Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)The marketing literature claims that the Netgear PE-102 "seamlessly extends your high-speed Internet connection, or your existing Ethernet network ...". Seamless is definitely in the eye of the beholder -- especially where networking is concerned -- but in this case, I have to agree.
I installed the PE-102 to replace a PC that I used as a bridge between my phoneline and ethernet networks. The PC worked fine as as bridge, but needed to be on whenever someone wanted to use the internet from a machine on the phoneline network. The PE-102 not only solved this problem, but also freed a slot in the former bridge machine, since I no longer needed both ethernet and phoneline cards installed. The PE-102 also uses a lot less power than the PC I used for a bridge.
Installation was quick and straightforward. Both phoneline connections are clearly marked (to wall, to phone) and the unit includes only one ethernet connection (RJ-45 10/100 Mbps, auto-switching). There's no software to install or to configure. The product includes a fold-out installation guide that suggests possible network configurations and provides technical specifications for the unit. I was operational within 5 minutes.
The PE-102 has performed flawlessly from the moment I hooked it up. All machines (whether connected by ethernet cable or phoneline) now appear to be part of the same network -- whether the machine is running Windoze or Unix. Throughput is excellent, even when several users share the same internet connection via ethernet cable and phoneline. So what's not to like? Here are a few things I found less than perfect: (1) cable connections are on the front of the unit, rather than on the rear. This makes for a somewhat messy appearance in a home/SOHO environment. (2) cost -- the PE-102 seems expensive by comparison to other network components. This device is a "digital adapter" that integrates ethernet and phoneline networks. It's not a router or a switch or a firewall. It doesn't do sophisticated encryption or on-the-fly data compression or web-content filtering or anything else beyond what it claims to do -- connect ethernet and phoneline networks. (3) the installation guide fails to mention that the PE-102 can share a phoneline connection with a computer: just connect the PE-102 to the phone jack in the wall, and the computer to the "to phone" connection on the PE-102. Now the PE-102 and the computer are both connected to the phoneline network. Similarly, I suspect the PE-102 could be used as an internet gateway for phoneline networks (but without firewall protection or content filtering), even though the installation guide does not mention this possibility.
However, these are pretty much minor annoyances. There's plenty to like about the PE-102, including solid construction (metal case, not plastic), 5-year warranty (1 year on power adapter), and reliable performance. This is a product that does what it claims to do, first time, every time, right out of the box. Although I didn't need it, I've found Netgear technical support to be both competent and responsive -- and one of the few organizations willing even to talk to you if you mention the word "Unix" (or "Linux"). You won't find that among the product features listed on the box -- but it's included, nonetheless.
Recommended.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Netgear PE102 10MBPS(10BASE-T) Home Phoneline RJ11 Ethernet RJ45 Bridge
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