I had the opportunity to get acquainted with the TP-Link TL-PA8010P KIT Powerline adapter kit. And I decided to make a small review of these adapters, tell what kind of devices they are, for what purposes they can be used, and how to configure.
If you went to this page, then most likely you already know that Powerline adapters allow you to transmit the Internet through ordinary electrical wiring that is laid in your house or apartment. I wrote about this technology and how it works in the article HomePlug AV standard and PowerLine adapters: what it is and how it works. Also, I already wrote about setting up another TP-LINK TL-WPA4220KIT PowerLine adapter kit.
TP-Link TL-PA8010P KIT (AV1200) Is a set of two identical TL-PA8010P adapters (KIT in the name means that this is a set). If necessary, you can easily buy one such adapter. More precisely, one more. Since you need at least 2 adapters to work. There is support for the HomePlug AV2 standard. And this is a transmission speed of up to 1200 Mbps. Another feature is a very simple setting, almost automatic.
For what purposes can these Powerline adapters be used? There are a lot of options. The main thing is that thanks to them, you can do without laying a network cable. After all, it is not always possible to stretch a network cable even to the next room. Unless you did this during the renovation process in the house. Let's look at a few cases in which a set of such adapters can come in handy.
- Extension of wireless Wi-Fi network. Yes, there are repeaters for these tasks. But they can not always cope with the tasks, and the stability and speed of the wireless network ultimately suffers. Therefore, we put one TL-PA8010P adapter near the router, to which we connect the Internet from the router. We connect the second adapter TL-PA8010P in another room, or on another floor, and connect another router to it. It turns out that the routers will be wired.
- If you have, for example, a Smart TV, a game console, a desktop computer, or another device that needs a stable Internet connection, and there is no way to stretch a network cable to this device, then here we can also be helped by a set of TP-Link TL-adapters. PA8010P KIT. We put one adapter near the router, and the second one near the device that needs to be connected to the Internet via cable. And we connect them.
You can buy the required number of such adapters. Using one, start the Internet into the electrical wiring (by installing it near the router), and install other adapters near the devices that need to be connected to the Internet via cable. Or, connect another Wi-Fi router to TL-PA8010P.
TP-Link TL-PA8010P KIT review
In a small box you will find two adapters, two network cables (approximately 1.5 meters), a disk with a utility, and instructions.
The adapters are made of cool plastic. Build and look great. The adapters have built-in sockets. In them, you can connect other devices. Of the controls, there is only one button, Pair, which serves to connect adapters and reset settings. And three LEDs: Power, Powerline LED, and Ethernet.
There is one Gigabit Ethernet port on the bottom. I don't know what else to say about these adapters 🙂 Let's configure them already.
Configuring TP-Link TL-PA8010P KIT adapters
As I wrote above, the setup is very simple. You just need to plug the adapters into an outlet in the same power supply and set up a secure connection with the Pair button. We plug one adapter into an outlet near the router, and connect it with a network cable to the router. On the router, the cable must be connected to the LAN port.
Plug the adapter directly into a power outlet. Do not connect through extension cords, especially filters. But you can connect the extension cord to the adapter.
We also plug the second adapter into an outlet, and connect our computer, TV, another router, etc. to it.
In this way, you can install the required number of TL-PA8010P adapters.
Configuring network security
You need to make friends with all the adapters on the network using the Pair button. To do this, press the Pair button on one of the adapters (for 1 second). Then, within two minutes, press the Pair button on the second adapter.
The devices should connect. The house light should be green. If you have more than two adapters: press the Pair button on the adapter that is already on the network and on the new adapter.
Resetting TP-Link Powerline settings
Press the Pair button and hold it for 15 seconds. The power indicator will turn off and on, and the settings will be reset to factory defaults.
It's that simple. We switched on, connected, and got the Internet from any outlet in the house. Without laying any additional cables.
What application have you found for Powerline adapters? Write in the comments.
