Powerline networking has its use and although it is nowhere nearly as popular as the almost ubiquitous Wi-Fi standard when it comes to networking there are times when it's the only option to get a network connection in your home. LevelOne has announced a clever solution that helps bridge the two technologies, something that should appeal to that need network connectivity in a larger building.Although being far from the first of its kind the PLI-3411 as it's called, it manages to combine the functionality of both being a Powerline adapter, an Ethernet switch and a Wi-Fi access point. This means that you can use it to extend your Wi-Fi network to remote areas of your home or office without the need of additional Ethernet cables while also having the additional benefit of being able to connect multiple wired devices that can communicate locally with each other without having to send the data over the Powerline interface.
The PLI-3411 features Powerline speeds of up to 200Mbps and the three port switch is only offer 10/100Mbit speeds, not exactly cutting edge, but good enough for streaming HD quality video and then some. The Wi-Fi part support speeds of up to 300Mbps and features a pair of external antennas with 2x2 MIMO support, another rare combination for this kind of product. Another handy addition is an off-switch for the Wi-Fi, which allows the Wi-Fi to be disabled easily without affecting other devices that are plugged in. The PL-3411 is available as of now and retails in Europe for around €70 (S$115/US$95).Source: LevelOne
Read more: LevelOne launches clever Powerline Wi-Fi access point by VR-Zone.com