Actiontec MegaPlug AV 200 Ethernet Adapter

Actiontec MegaPlug AV 200 Ethernet Adapter

Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - by Dave Altavilla
You've all felt the pain a WiFi network can bring, with fading signal strength through walls or over even moderately long distances inside your home or office.  The only other option, short of snaking CAT5 cables inside walls and around your home or office is Powerline Networking. 

Initially, Powerline Networking technology was spotty at best in terms of its performance and reliability.  Though it's not new, only recently have products entered the market which have the potential to meet or even exceed 100 Mbps wired Ethernet.  One such product is the Actiontec MegaPlug AV 200 Mbps Ethernet Adapter.  Rated for peak throughput of up to 200Mbps, we took the current state of Powerline Networking to task with Actiontec's new kit.  You might be pleasantly surprised with our results.

Check it out here.
Via: HotHardware | News Archive | Tags: Ion, Ethernet, Adapter, dap, 200
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Comments

By ice91785 on Nov 28, 2007

So the automatic configuration process seems kinda cool -- is it something that is complicated if one were to use say 4 total adapters (one "uplink"  and 3 hosts)?

Also I do not quite understand how it stays local to your house....obviously the electricity comes from an outside source; would Billy Joe from 10 blocks down from my house be able to get an adapter and attempt to access my internet (if I didn't encrypt we'll say)?

Interesting read though..

By Dave_HH on Nov 28, 2007

I don't think there would be any complications at all configuring more adapters on the line. They would all need to share the same key of course but they would just work. Think of this system as what it is; an "adapter" from power lines to Ethernet. Basically, any machine plugged into an adapter would get provisioned an IP as if it was plugged into a standard RJ45 jack going to your router.

And no, Billy Joe couldn't tap in because there is a finite range with these systems. It's longer than WiFi but your house is on it's own circuit and isolated from others houses as well. That way, if your house blows a fuse, your neighbor doesn't blow one as well, right? So, no, the standard AC circuit setup wouldn't allow cross-talk to other power circuits in a neighboring house. Billy Joe could probably rip out a mad Green Day song though, on his own power. ;)

By ice91785 on Nov 29, 2007

Thanks Davo....makes sense when ya explain it like that.

Last question, how vulnerable are these things to line noise etc...? For ex: Crappier circuits when say, you turn on a vaccuum, the other rooms tv becomes semi-scrambled yes? So if this was on an older/more stressed circuit would this cause a severe drop in your internet connectivity if you turn on a vaccuum or microwave or blender....?

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