Powerline or internet from the socket explained

Simply put, Powerline technology gives you the ability to use a building’s electrical wiring to transmit the Internet and thus transfer data. This technology is also known as PLC, CPL and PowerLAN. But whatever you call it, the way it works is simple.

power line
Powerline adapters simply plug into the socket. Then these adapters work together as transmitters and receivers. First you connect an adapter that you have placed in the wall socket to your router with an Ethernet cable. The router then sends its signal through the adapter to the power grid, which in turn powers all the other outlets in the house. The sockets thus become hubs for other adapters, which communicate with each other through the electrical wiring and can retransmit the signal they receive. This way they can provide all kinds of devices with internet – via LAN or WiFi. Within this process, the router’s digital signals are converted into analog signals for high-frequency transmission through the electrical wiring. Basically, the electrical wiring in the home functions as a data cable or Ethernet cable.

What makes Powerline (so) suitable for home networks?
Using adapters for the home network is beneficial for a number of reasons:
• Easy to use: the adapters are very easy to install and use, without any technical knowledge required. This makes them very suitable 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 immune to traditional Wi-Fi enemies such as walls, ceilings and pipes. At the same time, Powerline technology is also an excellent basis for wireless networks for these reasons. Because while the Powerline access points provide wireless internet to devices via Wi-Fi, the Powerline adapters themselves communicate with each other via the Powerline connection. This ensures better stability of the home network.
• Nice flexibility: adapters like those from devolo Magic can be moved effortlessly from one socket to another to turn other rooms into an access point. You can also easily expand the Powerline network by adding new adapters. Complicated structural adjustments are therefore not necessary at all.

What should you take into account when using Powerline?
Firstly, it is important to know that there are different standards for Powerline communication. The latest standard is called G.hn: it provides data transfer speeds of up to 2,400 Mbps. For modern applications that require a lot of bandwidth, subscribing to the speeds of this standard is highly recommended. This is necessary for everything to run smoothly and for multiple devices to use the internet effortlessly at the same time, for example when streaming movies or playing games in the living room, and holding video meetings in your home office.
You really don’t need to take anything else into account when planning your own Powerline network, although we have some tips below. 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 every kind of access from DSL to fiber, and everything in between.

How do you install a Powerline network?
The installation and setup of Powerline solutions such as devolo Magic is as simple as using them. To start with, you need at least two adapters, one of which you connect to the router to feed the internet signal into the power grid. You then use the second adapter to connect devices via Ethernet or WiFi. The adapters connect to each other fully automatically during the initial setup process, so no complicated configuration is required. The handy devolo Home Network app guides you through the installation and also provides some useful tips. The most important tip: Powerline adapters always deliver the best results if you connect them directly to the wall socket, instead of, for example, to a power strip. And thanks to the smart design of the devolo Magic adapters, which each have an integrated socket, you can also simply plug cords from lamps, vacuum cleaners, chargers, etc. into the Powerline adapters.
The Home Networking app for Android and iOS mobile devices provides a convenient point of control. With this app you can check the 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 also remains if you subsequently install additional adapters to expand the network. In total, a Powerline network with devolo Magic supports up to eight adapters.

Is Powerline safe?
Powerline networks provide comprehensive protection of private data. devolo Magic, for example, applies encryption in the form of 128-bit AES encryption (the global standard) to the Powerline connection, and on the Wi-Fi side, communication is secured according to current WPA2 and WPA3 standards.

How much does a Powerline adapter cost?
There are often different versions available for each application. For wired networks, for example, there is the devolo Magic 1 LAN Starter Kit with two adapters for 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 setups and home offices via an Ethernet cable, for example. This package costs 149.90 euros.
The devolo Magic 1 WiFi Starter Kit also costs EUR 149.90 and, in addition to two Ethernet ports, also 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 larger WiFi Powerline experience for EUR 239.90. These adapters provide two Gigabit LAN ports for connecting devices and also support the advanced wireless Wi-Fi 6 standard – with transmission speeds of up to 1,800 Mbps and industry-leading mesh functionality.