Are you thinking about running cables through existing walls, like I did it before? Now with new technologies like ethernet through power outlet, you don’t have to spend your time, money and sweat to mess around your walls and cables. You have an alternative that work much better, and best of all, no need to run your cables through the existing walls, no hole-drillings, and you actaully save money, time and your energy for other things at home.
Becasue you already have wires that run through your house almost everywhere. I am talking about your electrical wires. Why not re-use it and take advantage of the new technogies that can run ethernet via your power lines?
I have tried to be running cables through existing walls, or using WIFI extenders to try to extend the coverage of WIFI connections or make WIFI connections stable. However, so far I think the best way is to run ethernet through power outlets. It is almost effortless to do, plus, it definitely make your internet connections much more stable than WIFI extenders.
So here it goes, naturally, what is the best ethernet through power outlet kit to buy?
What is powerline networking?
First, what is power networking?
Power networking technology is built on top of HomePlug standards to connect computers via power line, or make internet available through existing power lines.
The major benefit of powerline networking is that users can quickily build a network using existing electrical wiring as the communication channel. So no need to drill holes in floors, walls or ceilings to route new wiring and,therefore, this way of building a computer network is fast and inexpensive.
Here is a great video as a crash course on powerline networking:
Powerline networking review
If you are looking for a Best Powerline Networking Kit, I have reviewed a bunch of different brands and styles. The following kits are some of the most popular ones online.
Our criteria for selecting the best powerline networking kit are:
- Look for the latest and fastest version of the Homeplug standard, which is AV2.
- A Gigabit Ethernet port is another must-have.
The speed of AV2 adapters with gigabit Ethernet ports will be much, much better than previous generations.
ZyXel Homeplug AV2 Gigabit Powerline Adapter Starter Kit (PLA5206KIT)
The ZyXel Homeplug AV2 Gigabit Powerline Adapter Starter Kit is currently the fastest to extend your network to a corner in your home or office where your Wi-Fi signal can’t reach.
I’d have to give the nod to Zyxel for its performance under lightweight loads as well as its AC line-conditioning capability.
ZyXel Homeplug AV2 Gigabit Powerline Adapter Starter Kit is the fastest in most of our tests, and they’re the only AV2 adapters with an AC outlet passthrough, so you can plug your other gadgets into the pass-through outlets in each adapter.
The drawback is that it’s more expensive compared to the other kits. It also is very much bulky and blocks the third or grounding prong of the outlet above. and the Ethernet cords coming with the kit is too short short, which is only 46-inch long.
Product: The ZyXel Homeplug AV2 Gigabit Powerline Adapter Starter Kit 
Price: about $149.95 (retail)
Where to Buy with the Best Price: Amazon.com
Product Dimensions: 7 x 4 x 6 inches ; 12.8 ounces
Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
Guarantee: 2 Year Full Warranty
My Rating: 9.5 out of 10
Update: The newer version just came out so you may consider buying the newest version with much faster speed: ZyXEL AV1200 Powerline MIMO Adapter Starter Kit (PLA5405KIT)
TP-Link AV600 Powerline Adapter Kit: TP-LINK TL-PA4010KIT AV500 Nano Powerline Adapter Starter Kit, up to 500Mbps
If the price is a big concern to you, the top pick above becomes unavailable, or if your house/office only has two-prong outlets, then the TP-Link AV600 Powerline Adapter Kit is the best option. The TP-Link kit was faster than the ZyXEL in some of the tests. It is less bulky, and comes with longer Ethernet cables.
At the time of this writing, the TP-Link kit is the No. 1 best seller in Amazon in this category.
The drawback is, the TP-Link was slower overall and it doesn’t have AC outlet passthrough.
Product: The ZyXel Homeplug AV2 Gigabit Powerline Adapter Starter Kit 
Price: about $149.95 (retail)
Where to Buy with the Best Price: Amazon.com
Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.6 x 3.3 inches ; 13.8 ounces
Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
Guarantee: 1 Year Full Warranty
My Rating: 9 out of 10
Usage Tips：
- Do not plug powerline kit into a power strip or surge protector, which can filter out the signals your powerline kit uses.
- Be sure to sync your adapters for encryption. Powerline adapters should have encryption to secure your powerline network from neighbors who share electrical wiring. LED status indicators are also important. Most powerline adapters have both.