NETGEAR Phoneline adapters allow you to transform the existing phone lines in your home into a high-powered computer network. Just plug one end into the PC's USB port and the other end into a telephone wall jack (phone cable is included). Within minutes you can play multi-player games, share files and printers, and even access the Internet on all the computers in your home at the same time - just like you do at work or at school. All this without installing any new wires in your home! NETGEAR's "do-not-disturb" technology designs are conscious of your phone use, so you can enjoy continuous data exchange without any disruption to your phone service.NETGEAR brings the latest technology to the home consumer market and makes it possible to have a 10 Mbps network equivalent to the typical corporate network connection. Now you can share files and data between home computers at the speed and efficiency of a professional network cutting down on time wasted by slower speed technologies. Your phone lines instantly become high-speed information arteries between Phoneline10X adapter-equipped PCs, laptops, their attached printers and other peripherals. NETGEAR also provides the technology to allow you to simultaneously talk on the phone while you are exchanging data among computers! The enclosed FirstGear software CD provides everything you need to share a modem - 56K, DSL, or Cable - that is connected to your PC. All of your computers with NETGEAR Phone line adapters can access the Internet simultaneously over your existing home phone wiring using only a single Internet account. And you're protected with NETGEAR's added firewall security.
The PA101 USB home phone-line adapter from Netgear turns your home phone lines into a high-speed computer network. Just plug one end into the PC's USB port and the other end into a telephone wall jack (phone cable is included). Within minutes you can play multiplayer games, share files and printers, and even access the Internet on all the computers in your home at the same time. Netgear's do-not-disturb technology designs are conscious of your phone use, so you can enjoy continuous data exchange without any disruption to your phone service.
Netgear provides a limited lifetime warranty on parts and labor.
1 Positive - from comp. eng. student
I don't know why these things don't exist in the market very much. Ethernet is all over the market, but you would need cabling for that. I connected my Windows XP computer to my father's (also XP) in the other room, and it's working very well, and couldn't be cheaper. You don't even need their software, XP recognizes the device and you can set up a small office or home network with XP - very easily. Arrived fast too. Really fast. Maybe because I'm in CA, and they ship from CA too.
2 Cheap, simple, convenient
Highly recommended! An easy way to have a network installed in your home or office within minutes. Never had any problems connecting my 2 laptops running Win98 and WinXP. Internet sharing, worked same well. Consider savings over wireless equipment that would give you the same data transfer rate, but for 10-15 times more money. It is not worth it to pay that much just for the convenience of walking aroung the apartment with your laptop (What if you have only desktops?). I believe anybody still prefers working at the desk, and not on a porch, toilet or in a bath. Use wires you already have at home - your phone line. This device is simple and thus brake- and error-safe.
3 It, quite simply, rocks
After recently moving into a new house, I soon found there was no feasible way to get a wired ethernet setup going, what with architectural constraints.
I just wanted to share cable internet access among our 3 computers, without going wireless; the low throughput and limited range of an affordable wireless solution (802.11b) doesn't appeal to me.
After a bit of research, I picked up a Linksys HPRO200 router and ordered this litte gem.
It took one week to receive the PA-101, and within 5 minutes, my network was up; and I didn't have to configure an access point, WEP encryption, or any of the hassles of wireless. No need to route any ethernet cable between floors either.
It's too bad this technology is being rendered obsolete; sort of reminds me of the way Beta VCRs were supplanted by VHS. The inferior product was marketed more aggressively...
On the bright side, HPNA 2.0 adapters can be found for as litte as $5 now.
And yes, the PA-101 works just fine with windows ME, and 2000, and 98. I've tested all of them, and recommend this for anyone.
4 Good way to set up a fast, efficient, simple network at home
No problems setting up this system which transfers data between rooms via the phone jacks . I have broadband internet access which works plenty fast on the networked computers in the house.
I'm under the impression that this system is being phased out as it's not being offered any more at the large stores in my area (Best Buy, Frys, etc.) I'm attributing this to the wireless push being made by Netgear and others.
5 Good product overall
It works as advertized, and good for laptop use since phoneline PC card choices are limited and so-so. It would be good for desktop use if you do not want, or know how, to install a PCI card. However, for desktop use I would recommend the PA-301 PCI card. It is a great way to network home computers and share a high speed (broadband) internet connection without running wires through your house. The 10Mbs is very adequate, and comparable to wired ethernet, considering that (broad)bandwidth usually gets you 2-5Mbs. To some extent, the 10X phoneline networking through your existing phone wiring is more dependable than 802.11b wireless. However for laptop use, the whole idea of being mobile is to be free of wires. I bought it initially for laptop use, but decided in the end to go wireless. I use wired 10/100 for my main desktop, phoneline connection (PA-301) to network each of my kid's desktop, and wireless for my wife's laptop as well as mine. However, the PA-101 really works and does not interfere with regular phone use. You CAN actually surf the web (high speed connection) and talk on the phone at the same time....
6 a nightmare.....
I bought two of the product with intention of networking my XP laptop to my wifes Win98 PC. I give Netgear the merit of having decent customer support. They got the product to work.... at the expense of all other network connections. Since I installed the product, I had to reinstall Win XP Home Edition twice, after countless errors. Also, my wife's Win 98SE was not able to recognize her printer since the install of the network. I uninstalled the product from both computers. Thank God my laptop is fine (after the reinstall and loss of info). My wifes PC STILL has problems with finding the printer.
I dont recommend this product to anyone...
7 Perfect Product
Not only did this device funtion exactly as it should, it works quickly and absolutely effortlessly on Windows XP. I've been using it for about a year now, and I've never had a single problem. Windows XP recognizes it and installs drivers for it without even asking for the CD. Great product!!
8 Netgear PA101 with a 2Wire Router
I installed two PA101 on a Gateway 9300 and an IBM TP385. Both were up and running quickly using the drivers from the installation CD. Both computers are running Windows 98 SE with the IBM using a Belkin USB 4 port hub and the Gateway on the port replicator hub. With both computers in use, there is just a little degradation in internet access speeds (on a fixed wireless broadband, 1.5M connection) and no noticable speed degradation on LAN speeds.
9 Doesn't work (with Windows ME at least)
I gave up today trying to make this crap work after a week's wasted time and six tries trying to understand the (Hindu speaking) technical support engineers. A link was established but neither computer EVER saw the other no matter what I tried. I can't recommend this stuff for anyone with Windows ME. Don't know about any other OS. Gave it one star simply because I couldn't give it zero stars!
10 Incompatible with Earthlink DSL
The network part of this works fine, but I could not get this to work with my internet service (Earthlink DSL), which was one of the main reasons to put in the network.
Technical service took about 45 minutes to reach, but was friendly. They couldn't help me get it to work, however. They did suggest that one simply use Internet Connection Sharing in Windows SE rather than their software. Alas, I do not have SE . . .
11 Did exactly what it was supposed to do, and effortlessly.
I already had a phoneline network set up, plugged this product into a USB port, and the product automatically set itself up (including changing the Windows 98 settings to allow file sharing). Can't comment about technical support, haven't had to use them.
12 Quick and easy
I had to switch from Aviator's PCMCIA-based wireless network "WebGear" to Netgear's Phoneline system because I purchased a PC that did not have ISA or PCMCIA ports. Although I was otherwise satisfied with the Aviator system, I found the Netgear system much faster to install and get up-and-running. I just wish someone made a wireless system that supported Windows 2000 and USB.
13 Okay hardware, bad news software and support
I purchased this product to setup a home lan to my wife's laptop on the other side of the house. We wanted to share a cable modem and a printer. I installed and used their software. Could not get internect connection sharing working so I removed their software and went with ICS from Win 98SE. That seems to work well. The doc is very sparse and the tech support just gives you the usual reinstall the drivers etc. pitch. The adapters run pretty well except every once in a while the link drops between the machines and we have to reboot to get the link back. Not sure if this problem is Netgear's or Microsoft's. We also have a Toshiba Portage 3015 that refuses to work with the adapter. I had previously had problems with Laplink trying to use a USB to USB connection. I think it is a Toshiba problem but they don't seem to be coming up with a fix so beware.
14 After 4 help desk calls, it still doesn't work!
I wish I could give it no stars! What a mess. Looking to avoid drilling holes in my floors and running cable, I thought NetGear's Home Phoneline 10X (PA101) was the answer. I was wrong. I followed the sparse directions to the letter, but I couldn't establish communication. So I call tech support. In the recorded greeting, Netgear admitted that they're getting a high number of help calls. I'm not surprised. After wait times of a half hour or more (in their defense, NetGear has wonderful hold music) I finally get a tech that tells me that my house phone system is wired incorrectly so I would have to run a phone line from one PA101 to the other (using the home phone system so I wouldn't have to run cable is the whole reason why I bought their product in the first place! ) I was also told that I would have to reinstall the software, and I would need to hardcode the IP address in. None of this worked. Long story short, after a week of frustration, I have two weird looking but expensive paperweights, no LAN, and a great deal of buyer's remorse.
15 First USB Phoneline Adapter
Advantage to user that do not have a PCI slot available. Great usage of phone line to network your laptop and connect anywhere from your house to your main computer and share all the resources. Great idea and great product!
