Home networking can be a tedious and daunting task. Though the use of Wi-Fi now makes networking so much easier, it does have its downsides. Mainly, Wi-Fi doesn’t always reach all corners of your home and there can be many factors that could interfere with it. That’s why Powerline adapters make for a great alternative, and especially ones on the newer G.hn Wave 2 Powerline standard. So which ones do you choose? With NexusLink, they have a wide range of G.hn Wave 2 products that will suit any need, such as the GPL-2000S4, GPL-2000PoE, and the GPL-2000WAC-KIT.
Here are some quick facts about the NexusLink line of G.hn Wave 2 Powerline adapters. They each reach up to 2000Mbps PHY rates over the Powerline connection and 500Mbps through a single Ethernet port. With features like Quick Noise Adaptation (QNA), it now detects noise 5x faster for better performance via lower latency and jitter-sensitive applications.
Also note that the installation of these G.gn Wave 2 adapters from NexusLink isn’t quite as straightforward as normal powerline adapters. These require that you pair them all to the NexusLink network since the network it forms is securely encrypted. All you need to do is press the security button on the main adapter and then the one on the newly added adapter. Once they’re paired, you’re good to go.
NEXUSLINK GPL-2000WAC-KIT
If you want to get started with a G.hn Wave 2 Powerline adapter, the NexusLink GPL-2000WAC-KIT is a good starting point. This kit includes two adapters, one is the GPL-2000PT and the other is the GPL-2000WAC. The GPL-2000PT is the base adapter, the one that you use to bridge your modem/router to the rest of your Powerline network. Basically, you just plug this into an outlet near your modem/router and then an Ethernet cable from that to the adapter. What’s neat about these is that there’s also a power plug passthrough so you don’t lose a plug.
In the second part of the kit, the NexusLink GPL-2000WAC you would plug into another outlet where you need to extend your network. What makes this adapter different from the standard one is that this adapter also includes a built-in wireless network. Not only can you use the Ethernet port to connect devices to your network, but you can also connect devices to its Wi-Fi access point with both 2.4GHz and 5GHz connections. This is useful if you use this for instance at a distant portion of your home away from your router and still want Wi-Fi access. This adapter also has a power plug pass-through.
The NexusLink GPL-2000WAC is a full on Wi-Fi router too so you’ll be able to go into its settings after and make configurations like you would a regular Wi-Fi router.
NEXUSLINK GPL-2000S4
The NexusLink GPL-2000S4 is a bit different from your average G.hn Wave 2 Powerline adapter. While most adapters only have one Ethernet port for one device, the GPL-2000S4 has four Ethernet ports. The idea behind this that you would use this for instance near a home entertainment setup where you have multiple devices that each require an Ethernet connection. With the GPL-2000S4, you can connect up to four of these devices and each would enjoy a connection of roughly 500Mbps.
This adapter is basically like the GPL-2000PT, but with extra Ethernet ports for greater versatility without the need for an additional hub or switch.
NEXUSLINK GPL-2000PoE
The NexusLink GPL-2000PoE is similar to the GPL-2000S4, but only features two Ethernet ports. These ports are different from standard ports however and are PoE-capable (Power Over Ethernet) ports. These ports are ideal for connecting PoE devices, such as VoIP Phones, PoE cameras, and access points without the need for additional power cables. This only works in this fashion for PoE enabled devices.
Without a PoE enabled device, the NexusLink GPL-2000PoE functions as just a normal G.hn Wave 2 Powerline adapter.
For the most part, the NexusLink products work very well once you set them up. Like I explained above, setup isn’t quite as straightforward as plug-n-play like other Powerline adapters. These require security pairing with each other before they can be used together. These also may not work with existing G.hn Wave 2 adapters either from other manufacturers and vice versa. I had a couple of adapters already installed and none of these worked with those so I had to unplug the old ones.
In terms of speed, they will vary immensely based on your home’s existing wiring and how old they are. Theoretically, you should be getting 500Mbps speeds, but that’s not really going to be the case. Again, it all depends on your home’s wiring and maybe what you have plugged in. In my case, I was only getting between 55-67Mbps down, which is better than what I was getting before with the older Powerline standard, which was around 8Mbps. I’ve seen some others report getting even faster speeds and also much slower speeds, so again, your results will vary. I will say though that the speeds were very consistent for me and stable.
FINAL THOUGHTS
What I like about the NexusLink line of G.hn Wave 2 products is the variety of them. There seems to be a product to fit any need you might have whether it be Wi-Fi dead zones or being able to connect more than one gadget to a single adapter. They are also relatively simple to set up, as long as you’re using all NexusLink products. I’m not entirely too sure how these will work in relation to other G.hn Wave 2 products, but I do know that they don’t really work with Zyxel adapters. I also like the fact that these are generally inexpensive as well.
Speeds however will be different for everyone and just because my speeds read a certain way, doesn’t mean you’ll have the same results. Your results could be better or worse. It’s hard to say.
With that said, NexusLink does make a solid product with the GPL-2000S4, GPL-2000PoE, and the GPL-2000WAC-KIT and you should consider them if you’re looking for a simple way to extend your network without pesky lone cables.
SHOP LINKS
- NexusLink G.hn Powerline Wireless Bridge Adapter (GPL-2000WAC-KIT)
- NexusLink G.hn Wave 2 Powerline Adapter (GPL-2000S4)
- NexusLink G.hn Wave 2 Powerline Adapter PoE (GPL-2000PoE)
Thank You for Visiting TheGamerWithKids
I love bringing you guys the latest and greatest reviews whether it be apps or gadgets, but hosting and maintaining a website doesn’t come cheap. If you would like to purchase any of the items mentioned on the site, please do so by clicking our links to Amazon first and then purchasing the items. This way, we get a small portion of the sale and this helps me run the website. Thanks!
This review is made possible with my affiliation with G Style Magazine. These items were sent to us by the company or their PR reps for review and evaluation. It is also featured at the G Style Magazine website which is a tech blog that focuses on the fashion aspect of tech. Please visit their site for more interesting reviews on all your favorite gadgets and gear.
The Gamer With Kids 