Powerline adapters are probably the most mysterious and unpopular network devices. I am sure that many do not even know about the existence of such devices that allow the Internet to be transmitted through ordinary electrical wiring. And they are, and there are many situations in which such devices can be very useful. Today I will talk about the TP-Link TL-PA7017 KIT Gigabit Powerline Adapter Kit. This kit consists of two adapters that allow you to provide a high-speed wired electrical connection.
Let's first look at the technical characteristics of the TP-Link TL-PA7017 KIT, in simple words I will tell you how it works, see the appearance of these adapters, and then proceed to setting up. TP-Link TL-PA7017 adapters use HomePlug AV2 wired technology. I spoke in detail about this standard and the adapters themselves in a separate article: the HomePlug AV standard and PowerLine adapters: what it is and how it works. The HomePlug AV2 standard allows you to provide a connection at speeds up to 1200 Mbit / s over conventional wiring within a house, apartment, office, etc.
The TP-Link TL-PA7017 KIT kit includes two identical adapters of the AV1000 standard (up to 1000 Mbps). The scheme of work is very simple: one adapter is plugged into an outlet near the router. The Internet from the router is connected to it via a network cable. We plug the second adapter into an outlet in another room. Near the game console, Smart TV TV, PC, and connect our devices to the second adapter using a network cable. This diagram is best shown in this picture (from the TP-Link website):
It turns out that one adapter receives the Internet from the router and launches it into the electrical network, and the second adapter catches it from there and transfers it to the same TV. The range of the network is up to 300 meters. Connection speed up to 1000 Mbps. Other features of this kit: the most simple setup and energy saving up to 85% (in the "Energy saving" mode).
Why are these adapters needed? To provide a fast and stable internet connection in a place where there is no way to lay a network cable. In addition, it is not always possible to connect devices to the Internet via Wi-Fi. Well, the wireless connection has its drawbacks (low speed, weak signal, interference, etc.). And with the help of such adapters, you can easily connect the same Smart TV TV, game console, or other device to the router. If necessary, you can buy a few more adapters, connect them to the network and use to connect other devices. And then there are Powerline Wi-Fi signal amplifiers.
TP-Link TL-PA7017 KIT review
The TP-Link TL-PA7017 adapters are supplied in this box:
Includes two adapters, two network cables (2 meters long) and instructions.
There are three LEDs on the front panel of the adapter: Power, Powerline, and Ethernet. There is also one "Pair" button, which is needed to create a secure network between the adapters.
Below is one Gigabit Ethernet port.
The adapters are very compact. They look modern. Made with high quality.
We got acquainted with the adapters, you can proceed to the configuration.
Setting up TP-Link TL-PA7017 KIT: connecting the TV to the Internet using the Powerline adapter
Let's say I have a router in the hallway and a TV in the kitchen. I need to connect my TV to the internet using a cable. There is no way to connect via Wi-Fi (there is no Wi-Fi on the TV, poor speed, etc. I have no way to lay a network cable from the router to the TV.
We take one TL-PA7017 KIT adapter, plug it into an outlet near the router and connect them using a network cable.
In another room, next to the TV, turn on the second adapter, wait until the "Powerline" indicator (which is in the middle) lights up and connect the network cable from the Powerline adapter to the TV (PC, PlayStation, another router, or whatever you have). The adapters connect automatically!
All! The Internet on the TV is already working! If you have a TV with Smart TV, of course. Just a LAN port on the TV can be for connecting to a local network, for broadcasting video via DLNA. And if you want to set up DLNA, then this connection scheme is also suitable.
Configuring a secure Powerline network
It is possible to configure a secure network. This is to prevent someone else from being able to turn on another of the same adapter and will automatically join the network. I do not know how relevant this is for a home network (since the network operates within one electric meter), but if there is such an opportunity, then it is better to set up a secure network.
To do this, press the "Pair" button on one device (the power indicator will blink).
Then, on the other adapter, we also press the "Pair" button. The button must be pressed within two minutes. We are waiting for the power indicator to stop flashing. The adapters will be connected to a secure network.
If you want to connect another adapter, just plug it into an outlet, press the "Pair" button on one of the devices in the secured network and press "Pair" on the new adapter.
To reset the TP-Link TL-PA7017 adapter's Powerline settings, press and hold the "Pair" button until the power indicator turns off and then turns on again.
I connected the cable from the adapter to my laptop to check the connection speed. Unfortunately, I have an internet connection of up to 100 Mbps, so I won't be able to demonstrate all the capabilities of these gigabit adapters. But when connected through the TL-PA7017, the laptop gave out almost 100 Mbps, just like when connected directly to the router.
It is a great solution for connecting devices that need a fast and stable internet connection. This will work much better than a wireless bridge. When a second router is installed near the device and a Wi-Fi connection to the main router is configured. You can connect computers to the network in the office using TP-Link TL-PA7017 adapters. There are a lot of use cases.
