Netgear XAVB2001 Powerline AV 200 Adapter Kit

Skymist

Morning people, and a Happy New Year to you all!!!

I've been reading on this site for years, but only registered today, as I've a question to ask!!

I've just bought a Netgear XAVB2001 Powerline AV 200 Adapter Kit, from Argos, and before I remove it from the packaging, which according to Argos, will make it unrefundable, I'd like to ask "those with knowledge" of things like this, whether I can connect it directly to my Virgin supplied Motorola Surfboard SB100 Cable Modem. I have an Acer Aspire 5741, running Windows 7 Home Premium, and am not into "wireless" stuff!!!

I know this may seem a daft question to some, but before buying the adapter kit, I asked the same question from guys at Commet, PC World and Currys...and the PC world guy said "No,I couldn't", 'cos I'd need a router to connect between the cable modem and the adapter plug, whereas the guys from the other shops said "Yes, no problem"!!!
So you see my dilema/confusion!!!

Thanks in advance.

S

prowla

I reckon all you need is an Ethernet cable.
But I haven't got either piece of kit so I can't give a definite answer.

custardy

Skymist wrote: »

Morning people, and a Happy New Year to you all!!!

I've been reading on this site for years, but only registered today, as I've a question to ask!!

I've just bought a Netgear XAVB2001 Powerline AV 200 Adapter Kit, from Argos, and before I remove it from the packaging, which according to Argos, will make it unrefundable, I'd like to ask "those with knowledge" of things like this, whether I can connect it directly to my Virgin supplied Motorola Surfboard SB100 Cable Modem. I have an Acer Aspire 5741, running Windows 7 Home Premium, and am not into "wireless" stuff!!!

I know this may seem a daft question to some, but before buying the adapter kit, I asked the same question from guys at Commet, PC World and Currys...and the PC world guy said "No,I couldn't", 'cos I'd need a router to connect between the cable modem and the adapter plug, whereas the guys from the other shops said "Yes, no problem"!!!
So you see my dilema/confusion!!!

Thanks in advance.

S

need more info

you have your PC
modem

so whats the issue?
where is the PC in relation to the modem
the homeplug set up will work in most cases for set ups like a PC in a room away from the modem

Skymist

custardy, at the moment my internet comes into my home via Virgin's Motorola Surfboard SB100 Cable Modem. This I then connect to my laptop via the ethernet wire/plug , putting it into the receptor socket in my laptop.

In this diagram on the first link when googling:-

netgear powerline av 200 adapter kit XAVB2001


there is a router between the incoming internet connection, which on my system is the Motorola Surfboard and the homeplug adapter.

What I want to know( before opening the adapter-containng box) is do I need a (wireless) router as well, to enable a wired system through my electrical circuitry! As I've stated, two out of three "professionals" said no, but one said "yes", ie, if I put my internet ethernet cable (from the Motorola Surfboard) directly into one of the homeplugs(one of the Netgear XAVB2001 Powerline AV 200 Adapter plugs via an ethernet cable) and then plug in the second Homeplug wired via the included cable to my laptop (in another room) will it work???

Thanks,

S

sharkie

Skymist wrote: »

custardy, at the moment my internet comes into my home via Virgin's Motorola Surfboard SB100 Cable Modem. This I then connect to my laptop via the ethernet wire/plug , putting it into the receptor socket in my laptop.

Would think it could replace the cable between your PC and router/box. Unsure and doubtful if it would work from the incomming wall to the router/box.

In this diagram on the first link when googling:-

netgear powerline av 200 adapter kit XAVB2001

this did not work for me, got different pages.


Similar adapters cost £45 from ebuyer for a pair

custardy

Skymist wrote: »

custardy, at the moment my internet comes into my home via Virgin's Motorola Surfboard SB100 Cable Modem. This I then connect to my laptop via the ethernet wire/plug , putting it into the receptor socket in my laptop.

In this diagram on the first link when googling:-

netgear powerline av 200 adapter kit XAVB2001


there is a router between the incoming internet connection, which on my system is the Motorola Surfboard and the homeplug adapter.

What I want to know( before opening the adapter-containng box) is do I need a (wireless) router as well, to enable a wired system through my electrical circuitry! As I've stated, two out of three "professionals" said no, but one said "yes", ie, if I put my internet ethernet cable (from the Motorola Surfboard) directly into one of the homeplugs(one of the Netgear XAVB2001 Powerline AV 200 Adapter plugs via an ethernet cable) and then plug in the second Homeplug wired via the included cable to my laptop (in another room) will it work???

Thanks,

S

I would expect it to work.
its only extending your existing network
though i have to ask.
why have a laptop and then go onto the trouble of setting up wired access points?
desktop yes,but isnt the point of having the laptop that you just use it wherever?

sharkie

custardy wrote: »

i have to ask.
why have a laptop and then go onto the trouble of setting up wired access points?
desktop yes,but isnt the point of having the laptop that you just use it wherever?

Besides security, too many networks in an area. My download rate is 14Mb but wifi-wise at a bad time I get 35kb in bursts, or 400Kb average on a bad day. Non of this has to do with my isp, but interfering wifi networks.

Also channels between 4-11 are dead here - something near me is transmitting - (not detectable wifi), probably a car or house alarm system. A block of channels are dead and they do not show up using a wifi scanning software.

you do know that the adsl channel frequencies overlap? So in my case you have 20 people using a limited number of channels. One person has a 270G N - router and that by itself takes up 7 channel frequencies. Also there are 2 130G routers around that also cover more frequencies than average.

Then there are thick walls that wifi just will not work around.

So I too have been looking at these devices

custardy

sharkie wrote: »

Besides security, too many networks in an area. My download rate is 14Mb but wifi-wise at a bad time I get 35kb in bursts, or 400Kb average on a bad day. Non of this has to do with my isp, but interfering wifi networks.

Also channels between 4-11 are dead here - something near me is transmitting - (not detectable wifi), probably a car or house alarm system. A block of channels are dead and they do not show up using a wifi scanning software.

you do know that the adsl channel frequencies overlap? So in my case you have 20 people using a limited number of channels. One person has a 270G N - router and that by itself takes up 7 channel frequencies. Also there are 2 130G routers around that also cover more frequencies than average.

Then there are thick walls that wifi just will not work around.

So I too have been looking at these devices

but again,why a laptop?
if it were me i would have a desktop in the house and if needed use a laptop for out and about uses

Skymist

custardy, I use my laptop only in one place, connected directly to the mains supply...I never just use it using the battery.I'm just not into wireless tech, for various reasons.

So, using the homeplugs in this kit would enable me to use my laptop in other rooms, through wired access!!!

I guess, to make absolutely sure that this kit will work with just the motorola surfboard cable modem, without the addition of a router......or not...I'll phone the UK contact number for Netgear, when all the holidays are over, as no-one here seems able to give me an answer with any certainty!!!

Thanks anyway for your responses.

S

Skymist

An update, for those interested!

Yesterday I phoned Netgear, and spoke to a man from their technical support department....I found the number via saynoto0870.com. He was not English, perhaps Asian....and NO I am NOT prejudice....but I didn't understand him properly, as I was not quite sure what he was asking me but he told me that I didn't need a router.

I was, perhaps unfairly, still not totally convinced, so I emailed their UK sales address, and today, I recieved this reply :-

Dear Skymist,
Thank you very much for taking the time to contact Netgear pre-sales.
In response to your question.....
You need a router inbetween as it is the router that generates the addresses for all the devices.
Please do not hesitate to contact us again either by return email or by calling 01344 45 8200, option 2.
Best regards, NETGEAR Sales UK&I"

I am going with this answer, because, I told them that I was "thinking" about buying the kit, not that I'd already bought one, so, they weren't trying to sell me anything with their answer!!!

So tomorrow, I will be returning my unopened kit back to Argos, who hopefully won't give me any aggro, especially as the young guy at my collection point ALSO told me I didn't need a router!!!!

Soo many conflicting responses (from FIVE people who are supposed to be in the know), from sooo many experts!!!!


By the way, does anyone know if I can return this to another (nearer) branch of Argos, than the one I bought it from? It was out of stock at my nearest branch at the time!

Many TIA

S

fwor

I suspect the response that you got in writing is wrong. What it is saying is that you need a device on your local network that can allocate IP addresses (in technical terms, you need a DHCP server somewhere in your network).

In practice, your cable modem almost certainly has a DHCP server function built-in. If it did not, you would need to allocate IP addresses manually, and I'm sure you would have said so if you were.