Devolo dLAN 200 AVeasy Starter Kit review

Power plug adaptors use your mains wiring to transmit data, an alternative to WiFi that may work better if reception is compromised by long distances or too many obstacles such as walls.

The last Devolo product we reviewed, the dLAN 200 AV Desk, managed a transfer rate of 15Mbit/sec in our tests. The dLAN 200 AVeasy has the same theoretical capability of up to 200Mbit/sec, and again failed to get anywhere near it - which is perfectly normal: this maximum is only possible in a test lab. In the event, the AVeasy managed 33Mbit/sec, a very good result, but not as good as the Solwise HomePlug AV Simple Connect's 50Mbit/sec.

As well as being faster than its predecessor, the AVeasy also provides encryption at the touch of a button. There's a button on each adapter; hold it down until the LED flashes, then do the same for the other adapters on your network within two minutes. The adapters will communicate and agree on a random passkey with which to encrypt your data. If someone on the same mains wiring (for instance in a block of flats) with a compatible powerline adapter tries to connect to your network, they won't be able to because they don't have the key. You can set your own password during installation if you prefer. The chances of outsiders getting onto this kind of network are pretty slim anyway, but it's sensible to be secure.

Two adapters come in the box, along with two Ethernet cables for connecting them to, for example, your ADSL modem and PC. Setup is easy: plug your adapters in, run the software on each connected PC (a CD is provided), and follow the installation wizard. The whole thing took us no more than five minutes. Our only problems came when the firewall on one of our test PCs blocked network sharing with the other test system - something to watch out for, but not Devolo's fault.

This is a good product, but the Solwise does the same thing, is faster and cost £8 less.