Following on from the USB Wlan thread.... (thanks to all contributers)
Has anyone used the devices that plug into a 13A mains socket and provide an ethernet connection. i.e.plug one into a lounge socket connected to a computer and one in a socket ajacent to the broadband router connected into a spare ethernet port.
Do they work ? Can you easily move them around ? Can you switch them off when not in use and know they're going to work when turned back on?
They do work. And they work very well.
I have three and have been using them for over two years.
They are truely "plug and play" - no software setup is required. You just plug in the ethernet cable and you are done.
And there is simply no need to switch them off - but if you do they just work.
One word of warning - the medium that you are sending data over at ten's of megabits is truely awful. Some people may experience poor data-rates - it depends on what your mains-wiring "looks like". Other people have complained that you can not use them with "two-ways" or "breakout" extension leads - reduction in data-rate. This is NOT my experience. I currently have my adapter on a five socket break-out with a three-way as well !
Over the past two years I have used them in a Victorian house with thirty year old wiring and a 1950's house with wiring one year old. No problems.
These are what I have (the 85 Mbit ones):
Phil
My experiances are with Netgear HDX101's which are notionally '200Mbps'. What this really means is that they are 100Mbps full duplex.
Certainly do, although you won't get 100Mbps under most domestic circumstances. I have 4, in a fairly large 4 bed detached. Provided you plug them in directly to a wall socket I get between 40 and 75Mbps when moving files around. They are absolutly fine for connecting to a router and thence the internet. Performance drops off rapidly when on an extension socket - for a 3m lead has been as low as 25Mbps. If you connect them up via a surge arresting extension performance drops through the floor - unsurprisingly. Have gone as low as 4Mbps via a belkin surge arrester, but still useable for surfing.
Umm, unplug and re plug. They can take up to 30 seconds to re-establish a connection.
I actually use mine to stream HiDef video from PC to a lounge MM system, provided you go wall socket to wall socket no problems, and that's at up to
40Mbps over a mains wired distance of 25m or so.An added feature is that each unit has a programmable encryption key or password. Obviously you make them all the same on your internal system. That prevents the neighbours borrowing you internet connection via the mains!
I bought a pair of these
Thanks Phil, Do they work in pairs or can you have two with computers attached both connecting to the one attached to the router.
Andy
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Also when not in use they turn themselves into a low power mode so you don't need to switch them off.
The drawbacks are that they are expensive and not as fast as the makers claim. The best that I have used are the Devolo dLAN 200AV adapters which claim 200Mb/s but actually achieve 100Mb/s. I use them to provide network access in parts of a very old building where WLAN does not want to reach, and as you suggest to connect a broadband router to a server.
One small network I look after has 3 of these, 2 have PCs connected to them and the third is connected to one of the router ports. They are in effect working like a 3 port ethernet hub between the router and the PCs. I imagine most brands can be used this way.
You can have as many as you can afford connected at once. Although as Phil says they can be used without software setup, you would be sensible to install the sotware supplied and to set a password - a very long memorable password - for each plug in the network. This will encrypt your data and prevent anyone connected on the same phase from eavesdropping.
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Yes, very well in most cases
Yes
Yes
Solwise also do some ADSL routers with homeplug capability built in, so no need to provide a separate one for the router connection - just each remote node.
Right now I have 4 Devolo 85Mb/s units plugged in round the house.
One is plugged to the ADSL router and the other three connect to:
son's PC music player in the living room music plater in the kitchen/dining room
The Devolo Informer program tells me the connection speeds are 49Mb/s,
31Mb/s and 67Mb/s.The 67Mb/s is in the same room as the main unit. The 49Mb/s unit is on the downstairs power ring and the 31Mb/s unit is on the extension power ring feed of a consumer unit feed off the main consumer unit.
They were easy to configure and have worked very well for us.
Guy
Thanks Phil, also for the recommendation.
Does anyone have experience with the comtrend equivalents?
Kostas
Thanks for all the advice... I bought 2 single way ethernet 85MB homeplugs from Solewise and 1 3 way ethernet Vesenet also from Solewise.
One of the single ways is attached to my DSL Router on the 2nd floor of the house. This floor has its own Ringmain. The other single way and the 3 way are both connected on the ground floor and same Ringmain. According to the config utility I have a 82MB connection from the 3 way and a 81MB connection from the 1 way.
No problems, no fuss, worked as stated. Wife and kids very happy. What more could you want.
PS Just chucked 3 USB wlan adapters in the bin and never want to see, use or waste my time with them again.. :-)
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