Testing:

In order to test the DHP-701AV kit, I will connect a PC to the remote adapter in order to gauge data transfers from the Internet and on the local network. These results will be compared to a handful of comparable devices, including another (slower) powerline kit, a MOCA kit, and a 2.4GHz wireless connection. The remote adapter was installed in my second floor bedroom, while the other adapter was plugged in to an outlet near my router down in the basement. I haven't gotten around to running a CAT6 cable all the way up there yet, so I am continuously looking for new ways to make the connection up there even faster and more reliable. I also have an XBOX 360 up there that is used as a Windows Media Center Extender, and it is important to have a solid connection in order to stream HD and access the networked TV tuners that are also in the basement.

The first test was to run a sessions of Speedtest.net's benchmark on the connection to see how fast the Internet was while using the DHP-701AV. The Internet download speeds possible on my network peak around 120MB/s with a hardwired Gigabit connection to my router, so there is a bit of loss when using the D-Link DHP-701AV. That said, it is about the fastest solution tried to date, and easily beats the previous powerline adapter I had installed. 94.78 MB/s is equivalent to 758.2 Mbps, which is impressive overall, but nowhere close to maxing out the 2000Mbps specified by the product. Many factors can contribute to this performance (including my home's wiring and other devices introducing noise on to the lines), but the key is to look at how other devices performed in the exact same conditions.



The Internet upload speeds possible on my network peak at just over 40MB/s. What we see is that Actiontec's and D-Link's solutions can take full advantage of the available speeds, so there is nothing to complain about here.



The final test was to copy and paste a 4.25GB DVD rip from a NAS server located in the basement. This device is connected to the router via a CAT6 cable, so Gigabit transfers are no problem on that end. What we get with the DHP-701AV is 11.4MB/s, or roughly 91.2 Mbps, which is the fastest of the group, but not nearly as fast as I was hoping for. With this adapter or the MOCA adapter, HD streaming for the Internet and playback from the NAS works just fine.



I don't have the ability to enjoy 4K programming, but many sources describe the requires to do so as being somewhere between 10 and 15 Mbps, so this setup should be more than adequate to make that happen. What I can say is that the PC used during testing, and the XBOX 360 connected on a daily basis, have no problem providing enjoyable HD audio and video to the 1080p 40 inch TV in the room.