is powerline networking a good idea? does anyone use it

creedyboy · 08-20-2012, 04:20 PM

so i currently have terrible download speeds since i move my computer to a different (practically the next room). however im only getting a 2 bar signal and is just terrible for download especially when i download alot. and im starting think i should try this powerline network adapter and see if this can improve the connection.does anyone use this method and could you tell me if its a good path to go down

Thanks

Levi · 08-20-2012, 04:21 PM

I've been using it for about a year, and it seems to work great. A bit pricey though. It sounds like you are using wireless now? You should get MUCH better speeds with the powerline networking.

creedyboy · 08-20-2012, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Levi

I've been using it for about a year, and it seems to work great. A bit pricey though.

i was looking a tp link 500mps powerline adapter which is £40 and i didnt want to buy it if i still only get a portion of my broadband signal. plus people have complained about interferences from other plugged in devices. another option would be to install tthe modem in that room but that would cost me £99 for virgin to do it

Levi · 08-20-2012, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by creedyboy

i was looking a tp link 500mps powerline adapter which is £40 and i didnt want to buy it if i still only get a portion of my broadband signal. plus people have complained about interferences from other plugged in devices. another option would be to install tthe modem in that room but that would cost me £99 for virgin to do it

You could always just get a long ethernet cable and run in all the way from your modem, but some people don't like to do that.

I can't remember which one I have, its either a dlink or a netgear one. I've never noticed any interference.

creedyboy · 08-20-2012, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Levi

You could always just get a long ethernet cable and run in all the way from your modem, but some people don't like to do that.

I can't remember which one I have, its either a dlink or a netgear one. I've never noticed any interference.

suppose i could always take it back if it doesnt work out well. if it doesnt work then my best bet is to just call virgin and get them to install a new white box on the wall for the modem

rocketsurgeon66 · 08-21-2012, 04:51 AM

I have a pair of adapters for powerline ethernet, and while they work OK and give decent speeds, you may still want to consider a cable. Sending data over powerlines is susceptible to interference both inside and outside your house.

For example, when your neighbors A/C or fridge turns off or on it's compressor, this tends to generate "noise" on the powerline. Most of the time such interference won't matter to you, but in some cases they may actually interfere or even cause electrical appliances in your home to break or malfunction.

Anyway, communication over powerlines is done by essentially creating such noise in the sending adapter, and then listening for it in the receiver. The strength of this noise is nowhere near the strength of the noise that large electric motors cause on the powerlines, but this means that when such noise occurs, it will blanket out the signal your sending adapter is trying to use to communicate.

The net effect of all of this, is that even though you can often get decent speeds, you may also see delays, stuttering and jitter. How problematic this will be, depends on what you are using your network for.

If you are only downloading and surfing the web, you will notice nothing 99+% of the time. It may not even notice much when watching videos off youtube.

But if you are playing online games, like TF2, and/or using Skype or other VoIP or video conferencing applications, chances are that you will not be very happy with how it performs.

aarste · 08-21-2012, 05:07 AM

I've found it to be very good so far, using TP-Link TL-PA251 adapters. Increases ping by 3-4ms but that's a really small amount.

I don't play online much but I didn't encounter any interference problems when I used to play a lot of Diablo 3, I also ran a ping test across the LAN all day and not a single packet got dropped.

Washell · 08-21-2012, 05:08 AM

Alternate no/low cost solutions are:
- check if you can raise the power on the signal strength in your router settings
- Try different channels to see if it isn't a simple case of the neighbours networks interfering
- See if there are replacement antenna's for your router which are larger
- place a wireless repeater in the middle
- place the router in a different/higher location
- Reorient the PC if the big metal case is between the antenna and the router
- get a PCI(-e) card with a decent antenna if you don't have something like that now

Personally, I'm going to keep using UTP cables. Better performance, can't be accessed/hacked by neighbours or persons outside and easily worked away in a hollow baseboard.

08-20-2012, 04:20 PM	#1
creedyboy Join Date: Jul 2012 Reputation: 9 Posts: 128	is powerline networking a good idea? does anyone use it so i currently have terrible download speeds since i move my computer to a different (practically the next room). however im only getting a 2 bar signal and is just terrible for download especially when i download alot. and im starting think i should try this powerline network adapter and see if this can improve the connection.does anyone use this method and could you tell me if its a good path to go down Thanks

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08-20-2012, 04:21 PM	#2
Levi Join Date: Oct 2009 Reputation: 3234 Posts: 8,265	I've been using it for about a year, and it seems to work great. A bit pricey though. It sounds like you are using wireless now? You should get MUCH better speeds with the powerline networking.

08-21-2012, 04:51 AM	#6
rocketsurgeon66 Join Date: Dec 2011 Reputation: 320 Posts: 972	I have a pair of adapters for powerline ethernet, and while they work OK and give decent speeds, you may still want to consider a cable. Sending data over powerlines is susceptible to interference both inside and outside your house. For example, when your neighbors A/C or fridge turns off or on it's compressor, this tends to generate "noise" on the powerline. Most of the time such interference won't matter to you, but in some cases they may actually interfere or even cause electrical appliances in your home to break or malfunction. Anyway, communication over powerlines is done by essentially creating such noise in the sending adapter, and then listening for it in the receiver. The strength of this noise is nowhere near the strength of the noise that large electric motors cause on the powerlines, but this means that when such noise occurs, it will blanket out the signal your sending adapter is trying to use to communicate. The net effect of all of this, is that even though you can often get decent speeds, you may also see delays, stuttering and jitter. How problematic this will be, depends on what you are using your network for. If you are only downloading and surfing the web, you will notice nothing 99+% of the time. It may not even notice much when watching videos off youtube. But if you are playing online games, like TF2, and/or using Skype or other VoIP or video conferencing applications, chances are that you will not be very happy with how it performs.

08-21-2012, 05:07 AM	#7
aarste Join Date: Sep 2009 Reputation: 7 Posts: 172	I've found it to be very good so far, using TP-Link TL-PA251 adapters. Increases ping by 3-4ms but that's a really small amount. I don't play online much but I didn't encounter any interference problems when I used to play a lot of Diablo 3, I also ran a ping test across the LAN all day and not a single packet got dropped.

08-21-2012, 05:08 AM	#8
Washell Join Date: Oct 2009 Reputation: 5635 Posts: 6,631	Alternate no/low cost solutions are: - check if you can raise the power on the signal strength in your router settings - Try different channels to see if it isn't a simple case of the neighbours networks interfering - See if there are replacement antenna's for your router which are larger - place a wireless repeater in the middle - place the router in a different/higher location - Reorient the PC if the big metal case is between the antenna and the router - get a PCI(-e) card with a decent antenna if you don't have something like that now Personally, I'm going to keep using UTP cables. Better performance, can't be accessed/hacked by neighbours or persons outside and easily worked away in a hollow baseboard.