Netgear XAVB101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Kit

The basic design is especially convenient, with the ethernet port and encryption button at the side of the adapters, rather than hidden on the bottom (as on most other kits), making them easier to reach. Netgear's excellent software utility has the unique ability to turn off the LEDs on the adapters, a boon in darkened home theaters or bedrooms. The utility can also set specific encryption passphrases.

A firmware update that the push-button encryption setup even easier, by eliminating a step from an already simple procedure. This convenient setup should eventually appear in other kits, too, since all of them are based on the same Intellon chipset.

Our only quibble is that Netgear doesn't make a multiport powerline adapter, which would be ideal for connecting multiple home-theater devices such as game consoles, TiVos, and streaming-media boxes. You can, however, use the Netgear kit in combination with a standard ethernet switch to provide extra ports. If you need only one port, the Netgear kit's extra features and attention to detail make it the clear winner among powerline-based products.