American Express-SavingsNetgear Powerline HD Ethernet Adapter (2-Pack)
Manufacturer: NetGear Inc. Part number: HDXB101-100NAS
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- Simple to set up and able to provide ample throughput, Netgear's Powerline HD Ethernet Adapters are a great solution for anyone who wants the benefits of home networking but doesn't want to rewire the entire house or mess with Wi-Fi. Be forewarned, though: it's not an inexpensive solution.
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Where to buy
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CNET editors' review
Netgear Powerline HD Ethernet Adapter (2-Pack) price range: $200.99
- Reviewed by: Felisa Yang
- Edited by: Matthew Elliott
- Reviewed on: 08/04/2006
- Released on: 07/08/2006
The good: The Netgear Powerline HD Ethernet Adapters are simple to set up and configure, and the fast throughput will let you stream HD video without a hitch. And you can use a switch with the adapters, which means you network multiple devices off a single adapter.
The bad: The adapters are rather expensive, and you're hardly cutting cords by using wired adapters. Phone support for anything more complicated than basic installation is expensive.
The bottom line: Simple to set up and able to provide ample throughput, Netgear's Powerline HD Ethernet Adapters are a great solution for anyone who wants the benefits of home networking but doesn't want to rewire the entire house or mess with Wi-Fi. Be forewarned, though: it's not an inexpensive solution.
Power-line technology uses a building's existing electrical wiring to convey digital data. The wiring serves as the network, and each electrical outlet serves as a node. The electrical current won't interfere with your data network because electricity and data are transmitted at very different frequencies. The setup of every home power-line network is very similar: connect the first adapter to your router and an outlet, then plug in each additional power-line adapter anywhere you want connectivity and connect a client to that adapter via Ethernet cabling. Voilà, you have a power-line network. Obviously, you'll need at least two adapters to create a network, and Netgear sells a starter kit that contains exactly that: two adapters and two 6-foot Ethernet cables. Though the inclusion of the cables seems like a no-brainer, Panasonic doesn't include them with its power-line adapters, so kudos to Netgear.
Netgear's Powerline adapters are glossy white bricks with nothing but electrical prongs jutting out the back, an Ethernet port on the side, and three tiny LEDs on the front. Unlike the Panasonic adapters, the Netgear brick plugs straight into a wall outlet, with no additional power cord. While we like the tidiness of this solution, it could potentially interfere with other large wall warts (that is, power bricks) you have in the outlet. And you can't plug the adapter into a power strip or an extension cord, either, because those devices may actually strip the data from the electrical wires.
Setting up a power-line network with the Netgear kit couldn't be simpler: connect the adapter to one of your router's LAN ports via Ethernet cable and plug in that adapter. Take the second adapter anywhere in your home and plug it into an outlet. It may take up to 30 seconds for the adapters to establish contact. Then, using another Ethernet cable, connect a client device to the second adapter. You don't have to register each "slave" adapter to the "master" as you do with the Panasonic power-line adapters; they'll configure themselves automatically. Nor do you need an adapter for each device you want to network: you can connect a switch to a power-line adapter and connect as many devices to the switch as it will support. For example, a single adapter and switch in your living room could support a DVR, a media adapter, a set-top box, and a notebook PC. Unfortunately, you will still have to contend with an unsightly tangle of cords and cables. Netgear recommends a maximum of 16 adapters per network.
The included CD has an installation and management utility that you can use to monitor your network, change the network ID, and search your network for registered and unregistered adapters. You can also use the utility to give priority to certain types of network traffic, such as multimedia files or voice packets for your VoIP phone.
Security isn't as much of an issue on a power-line network as it is on a Wi-Fi network. After all, there's no data flying through the air to be intercepted. Still, you should take precautions, especially if you live in a multi-unit building. For one thing, you can change your network's name from the default name that Netgear provides. Any adapter (and client) that attempts to join the network will have to know its name. You can also set a password on your network to keep out would-be intruders.
In our Labs' tests, the Netgear Powerline HD Ethernet Adapters clocked an impressive 52.7Mbps throughput rate--faster than that of the Panasonic adapters, which posted a 35.4Mbps rate. While 52.7Mbps is well off the theoretical maximum of 200Mbps, it's still more than enough for standard home-use tasks, such as Web surfing. And according to CNET's home video experts, this rate will more than suffice for transmitting high-def content.
Netgear backs the Powerline HD Ethernet Adapters with a one-year warranty. Toll-free phone support for basic setup issues is free for the first 90 days. More-detailed assistance can be had for a price: a hefty $32.95 per incident (up to 30 minutes). If that seems steep, start with Netgear's site, which has FAQs, a troubleshooter, and downloadable installation and user guides. The included CD has a user guide for reference, too.
User reviews
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Works well until first power glitch
by Robh on February 8, 2007
Pros: Good data rates and easy setup
Cons: Dies at first power glitch
Summary: I bought three of Netgears ethernet adapters and they were easy to setup and solved my problem with wireless range. The data rate in my house was in the neighborhood ...
Summary: I bought three of Netgears ethernet adapters and they were easy to setup and solved my problem with wireless range. The data rate in my house was in the neighborhood of 20Mbps rather than the 80 claimed but that is normal for actual vs. promised rates.
Unfortunately, they can't be plugged into a surge protector because they won't connect. We had a flicker in the lights in our house and one of the adapters died. Within two weeks the other two died as well.
Back to wireless we went with a new higher gain antenna. Needless to say, I was very disappointed.10 out of 11 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Excellent speed. I got better than 150 mbs.
by patmiller on September 23, 2006
Pros: Easy to install. Very good speed.
Cons: A bit expensive. Wall wart can be hard to plug in. Only one port. Not compatible with its slow speed cousins.
Summary: I wanted to avoid pulling cable from my router downstairs to the upstairs office. I needed more than a 10mbs link since I do ship data across my intranet (Tivo ...
Summary: I wanted to avoid pulling cable from my router downstairs to the upstairs office. I needed more than a 10mbs link since I do ship data across my intranet (Tivo video, some file transfers, NAS storage, large file printing). I was also worried that some of the low end (and more affordable) options would not deliver enough of their peak performance across my 50 year old copper wiring. My wireless link was spotty, so my choices were pulling wire and powerline adaptors. So I went for this Netgear device.
It was trivial to install. I just plugged everything in. The wall wart was a little inconvenient downstairs, but looked nice against the outlet upstairs. I think I would have preferred a short power cord, however. The links came right up and I tried some large file transfers. I was getting 150mbs sustained. I later installed the configuration tool (on my WinXP laptop, no MacOSX nor linux option). These reported 168 mbs links -- in line with my ad hoc testing.
I would have liked a web interface to the adaptors instead of the Windoze tool, but I'm not going to do much configuration (you can apparently prioritize TCP over UDP traffic -- UDP is preferred by default to facilitate streaming connections).
Overall, I'm quite happy with the purchase.5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Fast, Reliable, Constant Connection. GOODBYE WIRELESS!
by mohanman on August 14, 2006
Pros: Simple, easy to use, fast, always on
Cons: Need a open plug!
Summary: As an addict of everything electronics, I decided to purchase a pair of these to give it a try. Wow, was it a good idea! I have had pre-N wireless ...
Summary: As an addict of everything electronics, I decided to purchase a pair of these to give it a try. Wow, was it a good idea! I have had pre-N wireless stuff throughout my home in Chicago (condo). I have a media center in my bedroom, living room and computer in den with NAS for videos/photos/music/games etc. With the belkin pre-n, the wirless was okay, often it would get bogged down, freeze, choppy etc. I thought that was the best once can get with networking. Then today, magic happened. I got these, and although a little pricey are soooo much better then wireless! I just plugged them in! I was getting so much faster transfers/downloads etc. I dont have anything to measure the speeds, but it was constant! There was no interruptions! This is the best idea, and such a stable item to use! I love it! I will keep you posted with other updates, as I will be getting more adapters around my house! I only rate good stuff good, otherwise the crap goes back to the store. This is a keeper for me!
lates!
Mo!3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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As Bad as Wireless
by 527romona on December 5, 2007
Pros: Easy to set up!
Cons: Terrible as time went on...
Summary: The first set up is so exciting. We have adapters in 5 rooms (at great but desperate expense). The speed throughout was amazing...for the first week. Then we were ...
Summary: The first set up is so exciting. We have adapters in 5 rooms (at great but desperate expense). The speed throughout was amazing...for the first week. Then we were getting intermittent connectivity. You'd lose connection and wait 10 minutes and it might come back on. Now I find out that some electrical appliances in your home can interfere with the signal. So keep the television off!!! It's back to adjusting settings on a daily basis. DeJaVuWireless. I get speeds of 150 on one unit and 25 on another. $600 bucks down the drain!!!
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great solution
by martinjm1071 on February 28, 2007
Pros: Speed; ease of setup
Cons: bright blue light on front; a bit quirky when changing ID
Summary: Setup could not have been easier, plug and play and I am getting a throughput of 54Mbs, easily able to stream recorded TV, music, and pictures through my XBox 360. ...
Summary: Setup could not have been easier, plug and play and I am getting a throughput of 54Mbs, easily able to stream recorded TV, music, and pictures through my XBox 360. I purchased another brand that was cheaper and it worked poorly. Be advised that you will need as much throughput as you can possibly get if you plan on using your XBox as a media extender and after a week of use this seems to be working quite well. This product is not a 10 because of the bright blue light that can seemingly be seen from anywhere and when I tried to change to network ID for an additional layer of protection it had some issues seeing the other power brick. Overall, very pleased and would highly recommend.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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works great
by mightythor88 on October 6, 2007
Pros: works / easy to install /
Cons: price, but definitely worth it
Summary: i had them out of the box and working in under 15minutes. Extremely easy to use and simple.
Summary: i had them out of the box and working in under 15minutes. Extremely easy to use and simple.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Easy to use and no hassle
by Sky_line123 on August 31, 2009
Pros: I'm not one to read an instruction manual so this was a perfect product for me. A true plug and play product that got me connected to the internet quickly and easily.
Cons: There really isn't anything to not like about this product.
Summary: If you are looking to add an Ethernet outlet in a place where you can't run a wire, this is the product for you.
Summary: If you are looking to add an Ethernet outlet in a place where you can't run a wire, this is the product for you.
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This is the answer!
by tonyg71 on March 7, 2009
Pros: Couldn't be any easier to set up. Stable connection for XBox Live.
Cons: Does it really need to be this expensive? I think not, but the demand seems to be out there.
Summary: My home office is on the second floor of our house while my home entertainment system and XBOX 360 are in the basement. I spent no less than an entire ...
Summary: My home office is on the second floor of our house while my home entertainment system and XBOX 360 are in the basement. I spent no less than an entire day to get the Xbox to hook into my wireless network so I could have Xbox Live, but to no avail. This was my last option, so I threw down $150 at Best Buy to try my luck, and boy am I glad that I did. A few people, including the Best Buy associate, told me that it would only work for plugs that were on the same circuit, but that didn't make sense to me. When I open my breaker box, I have about 40-50 circuits hooked into the same main. The master BR and bath alone has its own circuit. So if that were the case, what would be the purpose of having an adapter on one end of the circuit its mate on the other end, which in some cases might only allow you to extend the netwrook across a room or two? I'm no electrician, but I was banking on the hope that they meant the same MAIN, not the same circuit. Anyway, knowing that it wasn't subject to a restocking fee (thank goodness), I gave it a try. I'm thrilled that I did, because it couldn't have been any easier to get this up and running. I won't belabor the steps here (you can read that in CNet's review), but I'll just say I spent more time walking to each end of my house to plug the adapters in than it took to get the network operational. Everything works great, including the streaming content from Netflix. If you are looking for a stable option to hook up/extend your network, give this a shot.
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Great, But Everything Has It's Limitations
by eddieringle on February 22, 2009
Pros: Quick and simple setup (just plug in and you're good!).
Fast throughput.Cons: Throughput decreases as distance increases (to be expected).
Don't expect reliability when you have two at opposite ends of the house.Summary: Really, it's not the products fault at all, in time, I'm sure the technology will improve and with that comes greater reliability.
I think I'll sell these ...Summary: Really, it's not the products fault at all, in time, I'm sure the technology will improve and with that comes greater reliability.
I think I'll sell these on Ebay and buy a wireless ethernet bridge, because I'm almost through will the hassle these bring. Because they are at opposite ends of the house, there are TONS of electroncis and appliances inbetween, all adding to the interference. This isn't really anyone's fault, but hopefully once the technology is improved this problem will be reduced. The reason why I bought these and tried them out is because Linux doesn't support my wireless card out of the box. (And it's a hassle getting it working). But if I just put a wireless bridge here in my room, my problems will be solved.
So, go ahead and buy this, it's really great. However don't expect it to work perfectly in 100% of situations. -
This is Awesome!
by john_h_4 on January 31, 2009
Pros: Works just like you think it should
Very fast to setup
Zero reading needed
Comes with everything you need (incl 2 cables)Cons: Price ($134 @ BB)
Summary: Awesome. I was thinking about how to run some Cat 5 from ny 2nd story to my basement. Instead of figuring out how in the world I would find a ...
Summary: Awesome. I was thinking about how to run some Cat 5 from ny 2nd story to my basement. Instead of figuring out how in the world I would find a space to get from one level and down two, I thought I would give this a try. It worked right out of the box. I was very skeptical, so I checked out speedtest.net upstairs from my rounter and then in the basement on the end of the Powerline. They were almost identical. Great product. I know it was $130, but now I don't have to crawl in my attic.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: NetGear Inc.
- Part number: HDXB101-100NAS
- Description: NETGEAR's Powerline HD Ethernet Adapter for high quality video and gaming is an ideal solution for connecting a PC, DVR, X-Box 360, PS3, or other game console to the home network. Simply plug one HDX101 into an AC outlet near your router and the other HDX101 near the device you wish to network. Built-in Quality of Service (QoS) ensures high quality, consistent performance for things like real-time HD video and audio streaming for a digital media adapter (DMA) like the NETGEAR Digital Entertainer (EVA700) or for Internet gaming and VoIP calls. With data rates up to 200 Mbps large file transfers to networked storage devices like NETGEAR's Storage Central (SC101) can be up to 12 times faster than previous Powerline networking products, all with encrypted security.
General
- Packaged Quantity 2
- Device Type Bridge
- Form Factor External
Networking
- Connectivity Technology Wired
- Data Transfer Rate 200 Mbps
- Data Link Protocol Ethernet, HomePlug 1.0, Fast Ethernet
- Status Indicators Power, Link OK, Link activity
- Compliant Standards IEEE 802.3, HomePlug 1.0
Communications
- Type None
Expansion / Connectivity
- Expansion Slots Total (Free) None
- Interfaces 1 x Network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX - RJ-45, 1 x Network / power - HomePlug 1.0
- Compatible Slots None
Miscellaneous
- Cables (Details) 1 x Network cable - 6 ft
- Compliant Standards UL, FCC Part 15 B
Power
- Power Device Power supply - Internal
Software / System Requirements
- OS Required Microsoft Windows 2000 / XP
Environmental Parameters
- Min Operating Temperature 32 °F
- Max Operating Temperature 104 °F
- Humidity Range Operating 10 - 90%
Product series
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Netgear Powerline HD Ethernet Adapter (2-Pack)
Manufacturer: NetGear Inc.
Specs: Bridge, Wired, 200 Mbps, Ethernet, HomePlug 1.0, Fast Ethernet, External
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Netgear Powerline HD Ethernet Adapter
Manufacturer: NetGear Inc.
Specs: Bridge, Wired, 200 Mbps, Ethernet, HomePlug 1.0, Fast Ethernet, External
Manufacturer info
- NetGear Inc.
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse NetGear Inc. products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.netgear.com/
- Address:
4500 Great America Pkwy.
Santa Clara, CA 95054 - Phone: 408-907-8000
- Email: support@netgear.com
- Fax: 408-907-8097
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