Powerline Ethernet and two CUs?

Yes, powerline signals don't get past the consumer box apparently.

Surely they need a few strategic runs of Cat6 to create a backbone for the wireless & powerline gadgets?

The blurb on Home Plugs suggests that most adjacent houses are on different phases and so there is not much chance of data leaking outside your house.

Do you know if the two CUs are on the same phase? Or are they relics of when there were two seperate properties? That is, are the two CUs on the same meter or do you have two meters?

Ok, thanks (and what I feared).

That does sound like a good idea but I think it's a listed building (making running cable's tricky in some cases) and the owners were touchy about having even a router on display previously (when it was in a hall).

Cheers, T i m

Ah, sorry.

Hmm.

I could, yes.

I did mention that in my post, that I could probably remote the router (and hence AP) from the modem over the powerline (second choice etc).

True.

;-)

My router powers the WiFi off at night, simply because I'm not there to use it so it might as well be off. ;-)

I wonder if thy still have the old router? I could put that back into play as an AP (as it obviously worked) and powerline that to the new router? I could try that Distributed wireless thing but part of the reason for getting VM was the 20M speed (that I have explained may not be 20M all the time ).

Cheers, T i m

These were discussed fairly recently in reasonable depth, have a google for the thread. I don't think any firm conclusion was reached other than they work best plugged directly into fixed wiring on the same ring main. Use of extensions or different rings degraded performance but still worked,

Can you not just install a wireless AP where the old one was (that dis provide the required coverage) connected to the cable modem via powerline kit? This illustrates why having a combined wireless AP, 'net access modem/router/firewall (ADSL or cable) is not a good idea, rarely is the best place for the AP the best place for the router. Having the two separate also means you can simply (power switch) disable wireless access to the LAN without switching off anything else or havving to delve into a web interface. Might not be an issue but in homes with kids and all manner game toys with WiFi and abilty to use the 'net I think it's a good idea so they can't do the modern equivilant of "reading under the bed clothes" on MSN, etc...

One could just add a couple of Y rated capacitors from live to live and neutral to neutral. Include a 1A current fuse on each, and be sure to pick small enough cap values that the minimal current leaked wont bite anyone.

And label the CUs so people know to disconnect the caps to achieve total isolation.

You could use the powerline links designed for the job.

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember T i m saying something like:

Use a parabollock antenna for the wireless ends.

What's the markup on those?

NT

surely two power blocks one on each ring with an ethernet cable between.

It was a thought ...

Cheers, T i m

That could be bad then.

Possibly (see below)

Not sure about any of the hardware (I was in a rush yesterday but can pop back for a closer look).

They have one meter (that was one question they could answer ) and I guess it may come down to trial and error if it works through both CU's (and that may depend on how modern there are (older=better)).

Based on they might be handy to have anyway I might get a pair and just give them a go.

Cheers, T i m

Probably no more than the rest of the homeplug stuff. They are very expensive compared to other stuff with a similar amount of electronics in.

You could use two adapters back to back but you may need a twisted cable. There may be some interference between the two homeplug networks created by doing so but I have never tried it so it may not be a problem.

a capacitor or 2 should work about as well

NT

Since they are being fed from the same meter, it sounds as if they are on the same phase. In which case the answer I posted to this last month should apply. now where was it.....

Ah, yes - try this:

Yup, just did a test for you using a pair of Solwise 85Mbps home plugs.

Connection end to end was:

Computer 1 (3GHz P4 HT WinXP) ->

gigabit switch ->

homplug1 ->

IT cabinet radial circuit ->

House split load CU with B6 MCB ->

MK 100mA Type S RCD ->

Tails ->

Henley block ->

Outbuilding split load CU ->

MK 100mA Type S RCD ->

Cable run to workshop (20m) ->

Workshop split load CU ->

Incomer Switch ->

B32 MCB ->

ring final circuit (approx 40m round trip) ->

homeplug2 ->

P3 600MHz laptop (Win2k).

Indicated speed on homeplug utility approx 19 Mbps

Real world test file copy at windows desktop managed a throughput of approx 700KBytes / sec so probably in the region of 8 - 9Mbit when you strip away the windows SMB overhead and TCP/IP etc.

A second test going to homplug2 placed on a B32 MCB on the 30mA RCD (Hager) of the house CU also reported the same connection speed. That would include 1 RCD and 2 MCBs in the path rather than 3 RCDs, 2 MCBs, and 1 HRC Fuse in circuit.

Hence I would guess the RCDs make little if any difference to throughput. MCBs however may have an effect - not yet verified. -- Cheers,

Ok.

So it may be good if they still run straight fuses. ;-)

As I mentioned elsewhere (and supported by feedback here) I think I'll get a pair for them anyway. Even if they don't sort their problem over the longest link I'm sure I can use them somehow to overcome their problems.

Brilliant, cheers John.

T i m

In article , NT writes

Agreed and at the cost of a quid plus the housing and fuses. No safety issue as long as the caps are Y-class, the fuses and the labelling sound good precautions.

They will be fine with fuses certainly. From the experiments that I have done, there seems to be little difference with fuses and MCBs in that any trip through the CU has some negative impact on link speeds, but the devices traversed once there seem to have less effect.

Yup, sounds like a good plan.

why not just run a length of CAT5e from Router to other PC ? ... much better than Ethernet over mains.