NETGEAR XAVB1601-100NAS Powerline AV+ 200 Nano Adapter Set Up to 200Mbps

Pros: Very simple to set up - literally plug-and-play. Useful status LED indicators. Power-save mode. Push-button "security" for link - tho there's no way to tell if it is actually encrypting the link.

Cons: Too big: it prevents use of the 2nd plug in a 2-plug USA standard outlet. No User Manual available - even on-line - to provide more detail on the "security" feature, or what software is available to manage / troubleshoot the device.

Other Thoughts: I've been using Netgear Powerline adapters for 18 months to connect my Internet Modem to my more centrally located wireless router. Performance had dropped to under 1Mb / sec and it was due to some problem in one of the older XETB1001 units.

I went in search of Netgear replacements because the Netgear website claims that all of their units are backward compatible with their older units. After purchase, I find out that this is not the case. I can't use this unit with the still-functional XETB1001 (older) unit I purchased 18 months ago.

Further, a standard USA two-plug outlet is fully consumed by the XAVB1601 because it sticks up high enough to prevent using the 2nd outlet with a 3-prong plug. Talk about Dumb design! So I had to utilize a 3-in-1 plug adapter to shift this unit over far enough so I could still use the other outlet.

What's nice? The typical "plug-and-play" nature of these devices. - Very simple to get working. And the link is plenty fast enough for my 8Mb internet connection. This unit has a pushbutton security feature that evidently encrypts communication just as manually setting passwords did on the older units. It is easy to use, but there is no way to actually tell if your units are secure and communication is actually encrypted (safe). Maybe there's some software out there that would verify but ... read-on

What's lacking?: A user manual that describes the software posted at the Netgear site for download. There's a one page fold-out Installation Guide with very little detail. My older units included a resource CD, XE104 management/encryption software, and a User Manual was also downloadable. Not so with the XAVB1601.

So while it appears to be working fine, I can't tell if the link is secure, I have to kludge the plug-in to use the 2nd outlet, and I can't tell if there's any useful software for managing or testing the device like there was with my older units. Thus I give it only three stars. There are less expensive units out there without the pass-thru plug that may work better for you.

Pros: The powerline adapter contains an extra electrical outlet that is rated at 15 amps which is nice if you have a shortage of outlets. The adapter will plug into the lower electrical outlet leaving the other outlet available for other plugs. The NetGear powerline utility indicates that the connection speed is around 170 Mbps however, that is not very accurate. What you really want to know is what is the throughput and Internet speeds. Using the program "Speed Lan Test" and a 20MB file I measured the throughput in the neighborhood of approximately 50 Mbps. While this isn't anywhere close to the advertised 200 Mbps rate it is comparable to the real world speeds that you see on powerline networking. On the Internet using "speedtest.net" I measured download speeds of 3 Mbps which is the same as my wired lan connections (it is what I am paying for from my ISP). Installation was a breeze you simply plug in the adapters and the rest is automatic.

Cons: Cost is the number one complaint that I have. I purchased this package because NetGear made if sound as if you wanted their adapters to work (co-exist on an existing network) that you had to go with a compatible plug. This kit was approximately $100.00 for two adapters. What I have since found out is that all of the HomePlug AV 200 plugs conform to the same standard permitting you to mix and match different manufacturer's adapters on the same network as long as you match the password on the adapters. Basically, I paid $50.00 too much for this kit.

The adapters came with a limited installation guide, a single sheet, that doesn't provide much information for the novice. On the last page it refers you to NetGear's website so that you can download the powerline utility and user's manual. Again, this is not good if you are a novice or run into problems making the adapters work. No software is provided with the adapters except for what is provided online.

Other Thoughts: You receive complementary 90 day technical support after registering your adapters which is a plus. However, I did not find their technical support to be very helpful. I contacted them via email twice and asked multiple questions in each email. In each case only the first question was answered. To get the second question answered you had to send another email. You fair better asking your questions on other networking sites.

The bottom line is that the adapters work about as well as any PowerLine networking adapter. If you have a definite need where you have to use this technology then NetGear's product is as good as anyone else's. Although, if I had it to do over again, I would have bought a cheaper package.

If this is going to be your first powerline purchase I would probably consider purchasing the 500 Mbps units because of the higher throughput that you will see. It is about double of the 200 Mbps units.