Billion BiPAC 2071 review

Billion’s BiPAC 2071 HomePlug AV starter kit has a clever design feature: its adaptors’ three-pin plug can be disconnected and turned around.

This means you can connect the adaptors upside down, making it easier to connect Ethernet cables when you’ve got power sockets close to the floor.

The adaptors have all the features we’re used to seeing in the latest HomePlug AV kit, including push-button security. The push-button security is compatible with HomePlug AV adaptors from other manufacturers, so you can mix and match your devices easily. For use with adaptors that don’t have push-button security, you can use the included HomePlug utility to set an encryption password manually. This involves typing in each adaptor’s 16-digit device ID, but you’ll only have to do it the once. The utility also lets you configure QoS settings, so you can prioritise time-sensitive traffic, such as video streaming or VoIP.

The power-saving mode means that when the device to which the adaptors are connected stops transmitting, the adaptors drop their power consumption from 5W to 0.7W, saving you a bit of cash on your bills.

With tested throughput of 52Mbit/s, the BiPAC 2071 adaptors are faster than most wireless connections, but slower than other 200Mbit/powerline kit we’ve tested. They’re also expensive, costing £15 more than D-Link’s excellent DHP-303 adaptors and almost as much as two of Solwise’s Piggy adaptors.