D-Link has been around for close to 30 years, and today they are one of the big names people think of when it comes to networking the connected devices in their home. While their wired and wireless routers, switches, and access points are the first thing I think of when considering D-Link, they now have quite a product line of connected home items, networked cameras, and what I will call alternate means of networking your devices.
The subject of this review offers one of those alternate means of networking your devices. The DHP-701AV is a powerline adapter kit which uses the electrical lines in your home to transmit data, meaning you don't have to run traditional Ethernet cables or worry about the limited range of a wireless connection. Simply connect one of the kits adapters to a wired connection on your network, plug it in to a wall outlet, and then plug the other adapter in to another wall outlet and you will instantly have another network connection in that location. While powerline adapters are nothing new, the technology has developed greatly in order to provide the reliability and transfer rates users demand. The DHP-701AV is rated for 2000Mbps, which is extremely fast for such a device. In this review I will see just how fast it will go on my home's electrical system, and compare it to a few other similar ways of sending your network connection beyond the reach of a wired network.
Before taking a klook at the sample provided for review, let's look at some of the features and specifications as taken from the
product page on the D-Link website...
Features:
» Get a high-speed network using your existing electrical wiring
» PowerLine AV2 Technology - Speeds of up to 2000Mbps
» Gigabit Ethernet Ports for Gigabit speeds
» Plug-and-Play installation
» Power saving mode reduces power consumption up to 85%
» 128-bit AES Link Encryption with key management for secure power line communications
Specifications:
» Standards: IEEE 802.3, IEEE 802.3u, HomePlug AV, HomePlug AV2, IEEE 1901
» Ethernet Interface: 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet
» Minimum Requirements:
» Electrical wiring with at least two available outlets on the same circuit
» Internet Explorer® 11, Mozilla® Firefox® v28, Google Chrome v33, or Safari v7
» Cable, DSL or Fiber Optics
» Router
» Computer with Windows® 8.1, Windows® 8, Windows® 7 , or Mac OS® X (v10.7)
» Physical Dimensions: 3.89 x 2.86 x 1.34 inches
» Weight: 0.4 lbs
» Input Power: 100V ~ 240V
» LEDs: Power, PowerLine, LAN (from right to left)
» Temperature:
» Operating: 32 to 104 °F
» Storage: -4 to 149 °F
» Humidity:
» Operating: 10% to 90% non-condensing
» Storage: 5% to 95% non-condensing
» EMC Certifications: FCC
» Safety Certifications: UL
» Package Contents:
» 2 x PowerLine AV2 2000 Gigabit Adapters (DHP-700AV)
» Warranty documents
» 2 x Ethernet Cables
» Quick Installation Guide
