Devolo network with Powerline

Your whole house is already full of power lines, so why not use them for data traffic, too? Devolo explains how.

‘Internet from the power outlet.’ That’s how Powerline technology is often popularly described. But what is the idea behind this technology, and how exactly does it work? Devolo explains it to you simply below.

‘Simply put, Powerline technology gives you the ability to use a building’s electrical wiring for data transmission. This technology is also known as PLC, CPL and PowerLAN. But whatever you call it, the way it works is simple. You simply plug Powerline adapters, such as the models in devolo’s Magic product series, into a wall outlet. Then these adapters work together as transmitters and receivers. First, you connect an adapter you’ve plugged into the outlet to your router with an Ethernet cable. The router then transmits its signal through the adapter to the electrical grid, which in turn powers all the other outlets in the house. The outlets thus become hubs for other adapters, which communicate between eachother via the electrical wiring and can retransmit the signal they receive. Thus, they can supply the Internet to all kinds of devices – via LAN or WiFi. Within this process, the digital signals from the router are converted into analog signals for high-frequency transmission through the electrical wiring. In short, the electrical wiring in the home functions as a data cable or Ethernet cable.

What makes Powerline so suitable for home networking?

Using adapters for home networking is advantageous for a number of reasons:

• Simple use: adapters are extremely easy to install and operate, without the need for any kind of technical knowledge. This makes them perfect for use in any home, whether or not there is IT knowledge in the family.
  Excellent reliability: Powerline networks use existing electrical wiring, making them impervious to traditional WiFi enemies like walls, ceilings and ducts. At the same time, Powerline technology is also an excellent base for wireless networks for these reasons. Because while the Powerline access points provide wireless Internet to devices via WiFi, the Powerline adapters themselves communicate with each other via the Powerline connection. This ensures better home network stability.
• Great flexibility: adapters like those of devolo Magic can be moved effortlessly from one outlet to another to turn other rooms into access points. You can also easily expand the Powerline network by adding new adapters. Complicated structural modifications are thus totally unnecessary.

What things should you keep in mind when using Powerline?

First, it is important to know that there are different standards for Powerline communication. The latest standard is called G.hn: it provides data transmission speeds of up to 2,400 Mbps. For modern applications that require a lot of bandwidth, the speeds of this standard are highly recommended. This is necessary to keep everything running smoothly and allow multiple devices to effortlessly use the Internet at the same time, for example when streaming movies or playing games in the living room, and holding video meetings at your home office.

That’s all. When planning your own Powerline network, you don’t really need to consider anything else. Powerline technology connects devices to each other and to the router – regardless of the type of Internet connection you use. That’s why Powerline solutions work with any type of access from DSL to fiber, and everything in between.

How do you install a Powerline network?

Installing and setting up Powerline solutions like devolo Magic is as simple as using them. For starters, you need at least two adapters, one of which you connect to the router to feed the Internet signal into the powerline network. You then use the second adapter to connect devices via Ethernet or WiFi. The adapters connect fully automatically during the initial setup process, so no complicated configuration is required. The handy devolo Home Network app guides you through the installation process and also provides some helpful tips. The most important tip: Powerline adapters always deliver the best results if you connect them directly to the wall outlet, rather than to a power strip, for example. And thanks to the clever design of the devolo Magic adapters, each of which has an integrated power socket, you can also simply plug cords from lamps, vacuum cleaners, chargers and so on into the Powerline adapters.

The Home Networking app for Android and iOS mobile devices is a practical control point. With this app, you can monitor network performance and manage all important settings. In addition, you can enable WiFi access for guests at the touch of a button. Of course, this functionality remains even if you subsequently install additional adapters to expand the network. In total, a powerline network with devolo Magic supports up to eight adapters.

How secure is Powerline?

Powerline networks offer comprehensive protection of private data. devolo Magic applies encryption in the form of 128-bit AES encryption (the global standard) to the Powerline connection, and on the WiFi side, communication is secured according to current WPA2 and WPA3 standards.

How much does a Powerline adapter cost?

The devolo Magic Powerline solutions are available in different versions for each application. For wired networks, for example, there is the devolo Magic 1 LAN Starter Kit with two adapters at a price of 99.90 euros, each with a gigabit LAN port for fast data transfer. The devolo Magic 2 LAN triple Starter Kit offers even more connections with two adapters, each equipped with three gigabit ports, making it ideal for connecting TV sets and home offices via Ethernet cable, for example. This package costs 149.90 euros.

The devolo Magic 1 WiFi Starter Kit also costs 149.90 euros and, in addition to two Ethernet ports, offers the option of using the adapters as WiFi access points to connect devices to the Internet wirelessly. The devolo Magic 2 WiFi 6 Starter Kit offers the ultimate WiFi Powerline experience for 239.90 euros. These adapters offer two Gigabit LAN ports for connecting devices and also support the advanced WiFi 6 wireless standard – with transmission speeds of up to 1,800 Mbps and leading mesh functionality.

All products in the devolo Magic series are also available individually as expansion adapters and are mutually compatible. All prices listed here are recommended retail prices and include VAT. devolo provides a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty on all products’.