Actiontec MegaPlug AV 200 Mbps Ethernet Adapter
Up Close and Setup
The Actiontec MegaPlug AV comes with everything you need, more or less. There are two wall adapters, two six-foot Ethernet cables, a quick start guide, a "How To Change The Encryption Key" guide, and a configuration CD. The quick start guide is typically short, and for somewhat tech-savvy (but not advanced) users it would amount to no more than common sense. As we described earlier, plug in an Ethernet cable to one wall adapter, plug the cable into the router and find an open socket. Then repeat the process with the second wall adapter (except, of course, that you plug the Ethernet cable into the adapter on the PC) and the units will then auto-configure from there.
Actiontec MegaPlug AV 200
In most cases, that's it. Once you do this you will see your PC acquiring an address from the router in the system tray of your operating system. Of course, there are caveats. As you can see from the picture the wall plug fits pretty tightly against anything in the upper socket. In fact, it was rubbing against a neighboring cord, despite the fact that the orientation of the plug in the upper socket was horizontal.
Unfortunately, as with most devices that use your powerlines for anything, you can't use a powerstrip or surge protector so you are constrained to finding not just an open socket, but an open socket near your router. In many houses, that is not that easy to do, as often there are quite a few other devices plugged into nearby sockets, including the router. We did discover, however, that if you use a plain extension cord, without surge protection of any type, that the setup will work.
You'll note 3 LEDs on the adapter above. One is for power, a second indicates Ethernet activity, and the third is "Link" which, when lit means, since the adapters are paired, that there is a second adapter "linked" to this one.
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Actiontec MegaPlug AV 200
Unfortunately, as with most devices that use your powerlines for anything, you can't use a powerstrip or surge protector so you are constrained to finding not just an open socket, but an open socket near your router. In many houses, that is not that easy to do, as often there are quite a few other devices plugged into nearby sockets, including the router. We did discover, however, that if you use a plain extension cord, without surge protection of any type, that the setup will work.
You'll note 3 LEDs on the adapter above. One is for power, a second indicates Ethernet activity, and the third is "Link" which, when lit means, since the adapters are paired, that there is a second adapter "linked" to this one.
