Netgear Powerline 200 Mini Review

[section_title title=”Introduction”]Introduction

• Brand: Netgear
  
• Model: Powerline 200 Mini Twin Pack (XAVB1301)
• Price: £20.27 (at time of review)

When planning a home network, sometimes people miscalculate distances, obstructions and even interference from other wireless devices which can cause problems with Wi-Fi and even render their connection useless.  Even if your house is just Wi-Fi restricted etc. (numerous thick sandstone walls), there is another option to solving such problems.  One way is with a Powerline adapter, which allows you have a wired connection in a different room without laying down CAT5 cabling to achieve.  What a Powerline adapter does is sends the signal through your mains electrics which are picked up by a 2^nd Powerline adapter which connects into your device such as PC/Laptop via Ethernet, thus giving a pathway to the internet without the use of Wi-Fi.  It is worth noting that this only works if the 2 plug sockets you are intending to use are on the same circuit breaker otherwise it won’t work.

In saying all that, as you have probably guessed, today I will be taking at a dual set of Powerline adapters from the company Netgear in the way of the Powerline 200 Mini.  Does it yield a better connection than Wi-Fi and is it a consistent connection?  Let’s take a look, starting with the specifications…

What Netgear have to say about the Powerline 200 Mini:

The NETGEAR Powerline AV 200 Mini extends your Internet access to any electrical outlet with a convenient mini-design for desktop PCs, gaming consoles and set-top boxes. It offers easy, plug-and-play setup and provides faster speeds for applications such as multiplayer online gaming.

• Extend your network — Extend Internet access throughout your home to any electrical outlet for desktop PCs, gaming consoles and set-top boxes
• Compact design — Convenient mini-design blends in nicely with any surrounding
• High-speed connections — Speeds up to 200 Mbps enable Internet applications such as multiplayer gaming
• Plug-and-Play — Sets up in minutes, no need to configure or install software
• Push-and-Secure — Secures the Powerline network connection with the touch of a button, no need to remember passwords
• Pick-a-Plug LED — Automatically tests the connection at any electrical outlet to ensure the highest possible performance