Devolo dLan 200 AV Starter Kit review

Wifi is a great way to extend your network without having to install new wiring, but it's not without its problems.

Potential health issues aside, it can struggle with walls and ceilings, and getting a reliable signal to cover your home or office can prove impossible.

Wifi isn't known for its fast or robust connections either - it's fine if you want to share an Internet connection between a couple of Macs, but if you want to shift large files or high-definition video, you could soon run into problems. It doesn't matter much if the speed fluctuates a little while you copy a few files from one Mac to another, but if it drops out when you're streaming video, it could result in dropped frames and stuttering dialogue.

HomePlug lets you to use your mains electricity circuit to transfer data as well as power so you can extend your network to wherever you have a free plug socket. In theory, Devolo's dLan 200 AV system provides a connection of up to 200Mbits/sec. In practice, however, the maximum net data rate according to Devolo is likely to be between 80 and 90Mbits/sec - still faster than wifi and sufficient for streaming high-definition video.

The dLan 200 AV uses the same technology as Devolo's dLan 200 AVdesk, but is much smaller. The AVdesk is around the size of a small clock radio, while the AV version is more like an over-sized plug.

You get two adaptors in the box and installation is very simple - plug an Ethernet cable into the connector on the bottom of the unit and then plug it into a free mains socket. Repeat the procedure at another plug socket and you're all set up. The two adaptors will find each other and start transmitting and receiving data.

Also included in the bundle is a Mac application that lets you password-protect your network - useful if you share mains wiring with other properties. Once you've tapped in the security ID, you can set a password to stop unwanted devices snooping on your data.

The dLan 200 AV performed very well, successfully streaming both standard and high-definition content across the network without the image breaking up. It was faster than an 802.11g wireless network with a theoretical maximum of 54Mbits/sec. Copying a folder containing 43 files totalling 1.35GB took 12 minutes eight seconds when connected via the dLan 200 AV compared with 15 minutes ten seconds over a wifi network. However, it was slower than an Ethernet network, which took four minutes six seconds for the same transfer.

If you have older HomePlug devices that conform to the previous standard, it's worth noting that they're not compatible with the new faster version that the dLan 200 AV uses. You can operate both on the same wiring, but you can't transfer data between them unless you bridge the networks by connecting an Ethernet cable between one of the slower devices and one of the faster ones.

If you were to replace your network entirely with dLan devices, the cost could quickly add up. Where it's more useful, however, is for providing a connection between two rooms without the expense or disruption of installing dedicated cabling. This is a great way to bridge the gap with a reliable, fast connection.