NETGEAR XAVB101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Kit
NETGEAR XAVB101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Kit
- Kit includes two adapters that use existing electrical wiring in your home to create a network connection
- Plug and play installation requires no software
- Delivers up to 200 Mbps throughput for high-bandwidth applications; Homeplug AV compliant
- 128-bit encryption for extra security
- Each adapter measures 2.83 x 3.86 x 1.57 inches (WxHxD); backed by a 1-year warranty
Netgear Xavb101-100NasAmazon.com Product Description The award-winning NETGEAR XAVB101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Kit includes everything you need to extend a network connection using the electrical wiring in your home. With this kit, you can network your game consoles, PCs, DVRs, network storage devices, and other components without suffering from weak wireless signals or unsightly cables running through your home. If you're looking for a fast, easy, and reliable way to provide Ethernet conn
Rating: 
(out of 156 reviews)
List Price: $ 139.99
Price: $ 111.66
RF-Link AVS-5811 5.8GHz Audio and Video Transmission System with IR Repeater
- Wireless video transmission system
- Works with digital TV converter boxes to send an A/V signal to any TV in any room
- Works with camcorders as a wireless surveillance monitoring system
- Advanced 5.8 GHz technology avoids interference from any 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz application
- Up to 300 feet of range
This 5.8GHz Wireless A/V Transmission System consists of one transmitter and one receiver. This device transmits vivid video and hi-fi stereo sound wirelessly from a VCR, TV set, DVD player, satellite receiver or cable set top box to any TV or monitor. It can also be used in conjunction with a camcorder or CCD camera to create a wireless security monitoring system. The signal can go up to 300 feet with a clear light-of-sight, and has the ability to penetrate walls. The built-in IR remote extende
Rating: 
(out of 246 reviews)
List Price: $ 160.08
Price: $ 99.25
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June 12th, 2010 - 06:12
Review by Ed for NETGEAR XAVB101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Kit
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Have had Directv for years. Felt it was about time for me to upgrade to one of their new products……I think technology has left my old brain in the dust! Anyway, I got the HD DVR, which is capable of VOD (video on demand). To use this service it requires a hook up from the internet router to the Directv receiver. Well, my router is in the den and no where close enough to the new HD equipment. I really felt that the digital video recorder and the receiver would be the extent of my use. I was reading about the Netgear Powerline Adapter and was hoping it would solve the VOD hookup problem (terrible to have something and not be able to use it). Was thinking I would have to call someone in to help set this up, as my lack of understand electronics would amaze anyone. The product arrived, hardly any instructions. The two units plug into a wall electrical outlet, one in each room. The one in the den plugs into the Linksys wireless G router with the supplied Ethernet cable, the second unit plugs into an electrical outlet near the TV and the satellite box, hooked up with a second Ethernet cable. Now the unbelievable part of the story—-the whole thing works and I did it myself! I am bragging because I have a problem screwing in a light bulb. Now, thanks to the Powerline AV kit I have video on demand, which I thought I would never get to use. I am sure if you can plug in a toaster you will have no problem hooking this up. Hope I didn’t bore you with this, but you must understand this is a major accomplishment for me.
June 12th, 2010 - 06:36
Review by J. Turner for NETGEAR XAVB101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Kit
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This product is awesome for people that do not have the time or money to wire their house with Cat 5 cables. I previously had wireless adapters connected to my computer and xbox 360 two floors away from my router and they were getting 16-24mbps max with pings from 150-200ms. With these powerline adapters I constantly have a connection speed of 90-100mbps with pings around 25-65ms.Super easy to set up, just plug each end into a WALL power outlet and connect the ethernet cables(one to a router/modem) and your good to go.My house is about 25yrs old so I dont think you need a new house for these to work. I tried plugging these into a surge protector on one end and speeds went down to about 10mbps. So, if you have connection issues or slow speeds make sure they are not plugged into a surge protector.Overall great product.
June 12th, 2010 - 06:47
Review by T. D. Johnson for NETGEAR XAVB101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Kit
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Our wireless router just wasn’t able to get a good connection to our new video room so I started looking at options. I had to send the connection from one side of the house to the other and while I’ve stayed away from powerline adapters in the past, I found that some of the newer ones were getting decent reviews, including the XAV101s. I bought the ‘starter pak’ and after 10 minutes had them up and running. The remote is connected at 152 Mbps so I’m happy as can be with the connection. I see no difference in download speeds whether I’m directly connected to my router or to the remotely located XAV101 so any lag is with my internet ISP, not my powerline units.
June 12th, 2010 - 07:46
Review by Digital Birdie for NETGEAR XAVB101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Kit
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I bought the NETGEAR XAVB101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Kit based on the reviews here, and my desire to use a hard connection to my iMac to replace the wireless 802.11n I’ve been using so far. The proported speed of 200 Mbps of the kit tracks very nicely with the maximum speed of 802.11n, and it would eliminate any wireless interference issues I might have.
Set up was very easy – just plug one Adapter in a power outlet near the router (make sure you don’t plug the adapter into a surge suppressor), plug the other Adapter into a power outlet close to your PC/game console, connect both with the supplied ethernet cables, and away you go! Without any prior set up of software, drivers, etc., both Adapters immediately recognized each other and began to send and receive data! If only other computer peripheral installations were so easy.
There are 3 lights on each Adapter showing the status of the unit. There’s a Power light that shows if the unit is receiving power or setting up security protocols, an Ethernet light that shows if the Adapter is linked and if it is sending data, and a Powerline light that shows if the Adapter is connected to the Powerline network, and the approximate Link Rate. Since the XAVB101 version of Netgear’s Powerline Adapters should have a maximum transfer rate of 200 Mbps, I was dismayed that the Powerline light glowed RED, signifying a Link Rate of < 50 Mbps. I thought that possibly this status might not be right, so I performed several data-intensive operations, such as adding album art to Apple Lossless music tracks on my ReadyNAS music server. Much to my chagrin, the speed was no better than my wireless 802.11n connection. When I ran an ethernet cable directly from my router to my iMac and performed the same tasks, they ran lightning-fast. Not a true scientific test, but the comparison was dramatic - from just minutes to complete to TENS of minutes.
I tried other power outlets in our house, but they all showed RED for the Link Rate. It may be the wiring in our 50 year old home, but I don’t have anywhere else to test the Adapters. In any case, where I NEED to use the Adapters, the throughput is dismal.
So, anyone looking for an easy connection to their network and is not worried about the speed of the connection, then by all means get the NETGEAR XAVB101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Kit. But if you’re like me, you need a FAST connection, look to other solutions.
June 12th, 2010 - 07:59
Review by A. Page for NETGEAR XAVB101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Kit
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The device in no way will offer you the same bandwidth or responsiveness that genuine CAT5 cabling will. That said, you don’t have to rip your walls open or run cabling over the floor. Also, these devices will more than keep up with the bandwidth coming from most Broadband services(20Mbbs Verizon Fios for myself). It is incredibly convenient to use these to connect an Xbox or video player that needs occasional firmware updates(like my Sony blue-ray player) and to have a convenient link where you can plug a laptop in for a guest.
The documentation is a little sketchy and the interface for the configuration tools could use some work. The netgear website is a headache for finding the up to date firmware for the devices. [...]
If you buy more than one set configuring them to work on the same crypto key can be frustrating but you will get some good exercise running from room to room to press the security button before the two minute timeout expires. Still once they are setup and working on the same key and firmware they stay working reliably.
SUGGESTION. BEFORE you plug them in, as soon as you take them out of the box, write down the passwords(they look like Microsoft Product Keys) and the MAC-ids that are on the back label of the device. This way when you’re setting them up and one needs to be reset, reconnected or updated you can know which one is which. This is especially true if you have bought more than one set.
Small design complaints. The quality of service light(the middle LED) is smack in the middle of the box. The way the device is designed you definitely want to put this box on the bottom socket of a wall socket. The problem is that when you plug almost anything else in the socket above it, the powercord invariably drapes right over that LED so if you’re across the room the powercord obscures that display. A ‘pass through’ plug so that you can keep using the wall socket would be nice but that may raise the cost of the device since I think that puts it into a very different safety category.
I bought two sets, using three of the four units. One for the router, one for an Xbox and one for the living-room table where someone can plugin their laptop and I have 1 spare. If I needed more, I’d buy another set. If someone wanted to setup a home network in a hurry, I’d recommend these.
June 12th, 2010 - 08:08
Review by T. Flanagan for RF-Link AVS-5811 5.8GHz Audio and Video Transmission System with IR Repeater
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I’m a hi-tech gadget guy who is hard to please, but this far exceeded my expectations! I have it connected from a bedroom Directv Receiver(6″ from a 2.4GHZ wireless PC lan) to a kitchen 15″ Magnanox LCD TV sitting 12″ below a micrwave oven without interference from microwave or lan! I’m even transmitting through 6 walls and a 5 gal. metal potato chip bucket and people walking in the kitchen without affecting the picture! I was getting a super picture w/o even having 1 antenna directly facing the other antenna. I thought I was going to have to run between floors for hours until everything was aligned perfectly – it only took 15 seconds because alignment is very forgiving. Picture quality is 5 star crystal clear with no lines, static, etc. All TV channels are 5 star and the HDTV stations blew me away even though I know its not sending true HDTV though the avs-5811.
What surprised me most was that I could use my bedroom Directv remote (down in the kitchen) to change channels (up in the bedroom) by simply pointing at the (kitchen)avs-5811 receiver. It sends the remote control signal upstairs to a “mouse” that you place in front of your TV receiver, cable box, etc, IR sensor. I had a spare remote so I keep 1 in kitchen and 1 in bedroom for convenience.
The owners manual iS POOR and doesn’t tell you all this, but basically I can point the remote at the avs-5811 receiver in kitchen requesting a Directv channel change (or any other remote control function) in the upstairs bedroom. The avs-5811 transmitter in the bedroom receives the request and sends it through the “mouse” to the Directv Receiver which changes the channel as requested and the new channel video and sound is return to the kitchen! Pure magic and ingenious!
It is a very cost effective way, without losing picture quality and convenience, to avoid running cables and drill holes through my tiled walls or granite counters.
June 12th, 2010 - 09:03
Review by Paperback Writer for RF-Link AVS-5811 5.8GHz Audio and Video Transmission System with IR Repeater
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I have an HP Windows Media Center PC and wanted a wireless A/V solution to enjoy the media content on my PC. I wanted to send the signal from my PC in my bedroom to my living room where I could hook up the audio to my home theatre system, (to enjoy the digital music and nice sound from recorded shows), and the video to my TV, (to watch movies, pictures, home videos, and TV shows I recorded on my PC). I live in a condo and I tried (2) other 2.4GHz Wireless A/V senders, (The Radioshack model and a product I got from Best Buy), before I arrived at this gem. With the 2.4GHz A/V devices I got a lot of interference from my neighbor’s wireless routers, microwave ovens, cordless phones, etc., which operate on the 2.4GHz freq. band. The results I got were unsatisfactory and I was very disappointed that my vision seemed impractical.
When I learned of this product which operates on the 5.8GHz band my hope was renewed. Going up to 5.8 GHz made all the diff. for me as this freq. band is less populated, (for the time being), then the 2.4GHz freq. This product is a great invention and works as advertised. I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the media content on my PC the way that I do if I didn’t have it. The sound and video is crystal clear. Not only does it do the wireless A/V thing, but it also is a remote control extender. My PC has a remote and I control my PC in my living room while sitting on my couch.
There are only a few negatives things. I do experience some interference sometimes if someone is walking around in the other room, and the audio transmission is in stereo only, not dolby 5.1 surround sound. There also is the fear that wireless products will start populating the 5.8GHz freq. band in the coming years and interfere with my product, but I’ll cross that bridge later. Also, anyone wanting to buy this in a retail store is going to be hard pressed to find one. The 2.4GHz devices are out there, but it seems that this 5.8GHz A/V device is a novelty item. I only saw the one I bought on the internet, so if someone else buys this thing and it doesn’t work for them it will be very cumbersome to try to return. The cost also is about $40-50 more than the 2.4GHz devices I returned, but I think the extra cost is well worth it. I never tried out how it works on differnt floors. I think these are small draw backs however. I love this thing and am well satisfied. It works great for me. I’ve only begun to really fully utilize what I can do with it. 5 stars and I might buy another one!
June 12th, 2010 - 09:24
Review by Gadget Fan for RF-Link AVS-5811 5.8GHz Audio and Video Transmission System with IR Repeater
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I installed this product so that I can share my High Definition Comcast DVR in the first floor familiy room with another TV (standard definition) in upstairs bedroom. I was originally thinking of getting the 2.4 GHz Radio Shack product but the local Radio Shack store recommended against it (too much interference with Wi-Fi, etc.). I have 2.4 GhZ 804.11G wireless network and a 900 Hz cordless phone. The distance between transmitter and sender is approximately 50 feet with 3 walls, a staircase and a floor beween. All construction is standard wooden – no brick walls.
Getting the Video was a snap – did not require any precise alignment of antennas. Excellent picture. Getting the remote working was a bit of a hassle. After a lot of experimentation, I found out that the IR signal is too strong and it was temporarily “blinding” my DVR. After moving the unit a bit away from the DVR, the remote works perfectly. (Product manual does not have any info on this).
I also changed my DVR setting from 16×9 to 4×3 – does not affect my HDTV but gives full screen on my regular TV for HD channels.
I highly recommend this product.
June 12th, 2010 - 09:44
Review by J. Gillon for RF-Link AVS-5811 5.8GHz Audio and Video Transmission System with IR Repeater
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I tried this and AngelTrax side-by-side, and the AngelTrax (not for sale at Amazon but you can find it on eBay) is a much more versatile system. The RF Link will only broadcast the signal selected on another device, so you can’t watch different programs on the primary TV and the wirelessly-connected set. AngelTrax, on the other hand, has its own TV tuner so it will broadcast any cable channel and, at the push of a button, a signal from an AV device (like digital cable or a DVD Player). The remote for the RF Link is barely functional, relying on an infrared “mouse” to send a channel change to the primary device, while the AngelTrax very effectively controls channel, power, and volume on its own tuner. Both worked fine (minimal interference) in my home in the presence of a 5.8 ghz phone and a wireless network.
The RF Link is really quite inferior to the AngelTrax, and it costs more. Choose the AngelTrax.
June 12th, 2010 - 09:47
Review by dan p bullard for RF-Link AVS-5811 5.8GHz Audio and Video Transmission System with IR Repeater
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If you read some of the reviews you will find that this unit has a problem “finding the sweet spot” as one reviewer put it. I have found the solution, it appears that the power supplies shipped with the unit don’t have enough current capacity. Specically the transmitter unit needs at least a 1.0 Amp power supply (12V) or high brightness video sucks the supply dry and the video quality suffers.
I substituted a 1.0A power supply (wall wart) and the unit went from unusable at 10 feet to perfect video, you can even stand between the transmitter and receiver and you can’t block the signal. If you buy this unit, go to Radio Shack and get a 12V 1Amp supply for the transmitter and you’ll be very happy with the performance.