X

Netgear out with 500Mbps four-port powerline kit

Netgear introduces its first four-port 500Mbps powerline kit.

Dong Ngo SF Labs Manager, Editor / Reviews
CNET editor Dong Ngo has been involved with technology since 2000, starting with testing gadgets and writing code for CNET Labs' benchmarks. He now manages CNET San Francisco Labs, reviews 3D printers, networking/storage devices, and also writes about other topics from online security to new gadgets and how technology impacts the life of people around the world.
See full bio
Dong Ngo
2 min read
Netgear's first 500Mbps 4-port powerline kit.
Netgear's first 500Mbps four-port powerline kit. Netgear

LAS VEGAS--Trendnet shipped the first 500Mbps powerline kit, the TPL-401E2K, a month ago, and now Netgear has upped this type of device another notch.

The company announced today its first 500Mbps powerline kit, the Internet Adapter for Home Theater XAVB5004; it offers four ports at the far end of the connection.

The XAVB5004 includes two adapters. The first one has a single Gigabit port to connect to an existing network via a router (or a hub); the second adapter has four Gigabit ports, meaning you can use up to four Ethernet-ready devices before having to resort to an additional hub. When these two adapters are plugged into the wall, it will create a network connection using the home's electrical wiring and hence spare you from having to run network cable all over the place.

There have been four-port powerline kits on the market for a while, and CNET has reviewed a few of them, such as the WD Livewire, or the Linksys PLK300. However, this XAVB5004 is the first to offer the higher 500Mbps speed.

Similar to the Trendnet 500Mbps kit, the Netgear kit supports the latest IEEE P1901 global standard for high-speed powerline communications. It's also HomePlug AV-certified, meaning it will work with existing 200Mbps HomePlug AV adapters. Like Netgear Powerline AV 200 kit, the Internet Adapter for Home Theater kit supports push-button security that helps create secure powerline connections quickly and easily.

Netgear claims that its new 500Mbps powerline kit is capable of delivering smooth HD video streaming to up to four devices. The four-port adapter also has color-coded ports that work with the built-in Quality of Service feature to help users pick the best port for the type of device. For example, you want to use the port that's optimized for voice with a VoIP phone.

The 500Mbps Internet Adapter for Home Theater XAVB5004 powerline kit will be available this month and costs around $170.