TP-Link Powerline Adapter TL-PA9020P

We moved recently and in the new place we found that the wireless strength from our living room router was not great in our bedrooms. There were two possible solutions: use a wireless extender or a powerline adapter, we decided to try the latter. The idea was to connect the cable modem ethernet output to one powerline adapter in the living room, and then pick that up in one of the bedrooms with another powerline adapter feeding to our wireless router.

Perusing the Wirecutter powerline adapter recommendations, TP-Link and Netgear seemed to be the popular manufacturers and we went with the recommended TP-Link TL-PA9020P. This seemed to have all the goodness: supporting the latest AV2000 standard for a theoretical max throughput of 2000 Mbps, two gigabit ethernet ports on each adapter, encrypted communication and passthrough power outlet.

The setup was pretty simple and here is what I did:

• Plugged in the first adapter in the living room and the second adapter in the bedroom. At this point, only the first light was green.
• Pressed the pair button on the first adapter, its second light started blinking. Then pressed the pair button on the second adapter, its second light also started blinking. After a few seconds, the second light on both adapters were steady green indicating that the adapters were paired with each other and communicating using encryption (so neighbors could not read my data).
• Next, I plugged in the ethernet out from my cable modem into the first adapter. The third green light started blinking. Since the adapter was covering two power outlets, I had to power the cable modem through the passthrough power outlet of the adapter.
• Finally, plugged in the ethernet out from second adapter into my wireless router. The third green light started blinking. Just like the cable modem, I was forced to power the router through the passthrough power outlet of the adapter.
• The cable modem and wireless router were powered on and off a few times (which was surprising!) and finally remained powered on and the third green light on both adapters also went steady. We had internet working through the house!

The powerline adapters have been working great for us so far! The latency is so low and throughput so high that it is pretty much as if the adapters did not exist at all.

There are a few cons that we noted in our short usage experience:

• The upper part of the adapter above its plug is so high that it pretty much covers up both outlets in a typical US 2-outlet wall socket. This meant that I had to now take off whatever devices were being powered by the 2nd outlet and power them through the passthrough of the adapter. This becomes even more important if you plan to buy one of the adapter models which do not have a passthrough - you might end up having no outlet for your modem or router!

• While it figures out the communication with its sibling adapter during setup, the adapter will power cycle itself and the devices connected to its passthrough output several times. This can be quite unsettling - seeing your modem, router, lights being powered on and off by these adapters several times.

Other than these issues, this solution seems to work great. Do remember that powerline adapters need to be plugged directly into wall outlets, not into power strips.