Netgear recalling XE103 Powerline Ethernet Adapter in Europe

Nothing like a good product recall to kick the year off. Netgear is having some trouble with its European-version XE103 Powerline Ethernet Adapter, due to a problem with an integrated circuit that causes the unit to malfunction at 220-240 volts, stop working and "potentially overheat." Sounds like fire hazard to us, but Netgear's keeping those euphemisms handy. Netgear is recalling 82,000 of these in Europe and recommends customers stop using the unit immediately and contact them for a replacement.

[Warning: PDF link; thanks Bruce]

[Neoprimal @ Jan 8th 2008 12:51PM]

"Did you download those pictures of my sister yet honey?"

"Oh, I forgot...I'll grab em' now!"

Downloading at 100kbps...120kbps...250kbps...500kbps...800kbps...400kbps....200kbps...50kbps...

"Hey, I smell smoke"

[Matthew Hilario @ Jan 8th 2008 12:54PM]

i was gonna buy one of these yesterday...170 duckets is alot tho.

[Matt @ Jan 8th 2008 1:33PM]

I can confirm the roumor!

I had a suprise the other day when i turned mine on at the plug.
Sparks ... BANG ... smoke and smell. Thankfully my circuit breaker
shutdown the circuit so that nothing else was damaged, but boy did
it give a me a shock!

This is the second one thats gone wrong on me ... the first on died quietly though!

[Matt @ Jan 8th 2008 1:49PM]

It's not just a Netgear problem: I had a pair of Solwise 10mbps, and after about a month, the casing started to crack around the screws(I'm assuming due to the heat because they got quite hot), and a big piece fell off one of them (exposing the transformer inside). Needless to say, I sent them back, got them replaced with 85mbps ones, and they've been fine ever since.

[geo @ Jan 8th 2008 2:50PM]

Nooo, I threw mine away a week ago cause it died! I was quite surprised myself. I still go the box, you think I can return the box? haha

[OddManOut @ Jan 8th 2008 11:03PM]

I've got a pair of the old XE102s (14mbps) and they work ok. They get about 5mbps on the longest segment I ever tried to use them in (going from one end of the house to the other end on a different floor). Plenty to share a BB connection from the downstairs network to the upstairs. The only problem is they don't take kindly to being connected to a switch, so you need one for each device, and your entire LAN is then reduced to a 14mbps max hub network. So I tried to upgrade to both the new 85mbps and the 200mbps stuff successively. Neither worked very well, and both were pretty erratic speed-wise (see first post). I eventually ended up just getting a second BB acount w/ modem/router for the upstairs (we needed the extra 5mbps anyway). Now I use the XE102s for spot connectivity (ie when I need a temporary connection somewhere in my house that the wifi won't reach).

I used to use HPNA in my house, which worked much better IMHO. I gotta say, this Powerline stuff always scared me on a fundamental level (just seeing that cat5 line going directly into the AC like that...). Nice to know I'm not THAT paranoid, but I'm sorry to hear people are having real/dangerous problems with this stuff...

I'm currently eyeing some HPNA bridges on eBay, if I can snag them for a reasonable price I may start using THEM for my spot connections, and give up the powerline stuff entirely...

[Mike @ Jan 9th 2008 3:07AM]

I recently bought a pair of HDXB101 from netgear and one of them died after 30 minutes of use. It would still power up but the ethernet link was not detected anymore. I would not be surprised if the recall is extended to this and other models.