Review: devolo MicroLink dLAN Highspeed Starter Kit

by Bob Crabtree on 12 March 2006, 01:17

Tags: devolo

Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qaety

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Specs n stuff


Minimum system requirement
Ethernet port (ideally supporting DHCP) on each computer or device that is to be networked; any operating system with Ethernet network support, including Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP; Linux; Mac OS X or OS 9 (Speed tests carried out under XP Pro and XP Home; basic functioning tests - internet access and file sharing - also carried out on Win 98SE and the Linspire 5 Linux OS).

HEXUS. recommended requirements
DHCP-capable network switch or router.

Supported devices
As well as personal computers, we'd expect the kit to support all network media players; internet radio players; and networkable games consoles, including Microsoft Xbox and Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 (when it launches).

Hardware and software used in our tests

PCs

1/ Clawhammer
- Windows XP Pro (SP2); GigaByte GA-K8VNXP motherboard (built-in Gigabit Ethernet and sound); AMD Athlon 64 3200+ CPU; 2GByte RAM (PC3200); ATI All-in-Wonder 9600 Pro graphics card

2/ Simon - Windows XP Home (SP2); Asus A7A266-E motherboard; unbranded PCI 100-BaseT Ethernet card; 256MB PC133 RAM; ATI All-in-Wonder Radeon 9000 graphics card

3/ Celeron - Windows XP Pro (SP2) - also dual-boots in Win98SE; AOpen AX6CBC motherboard; Intel Celeron 1.4GHz CPU in PowerLeap PL-iP3/T slocket adaptor; 512MB PC100 RAM; Realtek RTL8139 Gigabit Ethernet card; Matrox Millennium G400 graphics card

4/ Linspire PC - Linspire V5.0 OS; Intel D815EEA motherboard; Intel P3 933MHz CPU; 256MB PC100 RAM; Matrox Millennium G450 graphics card

Other hardware
Network switch, Netgear GS105 (Gigabit); ADSL WiFi modem with 100-BaseT Ethernet, Netgear DG834G V2; Network media player, Pinnacle ShowCenter 200; Netgear WG121 54MBps USB2.0 adaptor (used with Simon); 15in Philips TV set

Software
For media playback - Windows Media Player 10; DivX Player V6.1; VLC media player V0.8.2; CyberLink PowerDVD 6.0

For hard disk speed testing on all PCs running Windows XP - Pinnacle DVExpert V3.7.03


HEXUS.links

HomePlug Powerline Alliance

HomePlug FAQ

Flash demo of dLAN

devolo UK