If you want to create a Wi-Fi net from a powerline adapter, powerline access points (compatible with HomePlug AV) are available from Actiontec and ZyXEL, among others, for about $120. These can be configured on your Mac using browser-based utilities, just as standard Wi-Fi routers can.

How to Install

Most HomePlug AV adapters are plug-and-play; you plug one adapter in to your router via Ethernet and into an electrical outlet. You then plug another adapter in to another outlet on that same electrical circuit for each peripheral you want to connect. That should be it: no setup or software involved. The connection will look like a standard 100 Mbps Ethernet connection to your Mac or other attached devices.

Some powerline gear is not so easy to set up, requiring software setup of each adapter from a Windows PC. If that’s the case, don’t let it stop you from using powerline; you’ll need to borrow a PC just this once.

To work properly, powerline adapters should be plugged directly in to the wall, rather than in to a power strip or extension cord.