In this review we will be taking  a look at the Devolo dLAN 500 AV Wireless+ Starter kit which includes the latest combined Powerline, Wi-Fi and Ethernet adapter from Devolo.

Powerline network adapters use the on premise electrical supply lines for network data transmission which makes it effective in areas where running physical cables is undesirable and Wi-Fi strength is less than optimal.

We have previously looked at the 200 range starter kit, from Devolo, where we found the power line based networking system to be “intuitive to install and offers a big improvement in performance” so it will be interesting to see how the 500 range makes further improvements. Devolo say the new 500 range is compatible with the dLAN 200 range.

The Starter kit, in review here, is currently available for around £105.41 from online stockists (price checked Amazon 1st May 2013) product number 1833. The adapters are also available separately allowing the infrastructure to be expanded further.

In the Box: Devolo dLAN 500 AV Wireless+

In the box you get two adaptors, an installation sheet, network cable, product CD, and a service and support document.

The two adaptors included in the starter set are the Devolo dLAN AV Wireless+ and the dLAN AVPlus.

The primary unit, the dLAN 500 AV Wireless+, includes three physical network connectors, available at the top of the unit, which appears to be a key design change from earlier models and also makes accessibility a great deal easier (on the 200 range these connections are on the bottom which made accessing cables a bit fiddly).

Also included, on the adapter itself, is a very handy power socket (with mains filter) which makes the unit appropriate for many more situations and is likely to be a blessing for those with few enough power outlets already.

The secondary unit, the dLAN 500 AVPlus,  is ideally suited for connection to the main router and this unit also includes a power socket (but this time only one network connection at the top of the adaptor). It is this unit which will usually act as the bridge between the router and the dLAN-500 AV Wireless+.

As the secondary unit is designed to perform less duties it is considerably smaller than the primary unit (which has grown quite a bit in height since the 200 range).

Getting everything operating is really straightforward. For installation simply plug in the devices where you need them. So, the AVPlus should ideally be plugged in somewhere near the Broadband router whilst the primary unit can be placed wherever you need the Wi-Fi zone to operate (or where you need a number of physical network connections).  Make a note of the Wi-Fi codes security ID on the back of the unit and you can connect to the Wi-Fi zone. If you only want to use the Powerline feature you can also disable the Wi-Fi completely.

Once installed the units can be monitored via the dLAN Cockpit application which can be installed from the included CD.

Versions of the Cockpit application are available for Windows,  Mac OS X, and Linux however only the Windows application was tested for this review.

In Operation: Devolo dLAN 500 AV Wireless+.

The press release for the dLAN 500 AV Wireless+ says the unit combines Wi-Fi, Powerline, and Ethernet networking, into a high-performance device and from what we have seen so far the 500 AV Wireless+ is certainly proving to high performing.

Typical Powerline throughput reported by the devices, during the review period, has been around 340 Mbit/s and 420 Mbit/s (with peaks up to around 472 Mbit/s) which is pretty respectable and ideal if you are streaming audio and video around the place. However, there are a number of factors that can affect Powerline performance, and therefore impact bandwidth, so it is difficult to put a clear and consistent number on this. The unit does include a number of useful LED status symbols, including one for dLAN, which can indicate transmission strength is suitable for high-definition video (when it turns green), or standard-video (orange).

Wi-Fi is served using 2 antenna which can be configured for either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz (not at the same time) 802.11n networking. Encryption can also utilise WPS, WEP, WPA/WPA2, and AES 128bit encryption making it pretty secure. Devolo also provide a WPS button on the devices directly so a quick tap  can enable and disable encryption automatically – this is really helpful if you’re not the sort that likes to tinker behind the scenes.

Fortunately, the units are largely self-configuring so most of the time they simply need plugging in and they’ll work things out on their own.

In Summary: Devolo dLAN 500 AV Wireless+

Overall, the Devolo dLAN 500 AV Wireless+ is a big leap forward from the 200 range and the design changes have made the unit considerably more practical. If a wired network connection is not available then the dLAN 500 AV Wireless+ is highly recommended as an alternative networking solution.

It was pretty difficult to find any issues with the Devolo DLAN 500 AV Wireless+ Starter Kit and as a result it is deserving of a full five star rating. To the best of my knowledge this is the first five stars have ever been awarded to a product reviewed on this site.

The dLAN 500 AV Wireless+ Starter Kit is currently available for around £129.99 and the adaptors are available separately. For more information about the Starter Kit head over to the Devolo Website: Devolo dLAN 500 AV Wireless+ | Buy the .