Zyxel PLA5456 powerline extender review

Our Verdict

With its pair of Ethernet ports and Ac passthrough outlet, the Zyxel PLA5456 tin assist push button information throughout your habitation but is big and delivered unexceptional functioning and range. Information technology's no bargain at $100 for two devices, but the PLA5456 is for buyers looking for a powerline extender that quietly does its work backside the scenes.

For

Pair of Ethernet ports
Ac passthrough outlet
Monitoring utility
2-yr warranty

Against

Large
Lacks effective power conservation

Tom's Guide Verdict

With its pair of Ethernet ports and AC passthrough outlet, the Zyxel PLA5456 can help button information throughout your home simply is big and delivered unexceptional performance and range. It's no bargain at $100 for two devices, only the PLA5456 is for buyers looking for a powerline extender that quietly does its work behind the scenes.

Pros

+
Pair of Ethernet ports
+
Air conditioning passthrough outlet
+
Monitoring utility
+
2-year warranty

Cons

-
Large
-
Lacks constructive power conservation

Zyxel PLA5456 Powerline Extender: Specs

Max Throughput: 54.0Mbps
Functioning at 100 anxiety: 16.8Mbps
Range: 750 anxiety
Size: 5.2 10 2.8 x 1.seven inches
Three/Two Prong Plug: Three
Ethernet Gigabit Ports: Two
Estimated Power Neb: $4.30 per year

The Zyxel PLA5456 is large and combines a pair of Ethernet ports with a useful monitoring utility and a handy AC passthrough outlet. Even so, it doesn't make upward for the device's disappointing throughput, range and ability use. The PLA5456 offers middle of the route performance, price and warranty for a middle of the road cost.

As our Zyxel PLA5456 powerline extender review shows, information technology could offering ameliorate performance, but the inclusion of that actress ability outlet and like shooting fish in a barrel setup mean that information technology'south a solid competitor with the all-time powerline extenders on the market place for those who are less concerned virtually getting meridian data speeds.

Zyxel PLA5456 Powerline Extender: Design and features

At v.ii x 2.eight ten 1.seven inches, the PLA5456 is among the largest powerline devices available, similar in size to the Netgear PLP2000. It'south positively huge looking compared to the D-Link DHP-601AV. The device's white plastic case has cooling vents on two sides and three LEDs upfront to show Ability, Ethernet and Powerline.

Zyxel PLA5456 powerline extender review — (Image credit: Zyxel)

Its iii-prong Ac outlet might make it the way in older homes with ungrounded outlets simply the PLA5456 offers up a passthrough outlet to replace the one it uses. To service a pair of devices, like a Tv and a estimator, the PLA5456 has two Ethernet ports below.

Its combo Reset/Encrypt button is a multi-tasker compared to those with several control keys. A short press adds the device to a 128-bit AES encrypted network, while a medium printing removes it. A long press returns the device to its factory defaults.

Under the pare, the PLA5456 uses the HomePlug AV2 standard for powerline transfers and Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) engineering to service several family members at once. According to Zyxel engineers, it has a top throughput of 1.8Gbps and tin adjust up to 16 powerline devices on a network.

Zyxel PLA5456 Powerline Extender: Performance

Built effectually Broadcom's BCM60500 powerline chipset, the PLA5456 delivered mediocre performance scores beyond the lath. It never led the group and often was well-nigh the bottom of the rankings.

The PLA5456's best showing was its baseline throughput of 54.0Mbps out of my habitation's 200Mbps connection. That's a little over one-half the bandwidth delivered by the Netgear PLP2000 simply was adept enough for tertiary identify in the information-moving category. This throughput savage off speedily and at 100-anxiety, the system only moved 16.8Mbps, about one-sixth the throughput of the PLP2000.

Overall, the PLA5456 had a range of 750-feet, well short of the TP-Link TP-LA9020P'southward i,075 feet just ahead of the D-Link DHP-601AV's 525 feet. It did a reasonable job of supplying information to a previously unconnected garage with 18.5Mbps of throughput. That was more than than plenty for watching videos, playing games and bouncing between Spider web sites.

While working, it used iii.6 watts, but the PLA5456 lacks effective power conservation, even with its Standby way enabled. That said, look that it will cost about $iv.30 a year – about twice the cost of the DHP-601AV – if the PLA5456 is used 12 hours a day. Its case hit a summit of 103 degrees Fahrenheit.

Zyxel PLA5456 Powerline Extender: Setup and software

The pair of PLA5456 devices fired upward and within a few seconds was moving data over my domicile'southward power cables. Information technology includes a monitoring and configuration utility with a map of the powerline network. The app can rename devices and prepare their data priority simply, like the Trendnet TPL-423E2K'southward software, it can't run full screen.

While it tin't provide the peace of listen of the TP-Link TPL-423E2K's iii-yr warranty, the Zyxel stands by the PLA5456 with two years of coverage and support. Information technology's a far sight better than the Netgear's 90-days of support. Zyxel's online resources include a complete user'southward guide and downloads.

Zyxel PLA5456 Powerline Extender: Verdict

The Zyxel PLA5456 powerline extender is a good example of the importance of performance. Even with simple setup and a built-in passthrough outlet, the shorter range and limited bandwidth it offers may exist expert plenty for bones uses, merely for well-nigh modern households, where data-intensive tasks similar streaming Netflix and managing an array of smart home devices is mutual, it just doesn't print.

Overall, it does the nuts to help fill a home with powerline data with a pair of Ethernet ports and a useful utility for monitoring and configuring the network. Lacking the functioning of the Netgear PLP2000, the extended range of the TP-Link TP-LA9020P or the price tag of the D-Link DHP-601AV, Zyxel PLA5456 cruel short on operation.

Brian Nadel is a freelance writer and editor who specializes in technology reporting and reviewing. He works out of the suburban New York City surface area and has covered topics from nuclear power plants and Wi-Fi routers to cars and tablets. The former editor-in-chief of Mobile Computing and Communications, Nadel is the recipient of the TransPacific Writing Award.