Devolo MicroLink dLAN Ethernet

While many of us have more than one computer in the house, few of us want to have to trail network cables all over the place just to connect them together. Wireless networking is an alternative, but it can suffer from security and stability problems if it isn't set up correctly.

There is another option: our houses are all fully wired with mains cables, which can be used to carry data. That is what the dLAN Ethernet does, converting your computer's data signal into one that can be carried over the mains to another socket in the house, where another dLAN unit converts it back into computer-readable signals.

It's not as fast as 'real' networking, because the electricity in the cables causes interference to the network; a typical Ethernet network will be between two and 10 times faster than the dLAN. It's simple to set up: just plug one end of each supplied network cable into a computer and the other into the supplied Devolo plug, and plug them both in.

You may need to set the computers up to talk to each other, but the software and manual will take you through that and both are quite simple to follow. It's a good solution, and is compatible with the HomePlug standard so, if you buy other such HomePlug-compatible devices, it will work with them too.

Contact: Devolo 01865 244 141
www.devolo.co.uk