Looking for a way to extend the range of your wireless network? Why not use your current electrical system? Networking provider TP-LINK launched on Thursday the WPA4220KIT, a Wireless Range Extender Kit that uses Powerline and 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi technology to extend network coverage in a home or office. This kit is cheap too, costing a mere $59.99.
The setup is simple. Merely plug one into the electrical outlet and connect it via Ethernet to the router. This adapter will feed the network connection through the existing electrical system at the rate of 500 Mbps. Plug the other Wi-Fi adapter into any electrical outlet up to 1,000 feet of electrical circuitry, and the two will automatically connect. This second adapter provides two Ethernet ports and a Wireless N signal up to 300 Mbps.
"Users can easily set up the TL-WPA4220KIT with the built-in Pair and Wi-Fi Clone Buttons, which quickly establish a secure 128-bit AES encrypted connection while cloning the wireless network name and password of the connected router," reads the company's announcement. "The kit can be relocated for optimal coverage, providing seamless network roaming without requiring users to repeat the set up process."
This solution should be ideal for multi-level houses and offices that have areas where a normal Wi-Fi signal can't reach.
Want a faster signal? TP-Link also serves up the AV600 Gigabit Powerline Adapter starter kit. This bundle doesn't provide Wi-Fi connectivity, but promises data transfer rates up to 600 Mbps on an electrical line length of up to nearly 1,000 feet. Like the other bundle, one adapter connects to the router and the other adapter could serve as a one-port media bridge for a game console or HDTV.
The company also offers the AV500 Nano Powerline Adapter starter kit, which features adapters that are smaller than the standard Powerline model. This bundle also doesn't provide Wi-Fi connectivity, and sends data across the electrical line at speeds up to 500 Mbps. This set would be ideal in offices that don't want a large adapter sticking out of the wall.
To see the company's full range of Powerline adapters and starter kits, head here.