Design and features
While Netgear's Space-Saving Powerline Network Kit looks a lot like other homeplug set-ups, there are some small differences. For a start, this one is designed to free up a power socket in the wall by allowing you to pass power through from the base device to your router.
This is good in theory, but if you're not carrying a Netgear branded router, you may run into issues with this power adapter actually fitting. It failed to fit our Belkin N1 Vision, Billion 7404 and Asus WL-500G; nonetheless, it did fit and power our Linksys WRT610N successfully.
With one power socket saved, we went to connect the remote unit to another socket — only to discover it was huge enough to block out any adjacent socket, making the earlier socket saving effort, well, pointless. Billion has the advantage here with its BiPAC 2070, which uses a corded system that keeps the unit away from the wall, making sure all power sockets can be used. Our review unit also emitted a constant high pitched, faint electrical squeal while operating, which may drive those with more sensitive hearing around the bend.
It's not all downsides though — the XEPSB103 model is the first unit we've seen with a built-in switch, allowing up to four devices to be connected to it rather than the usual one. Netgear also provides the incorrectly named "Powerline Encryption Utility", which allows you to set a password on the network, see diagnostics or see the performance rating when plugged into the remote unit. We're not sure if this speed rating is even slightly useful — it reported a connection speed of 71Mbps, but the maximum file transfer speed we were able to achieve was 3.25MBps, or 26Mbps. This equates well with Netgear's claims once you dig through the manual — although the unit boasts 85Mbps transfer speeds, it admits that you should expect "real throughput" of around 25Mbps.
Set up is easy enough — plug the base unit into the router and power, then plug the remote unit where you want to be able to access the network. If you get a signal, the appropriate light comes up on the remote unit to let you know.
Performance
The performance of homeplug style units is always questionable, and difficult to test. They are susceptible to interference on electrical lines, the quality of electrical wiring, and whether or not they're operating on the same electrical circuit. Things such as power boards cause issues as well.
We tested a number of points around our office, as is the case whenever we receive a homeplug — however, the maximum speed we could get out of the Netgear unit was 4MBps, while the lowest without failure was 620KBps.
Due to such variable performance, homeplugs are generally a last ditch effort in case you can't get enough wireless coverage, or can't stand the mess of cables — and nothing has changed here. Netgear's Space-Saving Powerline Network Kit has some good ideas, some bad. On the performance front though, if you absolutely need homeplugs, we'd suggest spending more for the higher rated 200Mbps plugs.
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