Solwise NET-PL-200AV-3PE review

If having just one Ethernet port isn’t enough for your HomePlug AV network, the catchily named NET-PL-200AV-3PE is for you. It’s almost identical Solwise’s last powerline adapter, the Solwise PL-200AV-PIGGY_MK2 adaptor except that it has three Ethernet ports on its underside in place of the Piggy Mk.2’s single port. This means you can have a Piggy Mk.2 connected to your router, and a NET-PL-200AV-3PE in a distant room connected to up to three devices.

Installing a pair of such adaptors is simplicity itself: you plug them in, press the Simple Connect button on one adaptor and then the other, and your network is created. It’s ideal for old houses, where a wireless signal can’t penetrate thick walls, or to ensure consistently fast speeds for gaming or video streaming.

There’s a simple Windows utility on the included CD which lets you change the name of the network, which is handy if you plan on having more than one HomePlug network in the same house. It also lets you set QoS, which can be configured to favour either games, multimedia data streaming, or voice traffic.

Speeds over the network are essentially the same as the Piggy Mk.2, and at 59Mbit/s it’s faster than many rivals. If you’re short on power sockets, the Solwise PL-200AV-PIGGY_MK2 adaptor may be more convenient. It too has three Ethernet ports, plus six plug sockets – which are filtered so devices don’t interfere with the HomePlug AV network – but it’s £16 more expensive. The NET-PL-200AV-3PE is a useful product, but it doesn’t have a power socket pass-through, so it just misses out on an award.