Powerline adapters are a great home networking solutions for gamers who need a strong connection with good download speed and low latency or lag. They’re often preferable to staying on Wi-Fi for serious or semi serious gaming.
See the video below for a quick 2 minute demo of how they work:
Now let’s look at the main TP Links models that are good to get started with.
Wired Powerline Adapter (Ethernet Connection Only)
These powerlines are the standard ones in the TP Link range, with a transfer rate of up to 600 megabits per second (75 megabytes per second). This should be fine for most users but people who want an even higher data transfer rate for multiple users or lots of high bandwidth activity, check out the Gigabit Powerlines section below this one.
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The TP Link TL-PA4010 Starter Pack. A no frills Powerline Adapter with just one ethernet port and no Passthrough plug, hence why the cheapest Powerline Adapter in their range. Great if you need it for just one device and don’t need the plug socket you use for it for anything else.
Alternate retailer options (TP Link Nano)
- USA Readers – Check price on Walmart||Micro Center
- UK Readers – Check price on Argos UK||Currys
The TP Link Gigabit Nano Powerline Adapter 7017 Kit is just a gigabit version of the Nano powerline above. A little more expensive but can support faster transfer speeds theoretically up to 1000 Mbps if your home internet also supports such speeds. Good to take advantage of super high speed gigabit fiber internet packages.
Alternate retailer options (TP Link Nano Gigabit)
- USA Readers – Check price on Walmart||Micro Center
- UK Readers – Check price on Argos UK||Currys
The TP Link TL-PA4022 Powerline 2 Ports with Passthrough is similar to the second one except it has Passthrough on both plugs and two ethernet ports instead of one so two devices can be used at the receiving end. Slightly more expensive but go for this one if you’ve got two devices in a room that need a high quality internet connection and/or need Passthrough at both ends. US and EU versions of this adapter are available and have exactly the same features.
The TP Link TL-PA9020 P Kit is a gigabit AV2000 powerline with 2 ethernet ports each capable of a theoretical 1000 mbps transfer speed each, plus an integrated plug socket on both adapters. Perfect if you have a gigabit internet package and multiple devices you want to connect up.
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Alternate retailer options (TP Link 9020 P-Kit 2 Ports Model)
- USA Readers – Check price on Walmart||Micro Center
- UK Readers – Check price on Currys
Wireless Models (Ethernet Ports & Wireless Functionality On The Receiving End)
These models can also copy or “clone” the Wi-Fi signal and effectively create a new Wi-Fi access point at the receiving end as well as wired ports. These adapters are better for those people that prefer wireless connections either because they don’t like wires trailing around, are planning to use multiple devices per room or they want to still be able to carry devices like laptops around in their room without ethernet cables restricting them. All of these listed products actually contain at least one ethernet port as well so they are versatile pieces of kit that you can use according to your individual needs.
Alternate retailer options (TP Link 4220 Wi-Fi Model)
The TP Link TL-WPA8631 P-KIT Powerline and Wi-Fi Booster with Passthrough is a more expensive model but gives you three ethernet ports, dual band Wi-Fi extender/booster functionality plus a Passthrough at one end. This adapter is perfect for high bandwidth users who want to connect a lot of devices like game consoles, laptops, set top boxes and PCs for optimal streaming and gaming.
Alternate retailer options (TP Link 8631 Wi-Fi Model)
- USA Readers – Check price on Walmart||Micro Electronics
- UK Readers – Check price on Currys
Disclaimer – Note that even buying powerline adapters with a good reputation and solid reviews, no one can guarantee 100% that they will work for every person in every situation, since home circuitry and wiring is so variable in quality and setup. They may not work in older houses with complex or more worn circuitry. In these cases, consider other options like Wi-Fi extenders or Mesh Systems.