Add WiFi & a Router to a room just by plugging in these two units.

As I reported on Daily Giz Wiz 1243, www.twit.tv/dgw1243 I used the TV Orb to send video from my office to my apartment, which are back to back in a Manhattan brownstone. Basically I wanted to use my Roku box in my living room where there is no WiFi. Although the Orb worked with the doors open, the video was less than good with the doors closed. So I figured wired was the way to go. But I didn’t want to drill a hole through the wall for the cable, so I came up with another solution. Western Digital offers a gadget that lets you stream high-speed encrypted video and data wirelessly to connected devices via electric lines anywhere in the home.  It’s called the Livewire Powerline AV Network Kit. Belkin offers a similar solution, but I’ll tell you what Western Digital added to make it more convenient to share your WiFi.  The Livewire Powerline AV Kit features two adapters, one for the room where the WiFi source is, and one for the room where you want WiFi. While the Belkin unit offers an adaptor that handles a single WiFi line, each of the Western Digital units offer four ports that allow users to connect the router to seven Internet-enabled appliances. (One of the eight ports requires the WiFi in cable.) One WD adaptor plugs into an available electric outlet in each of the two rooms you’re connecting to create a high-speed network. (Western Digital says the system is capable of handling up to 200 Mbs - megabits per second). Installation is easy, but there is one warning you should pay attention to! Do not use these units with power strips or UPS units. They should be plugged directly in an AC outlet. When I was setting up the units I found the two required AC plugs, but I couldn’t see where they plugged in on the adapters. Then I realized the place the AC wire & plug go had a warning stickers covering the port. That warning was the one NOT to use extension cords, power strips, etc. Of course I had to see if that was true, and it was. It doesn’t work. But when connected as instructed, they work fine. A green LED light on each unit lights to let you know they’re connected. Now I can watch Netflix on my HDTV via the Roku box using the WiFi that’s in my office! Works perfectly. The Livewire Powerline AV Network Kit lists for $139.99, but if you do a web search you can find them right around the $100 mark.

http://wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=310

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