TP-Link Intros AV1200 3-Gigabit Port Powerline Kit

TP-Link announced the availability of its latest Powerline product, the TL-PA8030P KIT AV1200 3-Port Gigabit Passthrough Powerline Starter Kit. The new Homeplug AV2-compliant kit works like most other Powerline products by expanding a wired network through a home's electrical wiring, but the new kit also adds a passthrough power outlet and three gigabit Ethernet ports to each adapter.

Rated at speeds up to 1200 Mbps and a range up to 300 meters, TP-Link's TL-PA8030P uses MIMO and beam forming technologies to spread its coverage throughout your home.

Usually associated with wireless networking, MIMO (or multiple-input, multiple-output) uses multiple antennas to broadcast signals to other antennas on the receiving end of a transmission. The multiple antennas help negate the problems that single antennas had when broadcasting to other single antenna devices, especially when dealing with obstructions in the home, such as furniture and walls, which can disrupt these signals and result in slower wireless speeds.

Powerline MIMO, on the other hand, works differently from routers or other devices with antennas. Powerline sends data using a home's electrical wiring to other powerline devices, sending two streams of data over the live, ground and neutral wiring, emulating a similar effect of 2x2 MIMO in wireless networking.

Powerline adapters are especially important now as gaming and streaming 4K content becomes increasingly prevalent in the average household. Each adapter in the TL-PA8030P kit has three gigabit Ethernet ports, allowing users to experience fast wired speeds across multiple devices, and enjoy data-intensive activities without hiccups. This frees up bandwidth for homes currently using Wi-Fi, as wireless-dedicated devices such as smartphones and printers are no longer impeded by data running through the wired mediums.

According to the product documentation, TP-Link's TL-PA8030P uses a single pressing of the "Pair" button on each adapter to provide a simplified setup procedure between the kit's two adapters. After pressing the second adapter's button, the connection is complete. The data transmission enjoys 128-bit AES encryption.

With each adapter's included passthrough power outlet, home users don't have to sacrifice a wall jack for a Powerline adapter. Hassles such as having to get longer cables or rerouting power cables to neighboring outlets are obviated because of the included power outlet on each TL-PA8030P adapter, which is capable of powering devices up to 16A.

The TL-PA8030P KIT AV1200 3-Port Gigabit Passthrough Powerline Starter Kit is now available from online and retail stores with an MSRP of $99.99.

Updates: There was an error on the TP-Link TL-PA8030P Kit's  specifications page describing the Plug Type as "UK, EU". TP-Link has since corrected this error and the Plug Type now says "US". Also, the kit will be available at major retailers such as Fry's, BestBuy and Micro Center next week.