will work very well. However, the user documentation is woefully inadequate except for the reference guide which you must download from Netgear web site. Once you have the guide, you will find out how to enable WEP encryption or change the IP address on the unit. It all sounds easy, except for one thing, it doesn't work! The software can find the units on the powerline network but is incredibly flaky in connecting to those units. For example, you can ping the device a few times but then it doesn't ping for 5 minutes or so, then it does. If you make changes using the software, changing the units IP address for example, then click on apply, often that is the time it cannot connect. Then you can't ping the old address or the new one. So, you have to press the reset button and start over. The building that I set this network up in was built in the last 5 years, so the electrical wiring is up to code and not creating the problem.
The basic Netgear setup assumes that you don't have more than one device (they all default to the same IP address and it's very time consuming to change the address because the connection is so flaky!)and you don't care about enabling any encryption. Yeah, that's great if you want to give your neighbors wireless access to your computer and your web connection. I don't think most people would want to do that. I worked with 3 units and a wireless bridge device (the required Netgear XE102) for about 5 hours and could get it to work but only on an unacceptably intermittent basis. I would strongly recommend that you not buy this product since it will only create a lot of frustration and suck up lots of your time and then, not work consistently. Or you could just use it without any encryption or security. Uh, wait a minute, you probably shouldn't do that!

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The NETGEAR WGX102 54 Mbps Wall-Plugged Wireless Range Extender makes it easy to create a wireless network anywhere you have an electrical outlet. This makes it feasible to extend an internet connection to even the farthest reaches of your home without a tangled mess of cables.
Elegant Design and Simple to Install The WGX102 is a small silver-colored box with rounded edges that has no wires or ports of any kind. Installation is truly plug and play: simply plug the device into the outlet and you have a wireless network originating from that spot.
Note that the use of this device requires the separately sold NETGEAR XE102 Wall-Plugged Ethernet Bridge, which connects from an existing wired or wireless router to the power line.
Fast and Secure The WGX102 complies with both the Homeplug 1.0 and 802.11g wireless standards for compatibility with a wide range of devices. Since 802.11g is backwards compatible with 802.11b, you don't have to worry about your older devices that might not yet support the newer standard. The WGX102 supports 64-bit and 128-bit WEP encryption as well as WPA so you can be sure your data is safe from prying eyes.
The NETGEAR WGX102 54 Mbps Wall-Plugged Wireless Range Extender is backed by a 1-year warranty.
What's in the Box WGX102 54 Mbps wall-plugged wireless range extender, resource CD, installation guide, ethernet cable, warranty/support information card, and "read me" flyer.

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Siemens HOMEPLUG/POWERLINE MINI ( 936-2521-001 ) Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased the Siemens 2521, 2501 and 2502 Powerline adapters and connected them to the outlets in my home, (which is less than five years old). The setup was easy but the included instruction guide stated little more than "plug it in".
The problems began when I installed the included configuration software on my three computers equipped with WINDOWS ME and discovered that the utility program either froze Windows or took close to 2 minutes to start. The SpeedStream Support staff is aware of the problem and told me that "the programmers at Efficient Networks are working on it".
But the biggest issue I have is that none of the three Powerline products will stay connected for more than 10 minutes! I have tried changing outlets and even tried hooking up the adapters at my friend's house but these things simply refuse to maintain a connection.
Bottom line: Unless you enjoy loosing your network connection and having to get up and reset adapters every ten minutes, stay away from Siemens Powerline products...at least for now.

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Panasonic High Definition Power Line Communication Ethernet Adaptor Review

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(More customer reviews)My wireless signal does not reach all of the house, so I bought a pair of these power-line ethernet connections for where I need a strong steady signal. Also use one to link our Blue-Ray DVD player with the internet, and avoid costly and difficult to install wireless connections.
Could not be happier with the product. Constantly on for months with no need to tweek or restart. Installation was so simple I thought I did it wrong the first time... only took two minutes to sync all three units.

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NETGEAR XE102 Wall-Plugged Ethernet Bridge Review

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(More customer reviews)I tested these between the two units in a duplex apartment building. Each apartment has its own electrical meter and main panel, although they share the same 240Volt service from the street. Result: Works great! The speeds varied slightly depending on the outlets into which these were plugged, but were always much faster than my 3 Mb/s cable modem connection, and were also consistently faster than 802.11b wireless. Supposedly, the connection quality is not limited by distance, and the signal travels just fine across circuit breakers, fuses, and even between the two 120V legs of a 240V service connection, as I confirmed. In a big building, or one with many obstructions, wireless is a hit-or-miss solution, whereas this seems to be rock-solid.

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The NETGEAR XE102 Wall-Plugged Ethernet Bridge lets you easily extend a network using just the existing electric lines of your home, eliminating the need to run unsightly Ethernet wires all over your house or apartment.
True Plug and Play Installation To extend a network using the electric lines in your home, you need two XE102 units. Simply plug one of them into a wall outlet and connect it to your router with an Ethernet cord. Plug the second one into any wall outlet that is electrically connected to the first and you have an instant Ethernet port to plug a computer, gaming console, or other networkable device with an RJ-45 Ethernet plug. You can create as many network connections as you need by connecting more XE102 units. The device has easy-to-read icon LEDs for status information at a glance.
The XE102 has a 10BASE-T Ethernet jack and supports the 10 Mbps HomePlug 1.0 standard. It uses Forward Error Correction (FEC) and Automatic channel adaptation to ensure the integrity of the data. In order to enable encryption, you need a computer with Windows XP, 2000, ME or 98.
The NETGEAR XE102 Wall-Plugged Ethernet Bridge is backed by a 3-year warranty.
What's in the Box XE102 Wall-Plugged Ethernet Bridge, installation guide, Ethernet cable, resource CD, and warranty/support information card.

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NETGEAR Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter Kit XAVB2501 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)When I saw this item, I leapt at the opportunity to get my hands on a set of these, in hopes that this Netgear Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter Kit would give me a stronger Internet connection than I was getting wirelessly to my Wii. I've only just recently begun subscribing to Netflix, and the signal that I've been getting wirelessly has left something to be desired with regards to image quality of downloaded media from the Instant queue.
When I received my package, I couldn't wait to get these in place and put them to use. Luckily for me, setting these up was a breeze. The adapters themselves are pretty tall, and fairly wide, as you probably determined by the photo - about 2.5" wide, 5" tall, and about 1.75" deep. They fit VERY snugly into the outlets (I placed each of mine in the bottom outlet, so I could still access the top outlet), so be prepared to apply a little force to the adapters if you're trying to get them into outlets that are in an awkward spot to get to.
The instructions also clearly state that these adapters need to be placed in the wall outlets themselves, NOT into a power strip that items are then connected to. Looking at them, it's pretty obvious to me that the recommendations are wisely made. I simply wouldn't want to fry these adapters out if I put them into an outlet that didn't look adequate for them. So, I unplugged the power strip that I'd had plugged into each outlet that the adapters were going to be occupying, connected one of the enclosed Ethernet cables to each adapter, popped the adapters into the outlets, looked for the LED indicators that showed that these were working well where I'd put them, plugged the power strips into each adapter's built-in outlet (ingenious!), and I was in business! It was then as simple as connecting the Ethernet cable from the adapter near my computer to a port on my wireless router, and then connecting the Ethernet cable from the adapter near my entertainment center to my Wii and its LAN USB adapter, to create the network connection.
When I first got my Wii and was considering my Wii-Internet connectivity options, I'd thought about buying a ridiculously long Ethernet cable to wind around my apartment and its walls, and the challenge it would be to staple/nail around the cord to keep it in place. I could've done that, but I knew how unsightly it would be, so I opted to go for the wireless router that I now have (and still use and enjoy), and connected my Wii to the 'net that way. It was more than adequate, too, until I started my Netflix subscription, and could literally see that my wireless signal was lacking, for Netflix-viewing purposes. Thanks to this adapter kit and a Wii-compatible LAN adapter, though, I've now got the best picture that I've seen on the Netflix Instant queue accessed through my Wii, and a super-strong connection to the Internet with it. Long story short, I couldn't be more pleased by just how well these adapters do what they say they will. I remember originally thinking, "there's no way that these things can make an Internet connection without them being directly connected to each other with a cable." Netgear, you've proven me wrong, and I'm thrilled that you did! Two thumbs up!
* UPDATE*
It's knocking on a year after my install of these NETGEAR Powerline AV+200 adapters, and I'm still happily using them. Perhaps even better, I'm still LOVING them! They continue to provide a strong and consistent signal to my Wii, which I still use daily to watch TV/movies on via Netflix.
If you happen to be having any viewing quality issues, be sure that you've got fast enough Internet service. The NETGEAR adapters will transmit everything they possibly can, as reliably as they can, but if your Internet is just not fast enough, your viewing quality might be a bit on the grainy/pixellated side. I had been using such low-grade Internet when I initially installed these that it wasn't even listed in my cable provider's options - I had to specifically request it in a sales call with them - but I've since bumped my service up to one of the top two options, and that totally fixed the issues that I had with viewing quality.
These NETGEAR adapters were great last May when I first got them, and, eight months later, they're still keeping my entertainment center up-to-date with the latest technology, and doing so beautifully! Good stuff!

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NETGEAR's Powerline AV 200 Adapter extends a high speed Internet connection to any power outlet (2 units required, can purchase 2 unit kit in part# XAVB2001) , Perfect for connecting HDTVs, Blu-ray players, DVRs, PCs and game consoles to your home network and the Internet, Compact design with push-button security, Just plug into any electrical outlet.NETGEAR Green Features: Automatically powers down when not connected or not in use, Disable LEDs to help save energy,Packaging manufactured with at least 95% recycled materials.Disclaimers:1 Requires use of HomePlug AV compatible Powerline devices (two XAV2001 devices included).

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Cisco-Linksys PLEBR10 Powerline To Ethernet Bridge Review

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(More customer reviews)As a networking "internals" guy, I was shocked to find that this product is fundamentally broken at the network layer.
What people are complaining about here is that the device suddenly stops working and must be unplugged and plugged back in again.
This is because the device is trying to be too smart, and is losing track of which power-line modules connect to which computers. Unfortunately, in doing so, it prevents the network-level broadcast facilities from working. The broadcast facility I'm talking about most (ARP, the address resolution protocol) would have automatically corrected the problem if the Linksys box wasn't so broken.
In essence, for all you tech guys and gals, is that a learning bridge should never "learn" the broadcast address.
If you have only PCs, and you load the Linksys driver, they do some magic to keep the devices from falling over dead... But if you mix in a non-pc (Linux, UNIX, Macintosh) using a hub off the end of your power-line device, you're guaranteed to be frustrated.
The symptoms are that some of the network works (whatever was working before the bridge tables got corrupted) and others stop working with no explanation. The box "selectively" forwards traffic, and becomes deaf to other traffic.
It's like being at a cocktail party, and having every third person not be able to hear you, and saying "Over here!" (as ARP does) doesn't help either.
Ugh. In my experience, this is somewhat typical of Linksys products... If you have a windows PC, you're fine. If you have anything else, they won't talk to you.
I switched to the Siemens power-line module, and it has been working just fine for me.

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The Linksys Instant PowerLine EtherFast10/100 Bridge offers a complete Internet connection solution for your home powerline network. The PowerLine Bridge makes sharing your broadband access easier than ever. Build a strong and simple-to-use home network by taking advantage of the most pervasive home networking mediumpowerlines.The PowerLine Bridge is ideal for users who already have a router. It can be plugged into an Ethernet port on a router to equip a network with powerline capabilities and take advantage of the routers features. The PowerLine Bridge can also plug directly into a cable or DSL modem to allow Internet access and data transfer rates up to 14Mbps over home powerlines.With the PowerLine Bridge, create a network in no time at all to share an Internet connection (a router may be required), files, and printers, or even play multi-user network games at blazingly fast speeds. Its easy, convenient, and cost-effective.

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ZyXEL PLA470 200 Mbps Powerline HomePlug AV Desktop Adapter with Built-In 4-Port 10/100 Fast Ethernet Switch Review

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(More customer reviews)It's true that HomePlug AV nodes cannot intercommunicate with HomePlug 1.0 nodes. ZyXEL and most, if not all, other HomePlug AV hardware manufacturers are derelict in not pointing out that fact. As an engineer who works with HomePlug almost full-time, I know that AV kicks 1.0's tail in terms of bitrate versus SNR. That doesn't excuse ZyXEL's dereliction, but it gives you cause to ponder retiring your HomePlug 1.0 hardware and replacing it with HomePlug AV hardware. Even if you think you won't benefit sufficiently from HomePlug AV's nominal 14x bitrate improvement, you might need AV's ability to reach more electrical outlets in your building with a bitrate that is usable for your application.
There's another compatibility matter to be aware of. When I examined a new PLA-470 the other day, I was disappointed, but not surprised, to find that the version of firmware installed in the HomePlug AV chipset is an old, pre-standard version, 1.4.5, that is not truly HomePlug-AV compliant and, more importantly, that cannot intercommunicate with subsequent firmware versions. I have not checked to see whether ZyXEL provides the means to upgrade the firmware of the HomePlug-AV chipset. The newest version is 3.0.5. For more detail on the topic of HomePlug-AV-chipset firmware, see my review of the Linksys PLE200.

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NETGEAR MCAB1001 MoCA Coax-Ethernet Adapter Kit (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been waiting for the Netgear MoCA Kit for awhile now. There were other solutions, but I had high hopes for this model. As it turns out, it was worth the wait.
First things first, installation was a snap. I followed the instructions and all status lights were on and I was able to use a computer on the other end within minutes. Awesome, but now the TVs were not working. I went into the configuration and turned off All Pass and the problem was fixed. There were also options to adjust frequency, but I did not have to go that far. My setup includes a cable box and DVR and the MoCA works great with them. I'll be adding a small switch to allow for connecting gaming consoles and other devices soon.
I have not tested the transfer speeds extensively, although the Adapters are saying they are at 252 Mbps (out of a max of 270 Mbps). I do have some doubts that the speed is that high, but it's not too far off. Files transferred quickly and I was streaming photos, music, and videos from my home server within minutes to my HDTV in the other room. While I did not test all kinds of video file types, I was able to stream 720p and 1080i without trouble and no lag at all. Of course, if you had other devices pulling bandwidth, then it might be an issue.
You receive 2 coax cables and 2 ethernet cables in the kit. However, it would have been nice to have the cables a bit longer. The configuration pages are fairly straight-forward. Although, it requires you to hook a computer directly up to the devices in order to access the setup options, which isn't a big deal because after you get it going I don't really think you will be doing any additional configuration. The lights on the front of the adapters are a bright blue, but you can turn them off by hitting a button on the back. The units appear to stay relatively cool, but do warm up a bit when you are passing traffic through them heavily. It's nothing abnormal though.
Overall, this setup is highly recommended for those that do not want to run CAT5 through their house. The cost is decent and the setup is very easy. The units provide you with an easy solution for providing network access to your HDTV, gaming console, or other devices.
UPDATE 1/2/2010: It's been almost eight months since buying and installing the Netgear MoCA kit and I am providing this as an update to my review. I have been using them to stream media (video, music, photos) from my home server to my HDTV on another floor. I have also added a small switch and an Xbox 360 along with the HDTV. Streaming has been going very well and all internet access to my Xbox 360 has been great. While there are days I have to reset my other network equipment for various reasons, the NetGear MoCA devices keep on trucking. I never have a problem out of them and they are always performing top notch! Still highly recommended.

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Turns coaxial cable outlets into a high-speed Ethernet network connection; Advanced Quality of Service (QoS) supports uninterrupted HD video, gaming and high-speed networking; For use with both wired and wireless routers and gateways; Delivers up to 270 Mbps transfer speed; Connect an Xbox360, PlayStation 3, Blu-ray player, Apple TV, VUDU box, TiVo, Slingbox, DVR, NETGEAR ReadyNAS storage, desktop, or notebook PC; Works with DSL broadband in homes wired for cable; Data encryption ensures privacy and security; Not compatible with satellite television installations (e.g., DIRECTV, DISH Network).

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StarTech.com 10/100MBPS Vdsl Ethernet Extender Kit Over UTP Review

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(More customer reviews)Great product for connecting two locations up to 1km. In my case I had two buildings over 900ft apart and this product worked for my needs. Price is a little higher than main stream networking gear but the application is specialized. Low latencies and the bandwidth appeared to be as advertised. Would use again under similar conditions.

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