The Dlan 200 AV Starter Kit from Devolo is identical in terms of technical specification to Devolo’s first high-speed Ethernet over mains networking kit, the Dlan 200 AVdesk. The only real difference is the physical design.

For those new to this type of networking, it allows you to use your existing mains wiring to create a network around your home.

It’s cheaper than installing Ethernet cabling and both faster and more reliable than standard 802.11g wireless.

The first high-speed mains networking device we looked at was Netgear’s HDX101.

Although speeds were impressive, the HDX101 was a bulky piece of kit. And since it plugged directly into a mains socket, it would often block up an entire two-plug wall socket. We even found it managed to bash into the socket’s power switch when fully inserted, which is hardly ideal.

Then Devolo came along with the Dlan 200 AVdesk. Unlike Netgear’s device, this hooked up to the mains via a power lead. Although this resolved the issue of blocking other sockets, it’s not nearly as neat a setup.

Now Devolo has released the Dlan 200 AV. Like the Netgear HDX101, it plugs into a mains socket directly, but Devolo has added a few design features to prevent the various issues associated with Netgear’s bulky adaptor. Whereas Netgear’s sat flush against the power socket, Devolo’s features a standard plug-sized piece of plastic to raise it from the socket. It’s also not as wide – 65mm compared to Netgear’s 71mm.

We managed to insert a standard plug next to Devolo’s Dlan 200 AV in a two-plug wall socket, but it was a tight squeeze. If the second device you’re plugging in has an oversized plug, you could be in trouble.

While this is a neater design, you may have problems when using it in a multi-plug adaptor, whereas the Dlan 200 AVdesk will fit with no issues. That said, mains networking performance suffers considerably when using multi-plug adaptors, so you might want to reconsider its location.

If you want to read about the performance of this kit, check out our original Devolo Dlan 200 AVdesk review. Pricing is similar to Devolo’s original kit, which has recently dropped to £139 for the starter kit (which includes two adapters) and £70 for a single-adapter.