For more information, please visit Power Line Accessories.
Powerline products turn the electrical wiring of a home into network cables and transmit signals to every room. You can form a Powerline network wherever there are power outlets, eliminating the need for expensive and complicated Ethernet cables.
To form a basic Powerline network, you need at least two Powerline devices, whether wired or wireless ones. Different combinations of Powerline products help create a stable and unified network throughout your house.
Powerline is ideal for people who live in big houses with thick walls and multiple floors as well as people who desire easy setup of a new network.
Some people may choose range extenders to expand their router&#;s network. However, sometimes thick walls and floors block the WiFi signals amplified by the range extender and still leave dead zones in your home.
With TP-Link&#;s Powerline adapters, there's no need for drilling or wire installation. You can turn your home&#;s electrical wiring into a high-speed network with ease. Every single adapter acts as a portable LAN port, transmitting a wired and wireless network to any place in your home where there's an outlet, regardless of physical obstacles.
Using advanced HomePlug AV/AV2 technology, Powerline products provide stable and high-speed data transmissions where there is a power outlet. Stream in HD, game online, and download large files without interruption thanks to reliable Powerline links.
Most wireless Powerline devices support wireless the AC Standard. You can effortlessly extend a wireless network to share with all your WiFi devices in your home or office.
With Ethernet ports, Powerline adapters can run multiple high-speed and reliable wired connections at the same time for devices like smart TVs, PCs, and game consoles.
The integrated power socket means Powerline can be used like a traditional power outlet. Simply plug in your device or extension lead as though it were a normal wall socket.
Powerline adapters and extenders must be deployed in a set of two or more and be connected to the same electrical circuit. Using electric power conductors as the medium to send data, the adapters follow the HomePlug standard developed by the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. The currently used standards are HomePlug AV and HomePlug AV2.
HomePlug AV achieves a physical signal rate of up to 600 Mbps. It provides more bandwidth than previous standards for entertainment applications such as HDTV and home theater. HomePlug AV offers an easy, cost-effective solution to enable HDTV at home without new wiring. However, the latest bandwidth-hungry applications now ask for more bandwidth than is provided by HomePlug AV.
This brings us to HomePlug AV2, which operates with other HomePlug standards. HomePlug AV2 delivers Gigabit physical speeds thanks to its MIMO technology that establishes multiple simultaneous connections to improve data transfer rates, stability, and coverage&#;ideal for 4K Ultra HD video, online gaming, and Internet of Things. Home connectivity for the ever-increasing number of network devices is so much easier now.
Standard Signal rate Application HomePlug AV Up to 600 Mbps HDTV, home theatre HomePlug AV2 Gigabit physical speed 4K Ultra HD video, multi-room IPTV, online gamingWant to quickly set up a Powerline network and enjoy your network everywhere at home? TP-Link offers a very simple way of creating a Powerline network.
Simply plug a Powerline adapter into a power outlet and connect it to your router&#;s LAN port via an Ethernet cable. Then plug in another adapter or extender into a power outlet on the same electrical circuit. When the Powerline LED turns on, enjoy your newly extended network. Experience simple network management with our user-friendly tpPLC app, tpPLC Utility, and web interface.
Press and hold the pair button on the existing adapter for a second. Then, within 2 minutes, press the pair button of the new Powerline device. When the Powerline LED turns on, the new device has been successfully added to your Powerline network.
Unlike range extenders, Powerline devices primarily extend a wired internet connection. But some Powerline devices can also extend a wireless network. To choose a suitable Powerline device according to your needs, you&#;ll need to consider the following:
Parameters
TP-Link Powerline Devices
Powerline Speed
Fast
4 series
eg: TL-WPA4220 KIT, TL-PA4010P KIT;
Super fast
7 series
eg: TL-WPA7510 KIT, TL-PA7017P KIT;
8 series
eg: TL-WPA8631P KIT, TL-PA8010P KIT;
Ultra fast
9 series
eg: TL-WPA9610 KIT, TL-PA9020P KIT;
Wi-Fi Speed
(for wireless extenders)
None (wired only)
eg: TL-PAP;
Fast
eg: TL-WPA4220 KIT;
Ultra fast
eg: TL-WPA8631P KIT;
Passthrough
(with extra socket)
No
eg: TL-PA KIT;
Yes
Don't lose an outlet, eg: TL-WPAP KIT;
Ethernet Ports
Want more information on what do insulators have in common? Feel free to contact us.
Number of ports
1 port, eg: TL-WPA;
2 ports, eg: TL-PAP;
3 ports, eg: TL-WPAP;
Speed of ports
Fast Ethernet Port, eg: TL-WPA KIT;
Gigabit Ethernet Port, eg: TL-PAP KIT;
Powerline with
OneMesh&#;
Yes
eg: TL-WPAP;
To be released
All TP-Link wireless Powerline devices will support OneMesh&#; in the future.
Note: OneMesh&#; forms a unified mesh network with your router for seamless roaming while moving around your home. More devices supporting OneMesh&#; will be available soon. Check a full list of OneMesh&#; devices at TP-Link OneMesh&#;.
Go to TP-Link Powerline to select a suitable Powerline device for you.
Powerline offers a quick and easy way to extend your home network. They&#;re affordable and don&#;t require you to install any extra cables in your home. Click TP-Link Powerline the to see all Powerline products.
It depends on the type of your powerline device. You can refer to "Max nodes in one powerline network" to find your model and the corresponding maximum number of devices.
For adapters of other brands, if they adopt the same standard, they should also be compatible with TP-Link powerline devices. However, they might have different ways to pair and configure. It would be much easier to use adapters from the same brand.
If these floors use the same electrical circuit with no filters, then powerline devices can work across the floors.
Powerline devices rely on the electrical circuit to transmit data, while the power strips usually used may filter high-frequency signals. Therefore, plugging powerline devices on a power strip might affect the performance. We recommend plugging all powerline devices on the wall.
*Maximum Powerline signal rates are the physical rates derived from HomePlug AV/AV2 specifications. Actual Powerline data throughput and Powerline range are not guaranteed and will vary as a result of network conditions and environmental factors, including electrical interference, volume of traffic and network overhead, AFCI circuit breaker, and Powerline being located in a separate circuit.
*Maximum wireless signal rates are the physical rates derived from IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications. Actual wireless data throughput and wireless coverage are not guaranteed and will vary as a result of network conditions, client limitations, and environmental factors, including building materials, obstacles, volume and density of traffic, and client location.
*Compatible with all HomePlug AV and AV2 Standard Powerline adapters. This product may not be compatible with routers or gateways with firmware that has been altered, is based on open source programs, or are non-standard or outdated.
Written by Don Schultz, trueCABLE Senior Technical Advisor, Fluke Networks Copper/Fiber CCTT, BICSI INST1, INSTC, INSTF Certified
Simplicity. It&#;s something most of us strive for these days, especially as more and more technology connects to the internet. Everyone is looking for ways to streamline the deployment process and one device, the Powerline Ethernet Adapter (PEA), is helping make the dream a reality. A Powerline adapter is a great little alternative to WiFi and in-wall Ethernet cabling for time-strapped home and small business owners. There&#;s a big disclaimer with Powerline. The ability to achieve high-quality signals through a Powerline adapter depends on the condition of your electrical wiring. With legacy or outdated wiring, PEA technology may not work. Read on to learn the difference between powerline Ethernet adapters and Ethernet cables.
In this post, we are going to discuss:
If you&#;re a DIYer and new to in-building IT networking, you might be wondering how sending signals over electrical wiring is even possible. A Powerline adapter device plugged into one wall outlet, will send signal waves over electrical current to a second adapter in another location within the same building or electrical network.
Powerline installations require less effort compared to pulling a cable and can save homeowners and businesses time when connecting to a router to set up a home theatre, classroom or conference room. They eliminate the need for cabling installations, making the adapter a cost-effective solution in the short run.
Ethernet cabling is still the best option for a reliable, simple, secure, and easy to troubleshoot network. If you&#;re not able to swing a full Ethernet cabling install at the moment, Powerline is a great alternative.
NOTE: If the wiring in your structure is too outdated for Powerline and you have cement block or brick, running cabling through the plenum (HVAC) is a viable alternative.
Manufacturers tend to exaggerate powerline adapter speeds. Factors outside of the actual Powerline device are involved in actual speeds at deployment. Not to worry though. In many cases, these actual rates are more than sufficient for most end users.
Manufacturer speeds claims may arise from laboratory testing or chip development data rather than real-world deployments. No criticism. The claims may be true in an ideal setting but be aware that it may not be true for your deployment. It&#;s important to remember that a device can only deliver at the rates of the slowest technologies or broadband it&#;s connected to.
Outbrain consumer testing reported a 200Mbps Powerline achieves speeds between 20 and 90Mbps, while 500Mbps kits reach speeds between 20 and 200Mbps. A 500Mbps Powerline was on an average twice as fast as 200Mbps Powerline kits, and the gigabit 1,000Mbps or 1,200Mbps about a third faster still.
Other factors in speed include the speed of the Ethernet connection.
Other factors impacting Powerline ethernet adapter performance include the age of your electric cables, the distance between adapters, &#;electrical noise&#; including proximity to powerlines, power station and current fluctuations, and other interference from devices such as chargers, microwaves, and circuit breakers. Signal attenuation will impact the performance of your adapter. For more information about Powerline reliability, contact our team.
Many consumers wonder if Powerline ethernet adapters are good. And the answer to that is yes. A Powerline adapter is an excellent option for hard-to-cable structures or where installations are too costly or time-intensive. Plastered walls, brick or cinder block can present a formidable challenge. Also, if you&#;re a renter, you may not wish to invest in in-wall Ethernet cabling.
A Powerline adapter enhances regular Wi-Fi setups in areas where signals encounter barriers. Interference may come from intense noise vibrations or radiofrequency emissions with instances like a bedroom near a kitchen or an office near an electronics lab or manufacturing floor. Like Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology that repurposes copper wiring, Powerline can send data over your homes existing wiring meaning cost-to-deployment remains low. That means music, photos, video streaming, and computer data may now be accessible in a previously difficult-to-cable space.
On the potential downside, Powerline adapters need to plug directly into AC wall sockets and nothing in-between including surge protectors. Where you can use the surge protector for your computer, TV, or whatever is to plug into that pass-through socket on the Powerline adapter. If your Powerline adapter lacks the pass-through outlet, you are out of luck if the Powerline adapter blocked both AC wall outlets due to the physical size. The end-user will need to consider the appropriate steps to take when it comes to protecting routers and computers from electrostatic events or power surges.
Powerline ethernet adapters are easy to set up. For best results, the recommended layout is to set up the primary unit in a central location of the home or office. Then space up to 15 remote units, depending on the manufacturer specs of your device, in other rooms throughout your office space or home.
Powerline setup similar to setting up a Wireless Access Point (WAP).
Connect the primary unit to a router using an Ethernet cable.
Set up the remote devices using other plugs in that room.
The primary unit sends data to remote locations over your home or office electrical wiring.
Place remote devices in other rooms.
Powerline adapter versus WiFi (conventional). When using Powerline adapters for WiFi, signals will be much stronger and stable than standard WiFi. Powerline is not susceptible to signal loss due to barriers like walls.
Image Courtesy Linksys
POWERLINE MODEL COMPATIBILITY AND PURCHASE
It is also important to discuss Powerline compatibility. As a general rule, Powerline ethernet adapters are designed according to manufacturing standards and as long as manufacturers are reputable, Powerline adapters will mix and match. Most will even pair up automatically because manufacturers want to make it as-easy-as possible for consumers to purchase their products, even after the customer has initially installed adapters from a different manufacturer.
Powerline Adapter Purchase Tips:
In preparation for 5G and the speeds and features of this up-and-coming technology, go for adapters with the highest affordable transfer rates for your budget.
Gamers and those planning on streaming 4K, 8K and beyond will want to future-think and opt for Gigabit Ethernet speeds.
For best performance, always plug adapters directly into wall sockets, and not extension cords or surge protectors.
Look for a Powerline adapter that has a pass-through outlet to power devices in your space and allow the insertion of a surge protector.
chargers interfere with signals over electrical current. For best results, disconnect when streaming big-data files through your Powerline network.
trueCABLE presents the information on our website, including the &#;Cable Academy&#; blog and live chat support, as a service to our customers and other visitors to our website subject to our website terms and conditions. While the information on this website is about data networking and electrical issues, it is not professional advice and any reliance on such material is at your own risk.
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