NETGEAR XAV2001 Powerline AV 200 Adapter Review

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(More customer reviews)I've read a couple of reviews that suggested they had problems getting different brands to link up.
I wanted to add my experience as a counterpoint, in that this worked fine for me.
I bought this adapter, the XAV2001 to supplement my existing Linksys PLK300 adapter kit. I was interested in the connectivity LED that shows the speed of the connection. That LED also works.
This worked flawlessly out of the box. It connected without any trouble to the two Linksys adapters, so apparently the Homeplug AV specification means something. All the adapters are of the 200mb AV type.
I did *not* try setting the security. I have little expectation that Linksys and Netgear can agree on that. If I try it, I'll edit this post.

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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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NETGEAR XE104 85 Mbps Powerline 4-Port Ethernet Adapter Review

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(More customer reviews)Bought two. Plugged in one in my home office with a Cat5 coming from my WRT54G router.
Plugged the other one in on the opposite side of my ranch townhome. Got the blue light sync indicator within 5 seconds. Plugged in my laptop and got an IP from the Linksys five seconds after that..
Works perfectly. No drops. Just like an ethernet cable would be. Since it has four ports, plugged in the Tivo via the USB/Ethernet I already had. That also grabbed an IP and worked perfectly.
Consistent speed of copying WinXP SP2 off my PC in my home office to my laptop in the living room using the two 104s is about 15 Mbps or so as measured by Netstat on my laptop. Is it equal to Cat5? Is it ANYWHERE NEAR 85 Mbps as Netgear advertises? NOT A CHANCE. Connecting the laptop to my LAN by directly connecting into the WRT54G resulted in the same file being moved from the same PC at just over 75 Mbps. So, the 15 Mbps speed of the 104s is about 20% of the LAN's speed moving the same file.
The Netgear software says the two are connected at just about 40 Mbps. So, figure less than half that in real speed.
But overall, it does work. It's more than enough speed for me to avoid the hassles and drops of wireless, not to mention having to use WEP since my Tivo can't currently support WPA.
Clearly, this is a YMMV product. Buy it and take the shot. You might get enough speed. Or you may not even have it sync up. That's why I bought it from Amazon so I could return it if I had too. Could have gotten it a bit cheaper elsewhere, but why risk it?
If I was streaming HD files, it wouldn't work. But for not having to deal with cutting through 19 (!) wireless networks that my 802.XX Site Monitor can see, and fighting the inevitable XP wireless drops, it works fine for me. I was going to go for the Slinglink first but figured I might as well try for faster speeds. I'm glad I spent the extra $$$$ over it and the older Netgear 102s.
5 stars for ease of use. 1 star for the laughable real speed versus Netgear's advertising. Thus, an average of 3 stars.
EDIT TO ORIGINAL REVIEW: I have `SBC/ATT/Whatever they are today' DSL. I tweaked my RCP Receive Window (RWIN) from blank (whoopps) to 17,424 (as well as other settings) per DSLReports.com's suggestion in order to accommodate the new 6.0/764 RT based speed profile I recently received. In doing do, the speed of file transfers referenced above via the 104 dropped from about 15 megs to less than 10. When I removed the RWIN setting restoring it to its state before messing with it, the speed returned to the 15 megs.
So, if you've tweaked your registry settings for maximum broadband download speed and are not getting great results with the 104, you might want to do a little tweaking trade off between the two to get the speeds you're seeking on both the 104 and your broadband access. My results of both speeds is still in 'messing around with' mode and I haven't yet found that perfect blend.
EDIT TO ORIGINAL REVIEW #2 - 06/11/2006: Still working fine. Speeds are consistent with what I originally posted. It's never failed once to work the way it's intended. I've never dropped an IP and I've never plugged in the laptop and not had it work within a few seconds. A good product in my specific enviornment. I'll buy another one so I can plug in the laptop anywhere in my place, even the deck outside and not have to fight wireless drops. Now if they'd only release the 1.6 firmware....

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The NETGEAR XE104 85 Mbps Powerline 4-Port Ethernet Adapter 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. With four ports, you can connect multiple devices to one adapter and at 85 Mbps, you'll have more than enough speed to download music, stream videos, and make internet telephone calls without any hiccups.
True Plug and Play Installation Extending a network using the electric lines in your home requires an XE104 unit and an additional NETGEAR XE103 Powerline Ethernet Adapter. Simply plug the XE103 into a wall outlet and connect it to your router with an Ethernet cord. Then plug the XE104 into the wall outlet where you need a network connection and connect it to as many as four Ethernet-ready devices. That's it. There's no software to install. You can create as many network connections as you need by connecting more XE104 or XE103 units wherever you need them. The device has easy-to-read icon LEDs for status information at a glance.
Fast Performance The XE104 is HomePlug compatible and supports speeds up to 85 Mbps which is enough for multiple video streams without interruptions. The XE104 has four 10/100 Ethernet ports with which you can connect a PC, gaming console, Slingbox, DVR, NETGEAR's SC101T Storage Central Turbo or ReadyNAS NV+, or another networkable device. In order to enable encryption, you need a computer with Windows Vista, XP, 2000, 98 or Me.
The NETGEAR XE104 85 Mbps Powerline 4-Port Ethernet Adapter is backed by 1-year warranty.
What's in the Box XE104 85 Mbps Powerline 4-Port Ethernet Adapter, installation guide, Ethernet cable, resource CD, warranty card, and support and information card.

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Pioneer BDP-330 Multizone Blu Ray Zone A+B+C All Region Code Free DVD 012345678 PAL/NTSC Blu Ray DVD Player 100~240V 50/60Hz Built in 128Mb Converter PAL to NTSC and NTCS to PAL, works on all NTSC and PAL TVs Review

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(More customer reviews)If you are looking for a Blu-Ray player that has the ability to switch between regions A, B and C, then I would marginally recommend this player. However, if you have old PAL dvds in your collection, you may want to invest in another player.
I have an extensive international DVD/BD collection, 30% of which consist of PAL formatted dvds. It seems as if the built in PAL/NTSC converter is of poor quality. All of my PAL dvds will play on the player but have a pulsing/shuddering effect as if frames are being skipped. PAL dvds do have less frames per second than NTSC which is generating this effect but multi-region dvd players do not have this problem where it is difficult to distinguish between PAL or NTSC at all. Please keep this in mind should you be considering the purchase of this player. I have tested region 1, 3, 4 and 5 NTSC dvds in this player and they all play without any issues. I did try all resolution options on both player and TV to see if I could solve the PAL issue but no adjustment successfully solved the problem.
Another small issue is the home menu screen which looks like it was made with an Atari 2600 or Commodore 64 processor. The home icon is a house made up of about 8 large pixels. Do a google image search and you will be able to find a few photos of it. Also, the firmware updater does not work where you will be told that you have the current profile but that will not actually be the case. The only icons you will initially have will be the home and YouTube icons, no Netflix. You will have to go online and download the update onto a flash drive and insert it into the USB slot on the player to get Netflix.
If you have Netflix you will probably find the Netflix interface annoying in that it cannot load cover images for the movies in your queue. You are able to scroll left and right through your queue with a bunch of boxes stating "image unable to load" with the film title at the bottom, underneath each box. Once you choose a film, they will stream like any other player without problems.
As far as Blu-Ray quality is concerned, the video and audio quality is equal to most other 1080p Blu-ray players. My region A and region free Blu-Ray discs play without any problems. I will edit and add a little more to this part of the review soon with regards to region B disc playability as I will have my first true region B disc soon. My other foreign Blu-Ray discs turned out to be region free and they play fine. I have no region C Blu-Ray discs and, after extensive research, have not been able to find a single Blu-Ray disc to be coded with C as of this moment.
Overall, I would give the player 2 1/2 stars but half stars are not an option and will round down as I am more leaning in that direction. Hope this is a helpful review.
2/21/2011 UPDATE
I have had this region free for about 3 months now. I have tested region B Blu-Ray disc on it and they all play fine. HOWEVER, the loading time for a Blu-Ray disc is INCREDIBLY SLOW! The loading time varies from disc to disc. Loading time is roughly, in general terms, 2-3 times longer than newer blu-ray players (I had american samsung and sony players prior to this player). Usually whenever I am about to play a disc I will put the disc in then make breakfast, lunch or dinner and when I am done the movie is ready to go.
Another troubling note. Today I tried to play the sony, region A, release of "Gandhi." The pioneer player, after minutes of struggling, "determined" that it was an "incompatible disc." This disc played perfectly on my previous sony and samsung players without the slightest problems. I am scared to learn what other discs this player will deem as "incompatible."
My summation, after 3 months of use, is that I hate this piece of garbage! As far as the current solution to region free Blu-Ray accessibility, you would need 2-3 items. First, you need an american region A player. Second, you would need to purchase a region B Blu-Ray player from the UK and purchase a converter which would run you close to the price to this player if not less. Again, there is not a single Blu-Ray disc that has been coded region C as of yet so that is not much a concern. Finally, if you have any region 3 dvds (South Korea and China) you would have to go with a region free dvd player or connect your computer to your TV and use any number of free region free dvd programs that exist.
Eventually, once Blu-Ray computer disc drives become more commonplace, you will only need your computer, an HDMI cable and 1-2 region free programs for all format region free capability. I any of you find a reliable region free Blu-Ray option, please let me know. Hope this review is insightful, take care.
Neil

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NETGEAR Powerline AV 200 Adapter Kit Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm a bit of a networking guru (as deemed by friends, family, and coworkers) and in my tenure, I've had significant hands-on experience with just about every kind of home/small office networking kit including wireless routers, network switches, wireless Ethernet bridges, specialized antennas, etc. I'm relatively new to networking over power lines, but I do have prior experience with an older 85Mbps Linksys system. After using the NETGEAR Powerline AV200, my opinion remains the same: I'm sold on the concept of Homeplug's power line networking solution since it is a fantastic way to expand the reach of an existing network, but your mileage will depend on the quality of internal wiring. (Giving credit where credit is due: Homeplug's technology powers most of the power line networking devices such as my older Linksys system and NETGEAR's AV200.)
Setting up a new power line network is extremely simple... just plug one of the AV200's into the wall with its Ethernet cable into your router/switch, and plug the other module anywhere you'd like to add an Ethernet connection. The beauty of Ethernet is that you can either directly connect the AV200 to a single device, or you can hook it up to a multi-port switch so multiple devices can be served by a single AV200. It should be noted that there's nothing stopping you from plugging in a second wireless router set to AP mode into the AV200 and effectively expanding your existing wireless coverage.
Since the AV200 (and all power line networking units) use your existing electrical wiring as the physical transmit medium, there are inherent advantages and disadvantages compared to traditional wireless internet. One advantage is relative immunity to common sources of radio interference, so Bluetooth, microwave ovens, and other devices that potentially wreak havoc on 2.4GHz 802.11B/G/N networks won't cause your connection to spontaneously drop. Another advantage is wiring simplicity-you don't need to make dedicated Ethernet cable runs and chances are the device you're trying to network is already connected to the AC wiring.
One of the disadvantages is that power lines were not designed to carry data and the overall topology can vary wildly, so this is really a case of "your mileage will vary." For example, it's entirely possible that different outlets will work better than others since sources of interference on your power lines are relatively localized. Also, since the network medium is power lines, the maximum range of your network is a little fuzzy and can extend beyond the boundaries of your residence or office. Although the signal will degrade over distance, a shared common element such as a transformer can propagate the signal, theoretically putting your network in range of multiple residences. You can mitigate this issue, in part at least, by turning on the security/encryption function which is thankfully very easy to use, but I suspect many users will not.
Overall, I think that the NETGEAR Powerline AV200 is a fine product that's powerful and easy to use. From my experience, it's much easier to use this device to extend my network versus wireless Ethernet bridges or repeaters and it's more reliable to boot. I am disappointed, however, that the AV200 doesn't have a built-in 4-port switch like as my old Linksys kit, considering the AV200 costs significantly more. In the end, I am very satisfied with the AV200 and am happy to conclude that power line networking is ready for the prime time.
Below, I've come up with a list of my Power Line Networking Best Practices
1) Things with big motors such as blenders, fans, vacuums, etc. are notorious for generating electrical noise and this can impact performance.
2) Some surge protectors / UPS units will block the signal that the AV200 needs to operate. For best performance, plug the unit into the wall.
3) Circuit breakers and fuse boxes will degrade the signal, but it's entirely possible to use Homeplug devices that are on different electrical circuits eg. upstairs/downstairs.
4) The 200Mbps AV200's didn't work with my 85 Mbps Linksys.


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Why NETGEAR's Powerline AV 200 Adapter Kit? Extends a high speed Internet connection to any power outlet1, 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: Requires use of HomePlug AV compatible Powerline devices (two XAV2001 devices included).

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ZyXEL PLA401v3 HomePlug AV 200 Mbps Powerline Wall-plug Adapter (Starter Kit - 2 units) Review

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(More customer reviews)I've had this product for a couple of months and am pleased to report that it works brilliantly. Installation couldn't be simpler. I plugged each of these into an outlet in the same room/same circuit and attached one end to a RJ45 Ethernet wall jack and the other to my DirecTV HR22 DVR. The DVR immediately saw that it had Internet access and was able to stream high definition movies (DirecTV's "whole home DVR" feature) anywhere in my house.
I had previously tried to stream high definition movies using aTRENDnet Wireless N Gaming Adapter TEW-647GA (Black) connected to my 802.11G network. The trendnet over 802.11g was not able to stream high definition content. Even when the trendnet was able to connect reliably, high def content streamed so poorly that it was unwatchable.
With the ZyXEL, high definition streams without any glitches! We are quite pleased as we had no other way to get an Internet connection to our HR22's location. The connection has been 24/7 reliable- we've never had to reset these or touch them in any way. It really was as simple plugging them in.
Note: I haven't tried running this over different circuits.
--------------------
9 month followup:
This product has worked flawlessly since the day it was installed. I've never had to reset them or mess with them in any ways. It's refreshing to find a product that "just works" in this age of complexity and "beta quality".


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Medialink - HomePlug AV 200 Mbps Powerline Ethernet Starter Kit - (2 Adapters Included) Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this to solve a lagging problem with a Tivo Premiere box, which was hampered by a extended wireless network connection. Normal function was slow, updates timed out, and Netflix or other video downloads were not possible. Though a bit skeptical, this product was far less expensive and daunting than fishing Ethernet cable through wall, ceiling, and floor. I connected as indicated within 10 minutes, and the problem was entirely solved - no more lagging, great download speeds, and no hassle at all. Excellent product!

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Sling Media HD Connect Cable for Slingbox Pro ( HD200-100 ) Review

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(More customer reviews)Don't buy the Sling HD connect cable - more accurately referred to as a component video adapter - if you're eager to get your Slingbox Pro broadcasting HD quality, since it won't do that. Instead, buy it if you want to connect multiple sources to your Slingbox, since the 4-way IR blaster that's included means you can actually take advantage of the full input capability of the Pro. I take a star off on both how this has been mismarketed and how it should have been included with the Pro, but it's a must have if you're going to truly take advantage of the Pro's capabilities.
The Slingbox is a really neat toy, but they've done a semi-unethical job positioning the Pro and this adapter as HD "compatible" in an attempt to catch on to the HD upgrade wave. Some of it isn't their fault, as bandwidth is a huge issue. Think of it this way: compressed high definition video in 1080i runs somewhere in the 8-10 GB/hour range, with uncompressed video directly from over-the-air stations running quite a bit higher. Even the fastest current cable modems - let alone DSL - would have problems keeping up with that, and with uploading generally limited to 1/10th that speed to prevent you from running a file server, it's a moot issue, which is why the Slingbox limits remote uploads to 320x240. And while you can get closer to the required speed on a LAN and the Pro transmits 640x480 video over it, it'd probably take $600 more of hardware for the Slingbox to process a 1080i stream - and while Slingbox is neat, it's certainly not $1000 neat.
So the Slingbox downrezzes any HD signal you send into it. Whether or not connecting a HD component to this adapter results in improved output depends a whole lot on how well your DVR or TV already downrezzes to 480i, which also makes sense: an expensive piece of hardware like that generally has better electronics to do so. Generally, the best reason to buy this for the HD input capability alone is if you have an oddball HD source, like my DVHS VCR which doesn't display menus in certain resolutions. Otherwise, it's a crapshoot as to whether or not you'll get improved video even within your LAN. (Outside of it you probably won't notice the difference much either way.) And by the way, even though the port looks like it accepts an HDMI input, the adapter only accepts component video inputs - although at least it includes a set of component video cables so you can pass through the signal if you need to without spending any more than you already have.
The reason you buy this, though, is that the Pro is very good at streaming 4 separate devices - but while you can connect 3 devices without this item, you can only control 2 with the IR blaster that comes with the Pro. I spent a while trying to figure out a workaround for this, looking into such things as 3/32" Y cable splitters connecting to 1/8" plugs and looking into finding another brand of IR blasters since Sling won't sell you a second one. Then I hit my head against the wall once I realized this includes a 4-prong IR blaster. Basically, buy this cable set if you plan on taking full advantage of the Pro's capabilities to remotely control more than 2 devices - or get a headache.
No real excuse for Sling Media not to include this with the Pro and not to explain it to the consumer properly, but such is life.

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The Slingbox PRO HD Connect Cable enables you to watch your home television s HD programming (up to 1080i) by connecting your HD component device to the Slingbox PRO. The Slingbox PRO and SlingStream technology adapts the compressed video stream to match the available network and Internet bandwidth to provide the best possible video quality between the Slingbox PRO and the SlingPlayer application, whether running on a computer or mobile phone. Compatible with Slingbox PRO. Provides pass-through connectors, so you can easily add the cable into existing HD configurations. Provides component video and stereo audio connections.

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NETGEAR XAV2501 Powerline AV+ 200 Adapter Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought the NETGEAR XAV2501 to go along the NETGEAR XAV1004 so I could get internet to my AV system. I bought the XAV2501 because the combo package that includes the XAV1004 was out of stock and I was in a hurry. The XAV1004 works with several of the NETGEAR Powerline adapters (see their website for full details).
I have a two-story brick home which is about 60 ft wide. The cable modem and and NETGEAR router reside upstairs at one end of the house while the main AV system resides downstairs at the other end of the house. Thus, I have a worst-case condition here as there are several walls for which wireless signals to pass. I had been using simple 802.11g to connect to the TIVO using the TIVO adapter, but that solution doesn't work for blu-ray and other devices which can use internet access. Also, and more of a problem, the wireless signal to the TiVO would frequently drop out forcing me to reboot the router. I got tried of that after several months.
I also tried the NETGEAR dual band router (802.11n) at 5GHz talking to a wireless bridge (DLINK). This solution, while sounding good on paper, doesn't work very well. The 5 GHz signal was very weak through several walls and from floor to floor. For file transfers from the TiVO to the PC, the transfer times were slow.
Finally, I got around to powerline AV from NETGEAR. It's a simple hook up. You plug the XAV2501 into a socket near your computer and run an ethernet cable to it from your router. Then plus the XAV1004 (in my case, anyhow) into a socket near where your AV equipment is (in my cause, downstairs at the other end of the 60 ft house I live in). Then run ethernet cables from the XAV1004 to the TiVo, Blu-ray, Xbox (I don't have this) and TV. This gets you a 100 Mbps connection (not 200 Mbps).
This works great! I have a laptop down there and I can move a 11 GB file from upstairs to downstairs with transfer speeds from 5.83 to 6.5 MB/s (that's megabytes per second, not megabits per second). So that 11 GB file is transferred in about 35 minutes. Downloads to the TiVo from Amazon or NetFlix are much slower, but they are limited by my broadband connection, which is about 25 Mbps at best (that's megabits per second).
The XAV1004 has 4 ports that you can use to connect your internet-ready devices. They appear to be metered some how, with one for your device that requires the highest bandwidth (I presume this would be for streaming video), and the second for the device that requires the next highest. The last two appear to be about equal. From what I can tell, file transfers from the laptop downstairs to the PC upstairs go at the same rate using either of the two highest speed ports. This might change if I actually had two devices using both ports at the same time, but so far I don't really have a need for it. I have the TiVo on the highest speed connection, and the PC on the second highest port. The transfers still go as written above.
I am very pleased with this powerline connectivity in my house, which was built around 1988, so the wiring is not exactly new. I have been testing now for several weeks. I have not had a drop or a significant slow down yet, even though the file transfer speed does vary in the range of 5.83 to 6.5 MB/s. I'm not sure why there is that variation.
The picture here on Amazon.com for the XAV2501 (at the top for the product) is not what I got in the box. I think there are different versions of this device. The version I got is what is pictured in the written description, but I think there are different versions of this device.
Highly recommended if your home is not pre-wired for networking. More reliable than wireless and you can still use that too. My 2.4 and 5 GHz wireless bands are free for other connections (upstairs in other bedrooms and downstairs for Wifi phones and laptop/iPad, etc).

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Netgear XAV2501 Powerline Network Adapter XAV2501-100NAS Powerline Network Adapters

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NETGEAR Powerline AV Adapter with Ethernet Switch Review

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(More customer reviews)I picked up one of these along with the V101 in a combo package to run my Xbox 360 and DirecTV DVR downstairs from the cable modem and router in my upstairs office. I had been using wireless networking for the past several years but had issues with wireless failing from time to time and went through 3 routers over 3 years accordingly. Since the wired portion of the routers worked just fine at retirement in each case, I thought I'd give an alternative a try. I researched a few different brands and finally settled on Netgear's Powerline offering. I specifically went with the ones rated for 200Mb for HD streaming options.
I am very satisfied with the performance so far. The Windows Media Center functionality with my Xbox 360 is finally performing in a manner that I expected. With wireless I was getting VERY slow response in the Media Center menu but it operates much more smoothly with the Powerline adapter connected.
I ordered an additional adapter for a computer and DirecTV DVR in another room of my home and all 3 devices are operating well together with excellent connection speed. In addition, setup was completely simple. It was literally plug and play. No configuration required whatsoever.
I would definitely suggest this product line without reservation.

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Perfect for connecting HDTVs, Blu-ray players, DVRs, and game consoles to your home network and the Internet; Extends a high speed Internet connection to any power outlet1; Provides wired reliability with no new wires; Connects up to 4 devices

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Cisco-Linksys WET610N Dual-Band Wireless-N Gaming and Video Adapter Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought the WET610N for my Samsung BD-P1600 Blu-Ray Player. My options were either wired, which I didn't want to do, or buy a proprietary dongle from Samsung. I chose the option that Samsung did not mention - I bought the WET610N! The unit was easy to setup, and the instructions were clear. I've never been fond of using Linksys CD's to setup this kind of equipment, but I have to say it was painless and quick compared to some others I've seen. The value of this unit is simply that it will work with ANYTHING that wants a "wired" network connection. So, it doesn't matter if it's a video game system, a DVR type device, or as in this case a blu-ray DVD Player. For this reason, the unit is a great value and will be in use for a long time, even when the current equipment I am using it with now is long gone.

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Amazon.com Product DescriptionThe Linksys by Cisco WET610N Wireless-N Ethernet Bridge with Dual-Band can turn any of your wired Ethernet-enabled devices to wireless in a snap. Optimized for streaming video, the WET610N enables you to have ultra-fast Wireless-N transfer capability with less glitches and frame loss for superior video transfers. It's also ideal for wirelessly sharing music, photos, movies, and other files around your home via any Ethernet-enabled device, such as a printer, scanner, digital camera, notebook, or desktop computer.Dual-Band Wireless-N Gaming and Video Adapter FeaturesConnect your digital entertainment devices like Ethernet-equipped HDTVs, Blu-ray players, DVRs, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2 or 3, and GameCube.
Ultra-Fast Wireless-N Transfer Speeds The WET610N Bridge takes advantage of the latest in wireless technology – Wireless-N – which is the fastest and most reliable wireless standard available. Wireless-N offers the fastest transfer speeds possible, and since the WET610N is a dual-band device, it's compatible with any device that supports Wi-Fi standards. The versatility of the Bridge means that you can use it with any Wireless-G, -A, -B, and -N device.

Optimized for Smooth Streaming Video While most Wi-Fi devices produce sluggish video with many dropped frames, the WET610N is optimized for video transfers, so you get smooth video with almost zero dropped frames. So sharing video from your desktop computer to your laptop wirelessly with the WET610N Bridge, for example, will be faster and produce more accurate results than ever before!

Simple Setup and Works on any Operating System The WET610N Bridge requires no advanced technical knowledge or drivers to install – it's as easy as plugging it in to any Ethernet-enabled device, and the easy setup wizard walks you through the setup process and has you ready to go within minutes! And it doesn't matter what type of platform and operating system you're running, the WET610N will work on Windows, Macintosh, or Linux operating systems. Simply configure your network settings through your PC's web browser, plug in your Ethernet-enabled device to your Bridge, and you have instant wireless connectivity.

Advanced Security Keeps the Wireless Network Safe The WET610N protects data and privacy by encrypting all wireless transmissions with industrial-strength Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA). Linksys equipped the WET610N Bridge with the latest in WPA security called WPA2, which provides rock-solid protection from hackers, malware, and other Internet attacks. It also features Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 and up to 128-Bit encryption for even more protection from wireless threats.

Minimum System Requirements Device with Ethernet port; wireless access point or router (802.11g, 802.11b, 802.11a, or draft 802.11n compliant); Internet Explorer 6, or Firefox 2 or higher for browser-based configuration; PC with CD-ROM drive (for Setup Wizard only); Setup Wizard requires Windows XP, Vista, or Vista 64-bit edition with latest updates

Compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux, the Linksys WET610N Bridge with Dual-Band measures 5.71 x 4.17 x 2.05 inches and weighs 5.61 ounces. It is backed by a 1-year limited warranty.

What's in the Box Wireless-N Ethernet Bridge with Dual-Band, Setup Software and User Guide on CD-ROM, Quick Installation Guide, network cable, and power adapter.



Dual-Band Wireless-N Gaming and Video Adapter FeaturesConnect your digital entertainment devices like Ethernet-equipped HDTVs, Blu-ray players, DVRs, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2 or 3, and GameCube.

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Actiontec MegaPlug 200 Mbps AV Powerline Ethernet Adapter and 4-Port Hub Kit Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)ActionTec plug Av
Very Easy to set up if you had all the instructions.
A quick review and as typical for me an update will follow. I had everything set up and truly believed the Quick Start Guide when it said no configuration required. Unfortunately.... I first disabled my wireless card in the Windows Control Panel just so I would not have any conflicts. Then I plugged in the two devices as described above. The LEDs on both boxes were green and red, sometimes green and yellow. The Guide said "Make sure both lights turn solid green". The guide warns you not to plug the devices into any outlet that is surge protected or filtered, which I did not. Oh well I said, I started moving both boxes into different outlets and could not get both "link" lights to turn green unless they were plugged into the same outlet. Rats I said. There is no explanation in the guide at all as to what to do when the lights are not both green. NO troubleshooting guide at all. I tried to hook up to the Web, but nothing happened.
Here I will save you the trouble of the hour long process that followed, and just tell how you can save yourself the trouble I had
1. It does not really matter what color the "link" light is. It is only the quality of connection indicator. Please go to the [...] website and download the user manual for the HPE400AVP. There is no manual and no CD with the box you buy and in my case it was the critical missing step. Here is the lights portion of the manual
Red means the condition is poor and less than 50Mpbs,
Orange indicates a fair line condition of 50-100Mbps,
Green means the line is in good condition with over 100Mbps throughput.
Of course since I was using wireless previously in a remote location with a 18 Mpbs transfer speed, even a Red light meant a vastly improved connection. The connection speed varies for me between yellow and red, and always is better than the wireless. My wireless was a Linksys WRT54G with the power setting at 75mw, the distance involved was about 50ft with 3 walls in between.
2. There are small black buttons on both boxes, but NO explanation in the User Guide as to what they do. You have to download the manual for that. They are the security enable keys, and you have to go thru a sequence of four timed presses to set it up. In my trials of various outlets in the house, I must have pressed one or both, but in a wrong sequence and must have messed up the communications, hence even with the connection established, I could not connect to the web. At the time I still thought that it was because I had red lights and they needed to be green. I had to reset both boxes using a pin.
3. At this point following the reset, even though the link light on both boxes was red, the Internet magically appeared. So the setup is truly plug and play, unless like me you believe the dreaded step #13 in the quick setup guide "Make sure both lights are green " or you accidentally press the security buttons.
Finally when set up, and even with my troubles it only took an hour. The connection speed to the web as judged by [...] was 50% faster than my best wireless connection and 3 times better than my worst connection. Great product, and only a one star downgrade for no packaged in manual or CD.
Lastly you may also try the following steps to improve your speed at lower costs.
1. Get an antenna with gain for the router and your wireless card (10-30$, 50% improvement)
2. Change the wireless channel in the router utility (G networks conflict with 2.4 ghz cordless phones)
3. Move the antenna even slightly for possible improvement, Use a utility like network stumbler to fine tune the position
4. If available for your wireless router, get an open source custom firmware for it which will allow you to fine tune the antenna transmit power (I use Tomato).
UPDATE
5. Get an inexpensive N standard router with multiple antennas (used to be called MIMO multiple in multiple out). I have picked up one recently and now all my remaining computers have a better signal as well. While you will not get speds higher than G standard of 54mb, you will get closer to nominal. You would ned a N adapter in the pc as well to get all the benefits.
Happy Powerline and Wireless networking.


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Powerline Enet 200mbps hub and adapter megaplug

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150mbps USB Wireless Adapter LAN Wifi 802.11b/g/n Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This generic adapter works better than my Mvix Nubbin, although the Nubbin is a fraction of this adapter's size. It recognizes more connections than my Mvix and I get a much stronger signal strength. If you don't mind the large size, this would be an excellent product to give wireless to your old desktop.
Users of other versions of this adapter (B/G) say it is plug and play with Vista and Windows 7. This was not the case for XP. I had to install the RALink drivers. Installation is a bit tricky and it didn't work the first time around. Then, I connected my desktop using an ethernet connection and the installation worked just fine. Give this a shot if you're having trouble as well.
I am very pleased with the product, especially at this price point.

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