Review of the TP-LINK AV500 Gigabit Powerline Adapter Starter Kit

Back in May we told you that TP-LINK had announced a new Gigabit Powerline Apapter called the AV500. We have been using them for a few weeks and here is our review.

TP-LINK 500Mbps Gigabit Powerline Adapter TL-PA511 turns your existing powerline into a high speed network with no need for new wires or drilling. The twin pack design of TL-PA511KIT helps establish a powerline network initially. No configuration is required, simply plug your adapters into your power sockets and you can establish networking infrastructure in a flash. With a speed of up to 500Mbps, TL-PA511 transmits multiple HD streams and even 3D movies to every room, making it a great choice for an easy to build multimedia entertainment network.

With advanced HomePlug AV technology, TL-PA511 provides users with stable, high-speed data transfer rates of up to 500Mbps on a line length of up to 300 meters. Together with its built-in Qos and powerful AES encryption, the TL-PA511 is a great choice for a whole home solution to connect all network compatible devices–from computers and game consoles to set-top boxes for IPTV to printers and NAS hard drives.

Who are TP-LINK?

From their website:

TP-LINK is a global provider of SOHO&SMB networking products and the World’s No.1 provider of WLAN and Broadband CPE devices, with products available in over 120 countries to tens of millions customers. Committed to intensive R&D, efficient production and strict quality management, TP-LINK continues to provide award-winning networking products in Wireless, ADSL, Routers, Switches, IP Cameras, Powerline Adapters, Print Servers, Media Converters and Network Adapters for Global end-users.

Based on the confidence of tens of millions of customers, TP-LINK is now growing to become one of the most competitive providers of networking products with aspirations to become one of the top 3 networking brands in the world and striving for a larger global market share, while further advancing in the world of networking to better serve our most valued customers with products that make their lives easier.

Features

• HomePlug AV standard compliant, high-speed data transfer rate of up to 500Mbps, ideal for HD video or 3D video streaming and online gaming
• Mains Filter for better powerline communication performance
• No new wires, use existing electrical wiring
• Up to 300 meter range over a home’s electrical circuit for better performance through walls or across floors
• Plug and Play, no new wires or configuration required
• Patented Power-Saving Mode automatically reduces power consumption by up to 85%
• 128-bit AES encryption ensures that the network is safe simply by pressing a button on paired devices
• Built-in QoS assures the quality of bandwidth sensitive applications such as voice, video and online games
• Supports IGMP managed multicast IP transmission, optimizes IPTV streaming

Specifications

What’s in the box?

• TL-PA511×2
• RJ-45 Ethernet Cable ×2
• Quick Installation Guide
• Resource CD

A Closer Look

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