Review on 💨 NETGEAR Powerline 500Mbps 2-Port Adapter - Starter Kit (XAVB5602): Boost Your Home Network Speed with this High-Performance Adapter by Fred Griffin

This review is for the XAVB5602 (500Mbps, pass-through). I ran Cat 5 cables across the floor to two desktop PCs. I've tried replacing cables with several models of WiFi adapters before, and while they worked well overall, higher bandwidth applications (remote desktop, audio/video streaming) had noticeable latency issues, resulting in "twitchy" led to results. I was skeptical about powerline ethernet but figured my needs were pretty simple (short delay, single channel) and since I was happy with other NETGEAR products I decided on this kit. Installation was easy: it basically just worked (the way I like it). . I ran a cable from the router in another room to the first adapter, plugged the second adapter into the same outlet as the PC, and then ran short cables from the second adapter to each PC. (I was happy to find two Ethernet ports on the adapter, eliminating the need for a hub/switch.) I then ran some basic tests. Before the installation, I recorded a download speed of 20-21 Mbps with a latency of 8-12 ms in a test series with speedtest.net on a local server. After installation, the performance remained the same. I then spent some time connecting to remote computers via RDP and streaming video via NetFlix. Perceived performance was comparable to a wired setup. I've been using the devices for about two weeks and have no complaints. Conclusion: I wanted to get rid of Cat 5 cables on the floor in a small apartment and still get comparable performance; This kit did it.