We tested all the powerline adapters and wi-fi extender kits within the same three-bedroom detached home, using one adapter or extender unit upstairs and one downstairs, and running tests with a laptop and a desktop PC. The laptop has a built-in 2×2 MIMO Wi-Fi 6 wireless adapter and Gigabit Ethernet, while the desktop PC has a 2×2 MIMO Wi-Fi 6 adapter and Gigabit Ethernet on the motherboard.

The best powerline adapters provide a simple way of extending the reach of your home network, and as such, there are several factors you ought to consider before you make your choice. In the starter kit, you'll get two adapters, one has a single Ethernet port, which you should use to connect to your modem or router, and the second one has two Ethernet ports for connecting wired devices. Much like mentioned above, if more ports are needed, there is always an option of putting a network switch on either end, expanding the port offering even further and allowing more devices to have faster hardline internet access. In compiling this list of the best powerline adapters of 2023, we've tested several key elements on each adapter. With broadband speeds getting faster all the time, it makes sense to give yourself the best chance of getting the best possible speed, while future-proofing your home network at the same time. A gigabit ethernet connection does just that.Powerline networking is a way of connecting a device to your router using the mains electricity wiring of your house to send and receive signals to and from your router. It is an alternative to using wifi as a way of connecting a device to your home network. Powerline networking is one of a number of ways you could potentially improve your home network. But what exactly is it? And is it going to solve all of your connectivity issues?

Square D and Eaton AFCIs have this arrangement and are very HomePlug-friendly; it is fortunate that these brands have a large market share. Some other manufacturers (such as Siemens) have a capacitor in front and this is detrimental to HomePlug signals. Today’s HomePlug AV2 adapters can yield best-case throughput close to 400 Mbps and even 100 Mbps at many locations in a typical home or apartment. The IxChariot throughput plot below shows even a mixed pair of AV500 and AV2-MIMO adapters can yield over 200 Mbps of best-case throughput. The best powerline adapters and kits you can buy in 2023 1. TP-Link TL-PA7017: Best budget powerline networking kit If you think about it, it's inevitable that an internet signal being sent through a household electrical mains circuit is going to lose some speed. Whether or not a specific powerline connection is going to lose more or less speed than a wifi connection between the same two devices depends on quite a few variables, including the positioning of the devices in question and the layout of your home. The best powerline adapters are a must-have in 2022. After all, slow or inconsistent Wi-Fi is one of modern life’s most annoying minor problems, especially now that more of us work from home. Sure, you can get a great signal when you’re right next to the router, but what if it’s in a hallway or living room and you need Wi-Fi in a distant upstairs bedroom or an office in the loft or garden?

Instead of sending a wifi signal to your chosen device, your router will now use the ethernet cables and adapters to send signals through the electrical wiring in your house. Clever, eh?

Much more of a problem is switching power supply noise, which comes from almost every electronic device’s power supply today. Its higher frequency falls into the same band used by powerline devices. Even tiny cellphone chargers and innocent-looking USB power warts can cause significant powerline throughput loss. Another form of switching supply interference comes from light dimmers, especially when used with halogen lights. TP-Link – Devices like the TP-Link AV2000 include wifi boosting technology and promise speeds up to 2,000Mbps although as we've said, that's just not a speed you're likely to see once the kit is installed in your home If you still have original HomePlug (14 Mbps) or even HomePlug "Turbo" (85 Mbps) gear and you’re trying to use it to stream HD video, you’re fighting a losing battle. Original HomePlug adapters yield only around 5 Mbps of usable throughput.If you’re willing to look past that sky-high price, nothing will stretch your Wi-Fi further than the Devolo Magic 2 WiFi 6, especially if you have lots of think walls or an unusual layout. In this guide, we'll explain what powerline networking is, how it works, and talk you through the pros and cons you need to know if you're going to make an informed decision. We'll also have a look at some of the powerline options out there on the market, so you can start to familiarise yourself with the available brands. While not exactly brimming with features – these are quite simple devices after all – there are a few features it's worth looking out for when browsing powerline adapters.

Powerline adapters do not slow down wi-fi networks. In fact, they can actually speed up your overall network speeds by reducing the strain and freeing up network bandwidth for your router. Granted, if the device that you are choosing to connect by way of powerline adapter is not a heavy usage device, you may not notice a difference at all. What if I need more ethernet ports than what the powerline adapter has built-in? The only way to find the sources that can be affecting your powerline network is to carefully look for them and then run throughput experiments using tools like LAN Speed Test, or better NetStress (see How Fast Is Your Network? Five Ways To Measure Network Speed). Make sure you run a long enough test to get a good throughput average in each case. Some throughput loss can be intermittent and hard to find using a short test.

The best powerline adapters and kits you can buy in 2023

Key specs – HomePlug standard: AV2 2000; Ports on the first adapter: 2 x Gigabit Ethernet; Ports on the second adapter: 2 x Gigabit Ethernet; Wi-Fi: No; Mains passthrough: Yes Electrical noise can be a significant factor in limiting powerline network throughput. And the worst noise sources are often not obvious. Generally, motor noise from hair dryers and power tools doesn’t have much detrimental effect on powerline network throughput because its frequency is too low. While other network solutions, such as the best WiFi extenders, best WiFi 6 router, or best secure router are available, powerline adapters come into their own when dealing with hard-to-reach areas in your home or office. Certain models even have the capability to broadcast their Wi-Fi signal, providing an added layer of versatility. First off, we've road-tested the speeds of each. And while you should know that stated top speeds are rarely achieved in real life - due to the many outside factors that can affect connectivity - they'll still provide a good barometer for which adapters achieve the highest speeds.