Trendnet’s new 500Mbps powerline Ethernet product.

Ethernet over power lines has always been a part of our arsenal to connect PC’s when we don’t want to run wire. The draw has been that it is relatively slow when compared to the speed you are achieving over CAT5e and CAT6 cabling. It is nice to be running at a full gig between your workstations, servers and other networked devices. What we have seen in the past from powerline Ethernet was always in the 11-14mbps range but Trendnet’s new product promises to get that speed up where we need it to be to handle your Data, VOIP and Video traffic.

Things like Blu-ray players, game consoles, TVs and all sorts of other stuff need a web connection to work a lot of times. The catch for many of us is that not all of the gadgets have WiFi built-in and sometimes WiFi just doesn't cut it when it comes to getting a reliable connection.

Trendnet has unveiled a new powerline networking system that is aimed at folks streaming lots of HD models and other large files across a network. The networking kit promises powerline networking at up to 500Mbps. Each of the adapters has a Gigabit Ethernet port built-in and has 128-bit AES encryption. The system has one button set up and an LED indicator on each adapter for network status.

You are limited to a maximum of 16 adapters (nodes) if you are streaming video. Additional adapters can impact performance. Networked Powerline devices need to be plugged into power outlets that are on the same electrical system. The network signal transmits up to 300 meters.

You will be able to get two kits with the powerline gear. The TPL-401E is a single adapter and will ship on November 29 for $99.99. The TPL-401E2K kit is a pair of the adapters to get you started and will ship on the same day for $179.99. You can add more adapters to your powerline network as needed, but you need a pair to get started.