TrendNet Launches Compact 200Mbps Powerline Adapter
TrendNet Launches Compact 200Mbps Powerline Adapter
Posted 09/06/2011 at 7:33am
| by Paul Lilly
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Inexpensive wireless routers have rendered powerline adapters a niche category in home networks, and one TrendNet continues to happily serve. The company's latest offering is the 200Mbps Compact Powerline AV Adapter, model TPL-306E, which is capable of extending your Internet connection to areas your router might not reach, such as an Internet television in your mancave or a game console just out of reach on the second floor.
The way it works is you plug one adapter into your router and another into any outlet on the same electrical system. That's all there is to it. TrendNet adapters automatically sync up with each other over a secure encrypted signal, with no software installation required.
In lieu of software, status LEDs will help you troubleshoot a faulty connection. And don't worry about the device being always-on, TrendNet says embedded power savings technology can lower power consumption by up to 70 percent in standby mode.
The TPL-306E will be available in December for $55. TrendNet also plans to sell its powerline adapter as part of a kit (TPL-306E2K), which will come with two adapters for $100.
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KenLV
September 06, 2011 at 11:49pm
For quite some time I’ve been using Netgear’s AV 200 Ultra kit that I picked up on sale last year for I want to say $69 or $79 and I love it. I have one in my office where I have one of my wifi routers, then the second HomePlug unit is on the other side of the house in the living room attached to another wifi router. I have my TV, receiver, Blue Ray, and HTPC hardwired to that router and between the two wifis I don’t have a dead spot in the house with our laptops/netbooks or our Sensations – even out by the pool we’ve got coverage now! I can stream (HD full 1080p) with no problems, download anywhere in the house now, play MW2, Blops, etc… on the HTPC with no perceptible difference to my primary gaming rig when connected to the router to the cable modem. Stuff works good. Mind you, our house does have excellent wiring and is only 4 years old. I don’t know how well it would work in an older house. But heck, get it somewhere like Best Buy and if it sucks for you, return it! But honestly, best thing to come to networking since, well, ever! :)
Asterixx
September 06, 2011 at 3:21pm
I wonder will this work over a 220V wire? I've got a 3-conductor 220v wire going from my house to my garage and it'd be nice to have internet out there. The garage is too far away from the house for wireless to work, but if this would work over that 220 line I might have to look into it. I realize I'd probably have to make sure the receiver in the garage was pluged into an outlet that was on the same phase that the transmitter would be plugged into in the house...
DasHellMutt
September 06, 2011 at 3:06pm
I've always hated wireless for its buggy nature. Homeplug is rock solid reliable. The only variable really is throughput which I have found a bit lacking. I have used the older 85Mbps version and found I couldn't stream SD video over it reliably. Not to mention HD. Would be just fine for surfing or streaming music though while still being more reliable, easier, and more secure than wireless. I wish more people would use this tech rather than wireless so it would continue to improve to true ethernet speeds.
bonus45
September 06, 2011 at 3:05pm
I had my wireless bridge go wonky for the last time this weekend. Went to staples and bought the Netgear 500 kit. I think 500 mbs is a total pipe dream, but I'm getting about 70 mbs up and down. That's in a large house and I'm betting all kinds of weird electrical issues are on the line.
Setup was literally 2 mins and so far so good. If they last, I'm calling this one of the best purchases I've made lately.
someuid
September 06, 2011 at 1:43pm
I still have several NetGear XE102's in the house and they just won't quit. They work great and the latency is a non-issue. I don't have to mess around with wireless network passwords or add wireless cards to devices.
Best networking equipment I've bought as far as I'm concerned.
Biceps
September 06, 2011 at 12:59pm
Any word on what kind of latency you would see from this device? My computer is on a wifi connection into the living room right now, and it adds about 40ms to my latencies when I ping Google, etc. Since I do a fair amount of online fps gaming, I'm wondering if the powerline units would offer me much lower latencies than wifi does. Anyone know? Thanks!
Caboose
September 06, 2011 at 1:45pm
I'm using one of these (similar) at my home. Its just running my 360, but I've not had any issues. No lagging or anything. They're really worth it!
sbud4u
September 06, 2011 at 12:13pm
I wish you guys would get this in the MaxPC lab. I would love to see how they test. If they work as advertised, I can see a must buy in my future.
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