LAN & WAN Reviews

At a glance		AV2-SISO Powerline Performance February 2016
Product	Monoprice Ethernet over Power Powerline Converter - HD Stream Kit 1Gbps (12288)   [Website]
Summary	Broadcom BCM60333-based Homeplug AV2 SISO powerline adapter kit. Rebrand of Tenda P1000.
Pros	• Can provide ~400 Mbps total throughput with multi-source traffic
Cons	• Huge up and downlink throughput difference when running bi-directional traffic • Utility app is Windows only

Typical Price: $200  Buy From Amazon

Introduction

Today I'm looking at Monoprice's Model 12288 Ethernet over Power Powerline Converter - HD Stream Kit 1Gbps. The Monoprice 12288 is one of two SISO class adapters we've reviewed that is based on the Broadcom BCM60333 chipset. The other Broadcom-based SISO adapter is the ZyXEL PLA5206 Kit. The other three SISO adapters are all based on the Qualcomm Atheros QCA7450 / AR1540 chipset.

A little sleuthing outed the Monoprice 12288 as a rebranded Tenda P1000. The image below shows an oblique view of each product. While the products appear to be identical, each has its own unique user guide.

Monoprice 12288 and Tenda P1000 front view

The image below shows the Monoprice 12288 plugged into the bottom socket of a conventional wall outlet. While you can plug a grounded plug into the top socket, it's a bit tight, as the plug touches the top of the adapter.

Monoprice 12288 plugged in

The Monoprice doesn't have a pass-through power socket. If that's a must-have for you, check the TRENDnet TPL-421E2K and TP-LINK TL-PA8030P-KIT reviews.

The image below shows the callouts and LED indicator key for the Monoprice 12288 from the User Manual. You'll find the configuration of the Monoprice adapter is very similar to all other powerline adapters. On the bottom, there's a Gigabit LAN port as well as a button for pairing or factory reset. On the front, there are separate LEDs for Power/Status, Powerline connection/activity status, and LAN connection/activity status.

Monoprice 12288 callouts and LED indicator key

Inside

The cover of the Monoprice 12288 was glued on, so we weren't able to disassemble the unit without damaging it. However, we were able to verify the components once we identified the product as a Tenda P1000.

Admin

To install the Monoprice 12288, you just plug them in. Like other HomePlug AV adapters, they come set with the standard default network name (HomePlugAV) and link right up. If you want your own private network key, just push the pair/reset button for 1-3 seconds on the first adapter and push the pair/reset button on the second adapter within 2 minutes. Either way, traffic is encrypted using 128 bit AES..

You don't really need a utility to manage or set up the basic features. But you can download a Windows utility to control advanced features such as QoS priorities. The short gallery below shows a few screenshots of the utility.

Introduction, Inside, Administration Performance, Closing

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Related Articles

• TRENDnet TPL-420E2K HomePlug Powerline 1200 AV2 Adapter Kit Retested
• ZyXEL PLA5206 1000 Mbps Powerline Gigabit Ethernet Adapter Reviewed
• TP-LINK TL-PA8030P KIT 3-Port Gigabit Passthrough Powerline Starter Kit Reviewed
• NETGEAR PL1200 Powerline 1200 Reviewed
• ZyXEL PLA5405 1200 Mbps Powerline Gigabit Ethernet Adapter Reviewed

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