Customer Reviews
Netgear wall-pugged ethernet adapter 
2008-07-20
This product offers a neat and easy alternative to wireless adapters. You get the speed and solidity of a hard-wired connection and don't have to worry about signal strength. But you do need to plug the adapter directly in to an outlet, not into an extension cord.
No Wires to run 
2008-07-06
I bought a pair of refurbished units several months ago when my Iogear units died. So far they have been working flawlessly.
A good solution when wireless or hard-wiring is not an option. Maximum transfer rate of 14Mbps is much slower than hard wired or wireless but more than adequate for DSL. (Note actual transfer rate is typically slower than the advertised maximum, depends on wiring and distance. In my case transfer rate is approximately 10Mbps.)
CAUTION! The instructions tell you to plug units directly into wall outlets. Do not use extension cords or surge suppressors. BELIEVE IT!
Great product 2008-04-25
This is the best way to network your computers. I tried wireless but I always had dead zones. I have 3 computers and my direct tv hooked up and they run perfectly. It is very easy to set up. You plug it in a wall and hook up your computer and its done.
Did not suit my needs, inconvenient size and incompatible with Playstation 2 
2008-03-24
The first thing I noticed when trying this product is that it clearly states it will not work with surge protectors or extension cords. For those with multiple wall outlets, this should not be too big of a problem if not for the following.
1. Giant sized item with large rounded top means once you plug this into the wall, the 2nd outlet is BLOCKED. 1 outlet per unit, and you can not plug in anything else.
2. Worked great for a laptop PC I used for testing. Absolutely will not work at all for my Playstation 2 (the reason I bought it)
- I tested PS2 directly into the router and it worked fine. It simply gets no connection when trying it through bridge
3. Since this was not plug and play for the PS2, and due to the giant size hogging up wall plug real estate and effectively blocking any other use of the wall plug, I can not recommend this item to PS2 users.
A bit better than the wireless version 2008-03-21
A few months ago, I got the standard base & wireless extender "kit." I was thrilled, because our one standard single wireless router never covered our house at all well. So far so good: worked in 5 seconds and fine internet connection.
Now I work for a new employer and I'm constantly home-office using my labtop on a remote server. Perhaps because of the complex handshake & firewalls and sensitivity to any connection change, my wireless Powerline connection to the office server seemed jumpy and occassionally closed and I had to reenter with password. (REGULAR internet was fine.)
My workday is now desk-based in a room distant from our DSL modem, I decided to try the cord-based extender XE102. It also plugs into a remote electric outlet in your home, but connects to PC with a short cord. I've gone from "happy" to "happier": my home-to-office server connection is now solid and fast. XE102 worked in 5 seconds too, just like the original wireless extender did from the original kit.
NOTE: This item here, XE102 is only the remote extender. You need to base which sits next to your modem and sends the internet into your electric grid. The base is sold as a kit which includes 1 base and 1 'wireless' extender. This is an addition item, a remote, 'wired' extender. /// If I had just been using regular public internet, I wouldn't have needed this.
Works great with my Dish DVR 2008-03-12
For a truly simple way to bring the Internet to any room in your home, look no further than NETGEAR's Wall-Plugged Ethernet Bridge. It plugs into an electrical outlet and uses your existing electrical wiring to give your entire household access to your Cable/DSL connection. With no expensive new wiring or cabling to install, your family can surf the Web, participate in online gaming, send and receive e-mail, and share files and printers, all from different rooms at the same time. Uncomplicated and very quick to install, it plugs right into a wall outlet, reducing clutter and saving valuable desk space. Designed for ease of use, it has new, easy-to-read icon LEDs, and protects your network communications from eavesdroppers and hackers, while not increasing your electricity bill.
Great product 2008-02-09
A good wired connection is always faster than a wireless one and this is the perfect solution. Plug and play - worked 1st try and has continued to work for 3 years. It has been plugged in continuously and has only needed to be power cycled (unplugged from and re-plugged in to the wall) 3 or 4 times.
This product worked exactly as expected. Highly recommended.
NETGEAR XE102 Wall-Plugged Ethernet Bridge 2008-02-08
The product works as advertised. I removed my wireless router card from my PC and did a direct connect to the XE102. My PC was on a different floor and on the opposite side of the house from the main router. The installation was pretty seamless, and I was up and running in just a few minutes. The only negative comment I have is that I didn't really gain much speed over the wireless connection. However, while the wireless connection seemed to come and go from time to time, the XE102 maintains a solid connection all of the time. I didn't get the software with this product, so I contacted NetGear's support and they promptly provided me a link to where to get it. A note: I have purchased 3 of these units (from Amazon and from Ebay) and they all came to me with their serial numbers blacked out. I don't know why, but I easily removed the blackout with nail polish remover and the NetGear support folks were OK with the numbers I provided to them.
Works as Advertised - could be faster 2008-01-25
First off, be careful. Image shows two, but it only comes with one. For those who don't know, just buy two of these -- plug both into a wall socket. Ethernet out of your router/modem into one; ethernet out of one into your computer, gaming system, refridgerator ;-) or whatever you are trying to web-in-ize.
I briefly had a competitors version of this (4 port), but I didn't like the dongle that hung off the wall. This product is much more compact, thus clean (less cord mess). Overall, I'm very satisfied with it.
One minor complaint is the speed. Specifically upload speed. Using [...] (free internet speed tester) I tested both wireless and this product on the same computer. Downloads were noticeably faster with this product, but upload speeds were no better than wireless speeds. Of course, this might the product's fault...could be my wiring/location of the wire, etc. Still, this product is "hard wired" thus chance of signal drop is less...though still a possibility due to the nature of the technology.
Quality product. Buy it.
Saving a $300 Squeezebox purchase 2007-12-21
[[ASIN:B0002IHP58 NETGEAR XE102 Wall-Plugged Ethernet Bridge]
Wireless to Squeezebox unsatisfactory due to heavy interference in NY apartment life. Everyone has a network, routers, etc.
Squeezebox Tech suggested going Ethernet to insure connectivity. Went to Amazon to find Ethernet bridge with a wall-plugged unit. Given essential technology of wall-plugged units, felt used one would work just as well as new one. Plugged in two units, saved a lot of money and now have great sound from Squeezebox inputting constant stream of Internet music to receiver 35 feet and two rooms away from Netgear WPN824 router.
