We tested the range of the Actiontec HomePlug Ethernet adaptor kit throughout
the PCstats labs by connecting one of the adaptors to a laptop and
roaming from plug to plug. We found that the HomePlug adaptors maintained at
least a 75% signal in areas which were too distant for our wireless access
point to service. Bearing in mind that the maximum range of the
technology is supposed to be 300M, this makes sense, as the distance between points that we
tested is nowhere near that large.
Our results illustrate the one clear advantage that
HomePlug networking and the Actiontec HomePlug Ethernet adaptor kit have
over wireless networks; range. If want to deploy a wireless solution to a
small number of devices and computers but are frustrated by range or
obstructions, HomePlug networking might well be the answer you are looking
for.
Networking performance
We tested the Actiontec HomePlug Ethernet adaptor kit's network
performance using the NetIQ application. Two test systems were set up to link
in peer-to-peer mode and tested on a variety of plugs throughout the
PCstats labs. As we are located in a medium size commercial building, we were
interested to see how the powerline networking dealt with this
environment. For comparative purposes, benchmarks from wireless 802.11b and 802.11g
products are included. Our second test involved transferring an 11.8MB test file and
timing the transfer speed.
|
Actiontec
Homeplug Ethernet adaptor NetIQ Tests |
| Actiontec Homeplug Ethernet
adaptor |
| Average Throughput |
5.878 Mbps |
| Response Time |
2 ms |
| 11.8Mb Test file transfer |
~17 sec |
|
Actiontec Homeplug Ethernet adaptor w.
56-bit DES Encryption enabled |
| Average Throughput |
5.835Mbps |
| Response Time |
2 ms |
| 11.8Mb Test file transfer |
~18sec |
| Ethernet Reference: |
| 10/100 Wired Ethernet (typical) |
61.5 Mbps |
| Wired Response Time |
1ms |
| Wireless Ethernet
reference: |
| 802.11b wireless Ethernet (typical) |
21.5 Mbps |
| 802.11g wireless Ethernet (typical) |
4.47Mbps |
The performance of the Actiontec HomePlug Ethernet adaptor kit was
decent, though much slower than typical wired 10/100 Ethernet, obviously.
It does have a slight performance advantage over 802.11b wireless connections,
though the difference is likely to be too small to notice. As we
expected, enabling encryption made no performance difference to this
product.
Conclusions
Unavoidably, the Actiontec HomePlug Ethernet adaptor kit is somewhat
of a niche product. It does its job well, effectively networking devices
over exisiting 120V AC copper wiring, but in general circumstances
it's hard to recommend using Powerline networking instead of the now common
wireless networking standards.
The range of the Actiontec kit is
significantly greater than
that of any non-signal boosted wireless access point, and it's not contrained by walls or other obstacles.
If you have a large home or office and you need
to network a few devices, HomePlug-based products like the Actionec devices we reviewed today
may well be a better choice than buying enough wireless hardware
to carry a signal to all corners, especially if the building construction makes
wireless signal strength is an issue.
The other advantage that HomePlug devices and the Actiontec kit could be
said to have over wireless is the fact that they are actually
wired communication devices, and are not prone to the signal
variances, dead spots and other oddities that all wireless devices seem to
suffer from.
The Actiontec HomePlug Ethernet adaptor kit is extremely simple to set
up and manage, so computer newcomers need not worry about being able to use
them effectively. Our only concern with this product is the price. $129US
is just too much to pay for networking two computers (or a
computer and a gateway) together somewhat wirelessly. At this price
point, the Actiontec HomePlug Ethernet adaptor kit is competing with
802.11g wireless devices and that's going to be a tough sell (despite the
advantages we listed above) since 802.11g is considerably faster than the
HomePlug standard. 802.11b wireless devices are cheaper and more or less
equal in speed.
If you really need the extra range the Actiontec
HomePlug Ethernet adaptor kit can provide over existing wireless networking products, or you can find a
deal on it, it's an effective and easy way to network your home without
laying cables. Otherwise, the product is simply too expensive against competing networking
options.
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Newsletter today! Catch all of PCstats latest hardware reviews right here.
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