If you haven't noticed, there has been quite a lot of buzz around power line-based network adapters as of late. That's because, theoretically, data travels up to 500 Mb/s second through the electrical system of a house or office, a tad bit faster than what you'll (theoretically) see from a Wireless N Wi-Fi connection. A power line connection is also less likely prone to interference as seen with wireless coverage on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.
Amped Wireless said on Monday that it has launched the "industry's smallest" power line-based network adapter in a 2-unit kit, the PLA2 Powerline Nano AV500 1-Port Network Adapter Kit. This kit includes two paired Powerline Network Adapters, each packed with an Ethernet port and a pass-through power outlet so consumers haven't lost a power connection for their laptop, TV or other devices.
"Thick walls made with metal or concrete may interfere with Wi-Fi signals," said Jason Owen, president and CEO at Amped Wireless. "Powerline provides an ideal, plug-and-play solution for these types of situations and can be used to easily connect A/V devices or game consoles. It can also help extend a Wi-Fi signal by pairing a Powerline adapter with our award-winning High Power Wi-Fi Access Points."
To use this kit, simply plug one adapter into an available power outlet and connect it to a router via an Ethernet cable. Plug the second adapter into another power outlet on the same electrical system, and then plug it into an Ethernet-based device. With a plug-and-play setup, extending network connectivity to any room is easily accomplished with little effort, the company said.
"The PLA2 comes secured with 128-bit encryption to protect network traffic from outside intruders," Amped said on Monday. "The compact design of the network adapter allows it to be installed discreetly and leaves room for other devices to be plugged into the same outlet."
The PLA2 has a retail price of $99.99 and is now available on the Amped Wireless website. The kit will be available nationwide from retailers and "e-tailers" March 11.
