What is Powerline networking?

A Powerline network is essentially a wired network with (mostly) hidden wires. Let's say
that you have your broadband router in the hallway and a smart Samsung HD TV in the
living room. Let's also say that this particular telly isn't wireless-enabled, so the only way
that you can enjoy catch-up TV on it is to trail an Ethernet cable from the router, down the
hallway, and across the living room floor to the TV. You try to hide the cable with a big rug.
It doesn't work.

The Powerline solution is less visible − a 'no new wires' approach. You buy a basic kit,
which comes with two Powerline adapters and two short Ethernet cables. You connect one
of the Ethernet cables to your router and to the first of the adapters. Then you plug it into
the nearest power socket. You click the second Ethernet cable into the back of the HD TV
and into the second adapter. You plug the second adapter into the nearest power socket.

And that's it. The adapters auto-detect each other (no drivers, no lengthy configuration
process) and auto-connect, enabling data packets to whizz from router to TV, travelling
along the Ethernet cable, into the first adapter, across the electrical wiring in the walls, out
into the second adapter and into the TV. When the first HomePlug Powerline standard was
introduced in 2001, data speeds were limited to a sluggish 14Mbps. But the newest
Powerline products now support Gigabit-class networking.

Why use Powerline networking?

If you've already got a wireless hub, you might not see the point of incorporating
Powerline adapters into your home network. But the technology has several advantages
over Wi-Fi, namely consistent speeds, reliability, security and ease-of-use.

Powerline is a bridging technology, often useful for extending the reach of a home
network to places where your wireless coverage is poor, or where you need the fastest
connection possible − a games console, perhaps, or an Apple TV. It's also ideal for
connecting old devices to the Internet that don't have built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, avoiding
cluttering up your living room with a tangle of Ethernet cables. Powerline is a neat and
effective networking solution.

Powerline technology is arguably more secure than a wireless network too. As data is
sent across the copper wiring in your home, it can't be hacked or misused from the
outside. Modern Powerline kit also encourages you to password protect your adapters,
adding an extra layer of protection.

How does Powerline networking work?

Sending signals across a home's electrical wiring isn't a 21st century idea. In fact, the
power companies have been sending control signals over the mains since the 1920s −
it's how electricity meters know when to switch to an off-peak rate. The electrical wiring
in the average home can support a variety of frequencies. As electricity uses 50/60Hz
signals, extra data can be transported along the same wiring at much higher
frequencies, without causing any interference.

The original HomePlug 1.0 standard (IEEE 1901) accelerated out of the blocks at a
somewhat pedestrian 14Mbps, although real-world speeds were closer to 5Mbps. A
'Turbo' upgrade boosted the maximum throughput of version 1.0 to 85Mbps (real-world
speeds of around 20Mbps). In 2005, a revamped HomePlug AV boosted the rate even
higher, claiming 200Mbps on the box (80-90Mbps in tests) − more than enough to cope
with audio and video streaming, hence the 'AV' tag.

 Saving money on installations: Suppose you have a device – say, a TV – that can
connect to the Internet with a wired Ethernet connection, but it doesn’t have Wi-Fi.
Unfortunately, your router is on the other side of the room. You can run Ethernet
cables through your walls or under your carpet if you want to, but this takes time and
you’ll have to buy a lot of cable. Purchasing a pair of Powerline adapters is a faster
and often more affordable solution.
 Solving Wi-Fi woes: There are some places that Wi-Fi cannot reach reliably. Heavy
interference or extra-large houses may make it too difficult to use a wireless
connection. In these cases, Powerline adapters can supplement Wi-Fi networks or
help provide one-on-one solutions for devices that really need a wired connection.
This may also help with other problems, like spotty streaming or slow speeds that
you would like to improve.
 Easy setup: Powerline networking is easy to install. You can do it by yourself in just a
few minutes. If there’s only one or two devices in your home that need the Internet,
Powerline may be the most consumer-friendly solution for you.