Computeractive readers test the… devolo DLAN 1200+ Wifi ac Starter Kit

Devolo’s powerline kit performs impressively in the homes of Computeractive readers, giving them the benefits of Whole Home Wi-fi

Earlier this year devolo teamed up with Computeractive to ask readers to test their DLAN 1200+ Wifi ac Starter Kit, which uses powerline technology to boost the Wi-fi connection throughout the home. The results were impressive, as these reviews testify.

“I was pleasantly surprised by the ease of setting up the plug to my Virgin Media broadband. The instruction booklet was well written and concise. Devolo had the foresight to provide a space in the booklet to jot down the Wi-fi key. Connection to the Wi-fi plug with a Windows 10 laptop, ipad, ipad Mini, iphone and Android phones was straightforward. We quickly got a maximum signal.

I initially plugged the kit in the back bedroom, which receives no signal. It has enabled me to have the kids in that room watching TV online, giving mum and dad peace and quiet downstairs to talk or watch TV. We found no buffering whatsoever when watching movies or when multiple devices were connected.

It has also solved the problem of getting Wi-fi in the conservatory. Listening to internet radio in there is a joy, as is working from home there, rather than being stuck in the living room with multiple people mulling around. Wi-fi in my kitchen was patchy, but devices connect to the plug in the conservatory, letting you easily follow Youtube recipes.

I’m extremely happy with the devolo plug. It has eased the tension in the household and stopped us all being in the few rooms with a strong signal.

Gurpreet Bhatia (pictured left), London

I live in a 1930s semi-detached property with solid brick walls. The router is located in the study at the front of the house. Our lounge/dining room, at the rear, can only get poor Wi-fi. Upstairs is virtually impossible.

I am pleased to report that the devolo starter kit has changed everything and now I canan get a stable, reliable Wi-fi connection all around the house, even upstairs. The actual adapters are a little bulky, making it difficult to get to the switch on a double wall socket. But on the plus side, there are two Ethernet ports which are extremely useful. I have now got my smart TV connected, which means I can make full use of on-demand services. As the signal is strong there is no buffering which is great. Both units also have a passthrough plug socket which is handy if you are short of spare sockets. Richard Ferris, Orpington The white units look professional and – due to the gloss finish – expensive. Despite the LAN cable protruding from the top of the units (unlike the instruction manual pictures), the units don’t look out of place next to white gloss painted skirting boards. Setting up was easy, as was connecting to the internet. The bedroom, which was previously a dead zone, now has full internet access. There have been no drop-outs and my daughter has had a consistent and stea steady connection to the internet. Many thanks for the opportunity to test this product. I would advocate to others the benefits this technology provides in reviving household dead zones. Phil Varghese, Trafford

I now get a stable, reliable Wi-fi connection all round the house

Once set up, the devolo units gave a very good performance. I tried them wireless and wired with a network cable directly to the PC. Both appeared to work well, with no drop-outs, or resets required in the two weeks.

In Wireless mode, the PC showed a stronger signal than I normally receive from my router. Using the Network cable, I measured a solid 47Mbps. My daughter’s PC in the next room also saw an improvement. Overall, I think the units work very well. I had fewer drop-outs and resets than when using my previous BT units.

Douglas Pope, Chorley The devolo unit was amazing, and has solved all my Wi-fi problems. The main unit was connected upstairs in the bedroom and the other downstairs in the lounge. The Wi-fi was used by two Samsung Galaxy tablets and four mobile phones, with no loss of signal. The download speed on the tablets was 37.19Mbps, while the phones were even faster at 83.49Mbps. There was no loss of connection when I took the tablet 20 metres outside the house. David Watson (pictured below left),

Edinburgh

Like a lot of people, I tend to read reviews in Computeractive and often wonder what using some kit will really be like in the real world, especially Wi-fi and networking.

For someone like me whose setup is complex (multiple PCS, printers etc, and master power sockets not easily accessible), serious consideration should be taken at time of purchase as to where to position the master unit, and whether a longer Ethernet cable is needed than the 2m one provided. I used a 4m cable.

I used Speedtest.net ( www.speedtest. net) to measure the before and after speeds, and took these screenshots (see above). It gives you an idea how fast it is – my download speed on my main PC increased from 17.64Mbps to 73.59Mbps, while my upload speed increased from 12.72Mbps to 21.34Mbps.

It has been said that there are times when the only solution to tech problems is to throw a bit of cash at it. There are cheaper options than this kit, but it’s well designed, has clear instructions and is almost certain to solve all your problems out of the box. Buy it! Jim Oxley, Padstow

Not being a computer genius, I didn’t realise at first that each piece of my equipment needed to have access to the system via the password. When I’d solved that things became much clearer and I was on my way. The signal in the lounge is now very strong. Buffering has been reduced greatly and loss of signal has all but disappeared. Naturally, I am delighted with the results. Most remarkable is that when I connect the adapter to a socket in the conservatory, where the signal was so weak it wasn’t worth bothering with, I now receive a very strong signal well into the garden as well as in the garage.

I still get a certain amount of buffering when streaming and the occasional loss of signal, but nothing compared to what it was like before. I suppose this has to be expected due to ultra-slow broadband speeds locally. Overall I am very satisfied with the devolo kit. It is certainly well worth its price at £150.

Brian Horsfield (pictured above), Chester

The devolo unit was amazing, and has solved all my Wi-fi problems

VERDICT: Nest is good at making these systems easy to set up and use. Our only reservation is the expensive subscription cost

★★★★☆

ALTERNATIVE: Netgear Arlo £190 This weatherproof camera with basease station needs no wires and comes with free storage, but has limited battery life