Best Powerline Network Adapters 2024

We like that both adapters in the TL-PA9020P kit have dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, especially on the router end, since you lose a LAN port to the adapter. The kit has a great max transmission rate too, but your top speed depends on your home’s wiring and everything connected to it.

Theoretically, the kit has a range of up to 984 feet, but your walls and ceilings can hide a lot of length, so the practical distance may be shorter than you think. You can pair up to 16 adapters within that range if you need to expand your connections.

Pros:

• Dual Gigabit Ethernet ports
• Pass-through outlet

Cons:

• No Wi-Fi connectivity
• Side-mounter LEDs

This powerline adapter kit is a watered-down version of the TP-Link TL-PA9020P kit listed above. It has half the transmission rate and half the Gigabit Ethernet ports for about half the cost. It should be plenty if you need a smidge more speed in areas where Wi-Fi can’t reach.

Like with the TL-PA9020P kit, you can create a single TL-PA7017P powerline network with up to 16 nodes—you can even mix and match compatible TP-Link HomePlug AV2 powerline adapters. Also, the built-in pass-through socket is filtered, so no worries about adding extra electrical noise that can disrupt your powerline network.

Pros:

• Great price
• Pass-through outlet

Cons:

• Lackluster speed
• No Wi-Fi connectivity

Zyxel’s powerline kit has the fastest transmission speeds on our list, thanks to its use of the newer Gigabit Home Networking (G.hn) standard, which theoretically enables speeds up to 2,400 Mbps. In real-world use cases, you may see 600 Mbps tops, and that’s the best you’ll probably get from networking across noisy power lines until the technology improves.

Other callouts include its impressive range, easy plug-and-play setup, and included pass-through electrical socket, which prevents you from losing a power connection. The adapter’s power-saving feature claims to reduce power consumption by up to 90% by going into standby mode automatically when the adapter idles.

Pros:

• Fast speeds
• Best range

Cons:

• No Wi-Fi
• Lower node count

We generally don’t like to suggest powerline kits with Wi-Fi because you’d probably be better off with a traditional Wi-Fi extender. But if you can’t or don’t want to use Ethernet or Wi-Fi to widen your home network, TP-Link’s TL-WPA7617 kit is here to help.

At first glance, the adapter seems best for IoT devices because real-world powerline speeds are slow, and the Wi-Fi 5 standard is outdated. The big callout here is OneMesh compatibility and how the adapter chooses the best connection (Wi-Fi or powerline) to receive and send data to the router.

To get the most out of this kit, you need a compatible TP-Link OneMesh router. Also, keep in mind that you’ll lose a wall plug since the Wi-Fi unit doesn’t have a pass-through socket (but the router-side unit does).

Pros:

• AC1300 Wi-Fi access
• OneMesh support

Cons:

• Single pass-thru socket
• High price

If you don’t need pass-through sockets on your powerline adapters, TRENDnet’s TPL-422E2K starter kit should be ideal. It’s a bit more expensive than Zyxel’s kit, which packs more speed and longer range, but the compact design of each unit keeps them inconspicuous—great for offices.

This kit’s theoretical speed is middling compared to other TP-Link kits. However, it supports only up to eight units in a single powerline network, where other powerline kits support up to 16. But theoretically, you could pair this kit with any other powerline adapter based on the HomePlug AV standard.

Pros:

• Compact design
• Easy installation

Cons:

• No Wi-Fi connectivity
• No pass-thru sockets