Working Remotely: Use a Power-Line Ethernet Adapter

Working Remotely: Use a Power line Ethernet Adapter

by Tom Blanchard | Apr 28, 2020 | Telecommuters - Working from home remotely[avatar user="tom" size="thumbnail" align="left" link="attachment" /]Ever want a hard-wired internet connection somewhere in your house, but it’s just not convenient or possible to run an Ethernet cable? Sometimes you just can’t get a wireless signal to a room or have a device that needs the stability & speed performances of wired internet. If so, the power-line Ethernet adapter is your new best friend. It’s very simple & easy to use equipment that can put a hard-wired internet connection almost anywhere in your house. There’s no software to install or configurations to make. Generally speaking, you plug it in and it just works.A power-line Ethernet adapter features two small boxes, about the size of a smartphone, but about 2-3 times thicker. Both power-line adapter boxes are exactly the same. So you don’t have to worry about which box goes where or mixing them up. They both plug into a standard electrical wall outlet and will have one or more Ethernet ports on them. This technology works by simply plugging both boxes into electrical outlets in your home. Once both boxes are plugged in, they communicate with each other over your copper electrical lines. Since both boxes have Ethernet ports, it’s just like having a hard-wired Ethernet connection that spans from one adapter box to the other.Here’s exactly how to implement this technology

1. Plug one of the adapters into an electrical outlet near your home’s internet modem or router
2. Plug in a standard Ethernet cable from your internet modem/router into the adapter
3. Go to the location where you’d like to have a hard-wired connection and plug in the other adapter
4. Plug one end of a standard Ethernet cable into the adapter and the other end into your device

Using this technology is as simple as plugging everything in. It just works. You’ll also find it very stable & consistent. I’ve used one for years and have very rarely had to touch it for troubleshooting purposes. Additionally, the only troubleshooting I’ve had to do is unplug both devices and plug them back in. You should be able to count on this technology just working.Maybe you want a hard-wired connection for your Smart-TV or desktop computer. Another option would be to get a hard-wired connection to a wireless access point where your house might have a dead spot. There are all sorts of uses for this technology.The newer models of power-line Ethernet adapters come with two ethernet ports & an extra power plus on each adapter. The multiple Ethernet ports allow you to plug in more than one device, which can be very convenient. We also like the addition of a power plug as well.A few models that we like are the TP-Link AV2000 & the Netgear PLP2000. We’ve put links to both below. Both models are around $100.Netgear PLP2000

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Powerline-Adapter-Ethernet-Passthrough/dp/B0778Y6K6N/ref=psdc_1194444_t3_B01H74VKZUTP-Link AV2000

https://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-Powerline-Pass-Through-TL-PA9020P-KIT/dp/B01H74VKZU/ref=sxts_b2b_sx_reorder?cv_ct_cx=powerline+ethernet+adapter&dchild=1&keywords=powerline+ethernet+adapter&pd_rd_i=B01H74VKZU&pd_rd_r=e041f770-7764-4380-81f8-d3b0155740ec&pd_rd_w=6cWPF&pd_rd_wg=bwDEQ&pf_rd_p=c8578112-5367-4af9-b0d7-8ea3833d7167&pf_rd_r=ESSSY23YCBGWGSESGGJS&qid=1588006974&sr=1-1-f5ebfd8e-82c1-4b4e-97d5-2aa47aa18b69

Do You Need Further Assistance With Cybersecurity?

Learn effective ways to balance your on-site and remote workplace by downloading our cybersecurity checklist. Our checklist covers the best ways to protect your hybrid workforce.