Powerline Adapter

Category: infrastructure

A device that uses a building’s existing electrical wiring to transmit network data signals.

Powerline kits turn any standard electrical wall socket into a physical network port. It serves as a highly practical alternative to drilling through drywall to run long Ethernet lines, though performance parameters depend heavily on the age and quality of the local electrical wiring circuitry.

Common Examples

• The technician deployed a powerline adapter kit to connect the basement media player where Wi-Fi signals couldn’t pierce the floors.
• Avoid plugging a powerline adapter into a surge protector, as the internal line filters will strip out the high-frequency network data loops.