Getting the internet to your home is as easy as signing up for an NBN plan. But sharing your internet around the home can be trickier, particularly if you're in a larger home, a multistorey abode, or a place prone to wireless interference. Even then you've got options, like WiFi extenders or that particular technology's newer, better sibling: mesh WiFi.
But there's another option via powerline adapters. An Ethernet over power adapter lets you plug in wired devices in separate rooms without having to run lengthy Ethernet cables around your home.
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What is Ethernet over power?
Like WiFi extenders, Ethernet over power (via powerline adapters) is a technology designed to make it easier to share the internet around the home. Powerline uses your home's electrical wiring to transmit data between compatible powerline adapters. It's intended as a straightforward solution for people living in large houses, homes with thick interference-prone walls/floors, and/or those in abodes with multiple floors.
The main focus of Ethernet over power is in the name: "Ethernet". WiFi extenders use repeaters to wirelessly expand a wireless network. Ethernet over power uses Ethernet cables connected to at least two powerline adapters. For example, you might connect an Ethernet cable from your router to a powerline adapter in one room, then an Ethernet cable from another powerline adapter in another room either to a single device or a network switch.
There are also powerline adapters that have built-in WiFi, offering a straightforward way to expand your router's wireless network, particularly in faraway or interference-prone rooms. Effectively, these devices are powerline WiFi extenders. The main disclaimer is powerline adapters need to be on the same electrical circuit to communicate.
Unlike other methods of sharing Ethernet around the home, there's no need for drilling or additional wire installation. While you need at least two powerline adapters, different models support between six and 64 units in the same home.
How fast is Ethernet over power?
At their fastest, you can expect around 2Gbps speeds for powerline adapters. That's fast enough for the max download speeds of all NBN plans, including NBN 2000, but it's at least five times slower than the max attainable speeds of modern Ethernet standards. Mid-range powerline adapters offer speeds around 1Gbps, but if you're after a budget option, speeds may be as low as 300Mbps. That's still practical for anyone using plans up to NBN 100, but it'll mean a speed hit for any plans over NBN 500.
Powerline adapter buying guide
Netgear and TP-Link are the two big names in powerline adapters for Australia, but D-Link, NetComm, and Tenda also offer a limited selection of products. Cheaper powerline adapters will have a single Ethernet port, but pricier options offer two or more. Most Ethernet over power adapters should offer a pass-through power socket so you can still make use of the electrical outlet for other devices. Here's a look at some powerline adapter picks worth considering in Australia.
Cheap powerline adapters
NetComm NP511
Anything under $100 is a good price for a cheap powerline adapter in Australia. And it doesn't get much cheaper than the sub-$50 asking price for the NetComm NP511 powerline adapter. That budget price is for two units that offer up to 500Mbps power-over-Ethernet speeds. The NP511 has power pass-through and a single Ethernet port per unit, but note that the adapter kicks out to the right, so you'll want to find an appropriate right-positioned power plug to not block other electrical outlets.
Tenda AV1000
For a pricier alternative, consider a powerline adapter from Tenda. The Tenda AV1000 is a two-unit kit, designed for easy plug-and-play setup. What the AV1000 lacks in power pass-through, it makes up for in gigabit Ethernet speeds, which are fast enough for most internet connections in Australia (up to NBN 1000). There's only a single Ethernet port per powerline adapter, though, so you may need to buy more units for whole-home coverage.
Mid-range powerline adapters
D-Link DHP-P601AV
The D-Link DHP-P601AV is a two-pack powerline adapter kit that costs around $150 RRP. You get power pass-through on each adapter, with Ethernet speeds up to 1000Mbps. For setup, plug in the adapters, flick on the power, then push the button next to the Ethernet port to sync. There's also a power-saving mode to reduce energy consumption. And if you want to add more units, the DHP-P601AV supports up to 16 adapters, plus it's backwards compatible with other D-Link PowerLine products.
TP-Link TL-PA8033P
For around $169 RRP, the TP-Link TL-PA8033P is a feature-rich mid-range powerline adapter. The base kit comes with two powerline adapters. The first has a single Ethernet port, designed to connect to your router or modem-router. And the other powerline adapter has three Ethernet ports, all capable of 1Gbps speeds. Effectively, three ports allow for more priority wired devices without having to buy extra kits to use in the same room. The TL-PA8033P also supports multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) for better range and stability, power pass-through, and power saving when not in use.
Premium powerline adapters
TP-Link TL-PA9020P
The TP-Link TL-PA9020P is a speedier version of the TL-PA8033P powerline adapter above. This two-unit kit also has four Ethernet ports across two units, albeit spread two apiece instead of a one-and-three configuration. More importantly, the TL-PA8033P is capable of Ethernet over power speeds up to 2Gbps, which is fast enough to cover max NBN 2000 download speeds. As you'd hope for this kind of upgrade, the TL-PA9020P has all of the other perks of its cheaper sibling: MIMO, power pass-through, and automated power-saving.
Netgear PLW1000
For $239 RRP, you can get the Netgear PLW1000. On the cons front, it's wide enough to cover both ports on a two-socket electrical outlet, and it doesn't have a pass-through power socket. But it does offer a simplified way to expand your home WiFi. Connect a powerline adapter to your modem, modem-router, or router, then connect the PLW1000 to an electrical outlet elsewhere in the home. It supports speeds up to 1000Mbps, fast enough for internet plans up to NBN 1000. You can also add other PLW1000s to expand your in-home WiFi.
TP-Link TL-WPA8631P
Effectively, the TP-Link TL-WPA8631P is the wireless version of the TL-PA8033P above. It costs more at $249 RRP, but the main reason for the price hike is plug-and-play dual-band WiFi 5, capable of combined speeds up to 1.2Gbps. The wired connectivity is still there, too: a max 1.3Gbps powerline speed for up to three gigabit Ethernet ports. You can also add more TL-WPA8631P powerline adapters with one-touch mesh network connectivity.
TP-Link TL-WPA4220
For a cheaper alternative, consider the TP-Link TL-WPA4220 for around $120 RRP. This kit comes with two powerline adapters: one to connect to your modem-router/router and the other for WiFi. Plug them in, flick on the power switches, and they should automatically sync. WiFi speeds aren't as good as the Netgear option above, limited to 300Mbps. That said, the WiFi powerline adapter has two Ethernet ports, which offer wired speeds up to 600Mbps. Note that neither of these TP-Link powerline adapters has power pass-through.
Powerline adapter vs. mesh WiFi
Powerline adapters are an understandable sidestep solution to the many issues of WiFi range extenders. But nowadays, mesh WiFi systems have effectively rendered WiFi extenders obsolete. Mesh WiFi systems allow for straightforward setup and expansion of a wireless network, specifically built for larger homes, multistorey abodes, and places with wireless interference.
If that list of fixes sounds familiar, it's because they were also listed above as problems that powerline adapters were built to solve. The problem, though, is powerline adapters are mostly reliant on Ethernet as a fix, whereas mesh WiFi systems opt for wireless. Combine that with slower max speeds, potential for power interference, plus older WiFi standards, and powerline adapters are better for very specific use-cases rather than the average home.
Anyone who lives in a home with WiFi woes should consider a mesh WiFi system before a powerline adapter. While potentially cheaper, three-unit mesh WiFi systems should be sufficient to blanket most homes in reliable 5GHz (or 6GHz) WiFi. You can also buy mesh systems with WiFi 7, which are far better futureproofed for the wireless tech needs of today and tomorrow vs the restricted wireless speeds of powerline adapters. If you want to save money, WiFi 6 mesh systems are even cheaper and a good fit for homes using internet plans up to NBN 1000.
The Amazon eero products, in particular, are popular among the NBN providers in our database, including the eero 6+, eero 7, eero Pro 7, and the eero Max 7. If you're in the market for a new NBN plan and curious about mesh WiFi systems, the popular picks below are from providers in our database that offer mesh WiFi systems as optional add-ons.
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#1
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Tangerine Telecom
FTTP, HFC
Speedy Max NBN 500/50
$59.90/mth
Min. cost $59.90
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#2
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Superloop
FTTP, HFC
Family Max nbn500/50
$74/mth
Min. cost $74
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#3
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Flip
FTTP, HFC
Unlimited Fast Speed nbn500
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
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#4
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Moose NBN
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
nbn 100/20 Elite
$63.80/mth
Min. cost $63.80
Link not supplied
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#5
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Aussie Broadband
FTTP
Super-Fast Pro nbn - Unlimited
$114/mth
Min. cost $114
Link not supplied
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#6
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More
All Fixed Line nbn®
Value Plus NBN
$100/mth
Min. cost $100
Link not supplied
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Powerline adapter FAQs
Do powerline adapters really work?
Yes, powerline adapters do work as an alternative to running longer Ethernet cables around the home or as a workaround for weak WiFi (like anyone living in an unintended Faraday cage). The catch, though, is powerline adapters aren't as fast as mesh WiFi systems, and they may have slower speeds from electrical interference.
Is a powerline adapter better than WiFi?
Powerline adapter is a better solution than WiFi extenders in homes prone to wireless interference. That said, mesh WiFi systems are a better solution because powerline adapters are typically slower and reliant on Ethernet connections rather than wireless connectivity. Some powerline adapters include wireless capabilities, but they're typically slower than modern mesh WiFi systems.
What are the disadvantages of powerline adapters?
Cheaper powerline adapters generally only offer Ethernet connectivity with one port. Effectively, you have to then connect an adapter to a wireless gateway to share the internet or you're only connecting to a single priority wired device. Powerline adapters are also typically slower than mesh WiFi systems, even when they do offer wireless connectivity.
Nathan Lawrence
Freelance Contributor
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