Netgear XE104 Powerline Ethernet Switch

[HEXUS]

Powerline is Netgear’s version of network using the electrical wiring in your home. We take their 4-port Powerline switch, the XE104, to task and see if it can match up to the competition...

Read more.

[kalniel]

Gaming?

[Nick]

Aye.. hooked up my Xbox 360, PS3 and PS2 to it...

The whole point of getting it was to connect my consoles without having to run cables all over the house.

[awm]

I don't really see the issue with the 85 Mbit speed unless you are transferring files. For streaming the recieving computer needs to be able to decode it so unless you have very little compression having a PC that can decode such a huge stream would be implausible.

[Nick]

Well streaming HD content from my Vista machine using my Xbox 360 as an extender was no-go, jirky framerates and dropped audio.

Oddly enough, it was just about fast enough for streaming live TV but this again went a bit jerky with fast moving images such as a chase scene or football.

However, for gaming purposes, it's perfect. It's a solid connection and I could hook up everything in one handy place without the need for masses of cabling all over the house or a separate switch behind the TV.

[Barrichello]

I been using powerline networking for a while now and really like it.

Purchased a pair of these http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop...ProductID=3157 for the PS3 - main PC next to the cable outlet/modem/router - 1port going to a homeplug there and then coming out into front room with the PS3. Wireless may be ok for newbuild houses - but homeplugs is for sure the way forward if your walls are thicker than than 4 inches

[errata]

Your connection speed is very high with these units not far short of ordinary wired ethernet so its surprising you cant stream hid def TV, I suspect somethings not quite right elsewere.

I believe these units despite being 4 port dont actually contain a switch so there may be issues with all 4 ports in use maybe try with just one device plugged in at each end?

Would it also be fair to point out in the review that most WiFi will also NOT be hi def compatible if 80 mbps isn't working!

[Veles]

Anyone know how these things fair if you try and use them in a house where the electrics are a bit gone?

[Nick]

Your connection speed is very high with these units not far short of ordinary wired ethernet so its surprising you cant stream hid def TV, I suspect somethings not quite right elsewere.

I believe these units despite being 4 port dont actually contain a switch so there may be issues with all 4 ports in use maybe try with just one device plugged in at each end?

Would it also be fair to point out in the review that most WiFi will also NOT be hi def compatible if 80 mbps isn't working!

That's what had me confuzzled, that I didn't appear to have the speed I had when I wired the Xbox 360 directly into the router.

I did consider trying just one device at a time but then this was a 'real world' test and the whole point of having a 4 port switch was to have everything connected all the time...

I think, tbh, that expecting WiFi, even the 104Mbps N draft stuff, to do HD streaming through the walls of a house is expecting too much. This is why I wanted to try a powerline solution.

Anyone know how these things fair if you try and use them in a house where the electrics are a bit gone?

Aye, Bob over HEXUS.lifestyle reviewed the Devolo versions.

http://lifestyle.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=4728

In chatting to him about these you do need to have decent wiring for the best speeds, especially so if you're going from one wiring ring to another.

What these XE104's do is to throttle back to a stable speed if you're suffering dropped packets etc.

Other things you can do, and this is mention in the manual for them, is to plug them directly into a socket, and NOT an extension lead. Plugging them into a surge protected extension lead is a big no-no too.

I had no problems sticking mine into a double socket that had an 8 way extension coming off the other socket but a browse of various forums suggest that plugging them into sockets with the XE104 as the sole equipment on that socket may also improve performance.

[Veles]

Probably easier and cheaper to just buy a £30 wireless router, the wiring hasn't been done in my student house for well over 10 years.

Great review though, it's a very interesting technology, would be sweet if they started augmenting electrical wiring with this in mind to make high speeds possible.

[Nick]

Just wait... I'm now testing the 200Mbps versions...

[j.o.s.h.1408]

i have the 200mbps version and i get an average of 40/50mbps then again i got one connected to the main house and the otehr connected at the end of our garden which is over 50 feet long

[Zak33]

In fact, given the number of LANs I’ve been to in people’s homes, the XE104 is a near perfect solution. Instead of everyone having to bring switches or some enterprising fellow ‘borrowing’ a 20 port switch from his work, a few of these XE104s would do the job brilliantly... and the stairs would be a safer place to walk without a bundle of network cables tangled all down them.

this would also increase the productivity of the company who's Switch got stolen for a 3 day LAN, and the only other thing you don't mention is.......

does it come with an AirZooka?