Devolo Magic 2 WiFi Multiroom Kit – Hardware Review
Back in June we had the opportunity to try out Devolo’s dLAN 1000 mini Starter Kit Powerline, which was a great solution if you had one dead spot in your home network (or more, if you bought more adapters), to be able to connect a device in your dead zone to the internet, by connecting an Ethernet cable to the second control box. We found the device to be a sufficient solution, but it was a bit basic. Devolo isn’t new to the market of internet solutions however, and this time they might have topped themselves with the Magic 2 WiFi Multiroom Kit (cheaper alternatives are available in the same series). We were able to smoothly sail the waters of the worldwide web, while making our entire home a proper WiFi hotspot, as well as keep the comfortable speeds of a cabled network when connecting our devices in other rooms with the Multiroom Kit adapters.
Upon opening the box, we are greeted by the main adapter (which doesn’t have two Ethernet ports, just one), which is slightly bigger than the dLAN 1000’s, as it still has a functional outlet processed in the adapter. The other two adapters have nearly the same outward appearance, albeit bigger, safe for the extra Ethernet port and two small buttons incorporated in the front plate of the adapter(s). The design is kept simple and functional, making sure it doesn’t become a bother in your interior design, as its neutral design and color will make it seem like a small extender of your wall outlet. This is certainly appreciated, as it’s never fun to have a bulky ugly device standing out in your décor.
As expected, the device offers a lot of fancy numbers when it comes to specs, with speeds up to 2400 Mbit/s, which in the end all depend on how good your internet connection is, and what router you’re using. If you have a proper connection, this kit will keep its quality intact, but don’t expect things to run like a train if your home network is built around a glorified potato. The Mesh network will broadcast simultaneously, creating one bit zone for your surfing pleasure.
The Multiroom Kit comes with two extra adapters, allowing you to create two new WiFi hotspots, as well as two places where you can connect a set of two Ethernet cables. For larger homes this is a great solution, as WiFi signals do tend to get obscured in certain spots of the house, or you simply want to connect a console or PC in your living room via the old fashioned way, namely a cable. The latter is still the best performance-wise and these extra adapters with their two slots allow for easy access to wired internet. The output is still very high, even though the adapters will have to transmit wirelessly, which has a certain loss of download and upload speed(s). The devices work easily, as it’s a matter of plug and play, but the manual clearly instructs avoiding combinations with power strips, as it’s best to connect the adapter to a wall outlet, rather than slim it down by plugging it in a power strip. (We did not have any issues getting the device to work in a power strip.)
Each adapter has its own security code written on the back, which will be used as the password for their WiFi hotspots. The main adapter has the security ID written on the back, in case it’s needed. The adapters will each create an access point, safe for the main adapter. To connect, you’ll have to do the same as with a normal WiFi connection, namely connect to the network, fill in the password and you’re good to go. When you have multiple adapters in your house, you’ll switch to the one that’s the best, and you can seamlessly continue your online journey.
There is hardly any data loss noticeable when the signal has to plow through walls in order to reach your devices. Nonetheless, there will always be a bit of data loss when doing so, so thinking about the ideal spot to hook up your adapters can make a difference.
Even Devolo has its own app to set up the devices, but you won’t really be needing it, as the device installs itself and updates when needed (if connected to the internet). You’ll have to connect the main device to your router and after that, you just plug in the extra adapters (be sure to write down the security key on the back) and after mere moments it will be connected with the main adapter, and a new network will show up in your list of available hotspots. Things prove to be extremely simple to work with, and we didn’t experience any difficulties setting up the new network(s) to be used. You’ll have more options to work with, like creating separate networks, or guest networks, but those are yours to experiment with when needed. For the most part you’ll probably be needing a kit such as this to expand your own home network. Even when running a business that has guests over, you can simply write down the key on the back of the closest adapter and have them work with that.
Conclusion
The price of the Devolo Magic 2 WiFi Multiroom Kit might scare off potential buyers, but if you’re looking for both a steady wireless and wired connection in multiple rooms of your house or living space, then we can wholeheartedly suggest taking this kit for a spin. You’ll be treated to adapters that keep your wall outlets functional, as well as offer the possibility to connect two Ethernet cables to the kit’s adapters. We were impressed with both the simplicity of the package, as well as the stable internet speeds that allowed us to surf the internet with great comfort, be it casual browsing or fairly hardcore gaming. There are other available options on the market within a lower price range that offer similar experiences, but seeing we haven’t had our hands on those kits, we can’t tell if they live up to what they promise. The Magic 2 WiFi Multiroom Kit did what it promised and we were quite happy with how it worked and how easy it was to set things up.
Devolo Magic 2 WiFi Multiroom Kit - Hardware Review,
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[…] like the Devolo Magic 2 WiFi Multiroom Kit we reviewed back in 2019, the new WiFi 6 kit is a similar package, albeit updated and modernized. […]