Networking Over the mains

[Thrud]

Ok... here's the question, has anyone tried using these systems that enable to use your ring main as a network?

Something like this...

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=48539&doy=28m9&C=SO&U=strat15

The reason I was interested is that my internal phone wiring is causing a significant drop in speed on my internet connection. So I was thinking move the router to be next to the main phone socket, then use mains networking to get to the switch in another room....

I have tested the router by connecting it straight into the main BT socket and it is a lot faster and more stable.

What do you think?

[WhiteKnight]

They are pretty good for just internet speeds, but i wouldnt run my whole lan on them.

They work in a "shared medium" mode like wifi... meaning that while they are technically capable of 200mbit (for the fastest ones, less than 10 for the slow ones) that speed is shared with everyone on the network. so if you have 10 users, thats 20mbit each, max. I belive thats also unidirectional, so if you are sending and recieving at the same time, you can half that.

I would probably run a single point to point link from my main switch (near my pcs) to the router (next to the phone) as you sugest above. Then run the rest of the lan via conventional cat5.

[Thrud]

That is what I was thinking...

Refresh my memory tho.... not everything would have to go via the router even if it was assigning IPs? Just the internet traffic would go that way?

Excuse my nubness, it's been a while!

Oh and do you know if they work via 6-way adaptors etc, or do they have to go straight into the wall socket?

[Cabe]

correct, you would only have DHCP, DNS and internet traffic going over that link.

[Thrud]

Cool :)

Thanks guys

[Elkeeed]

Did they solve the problem that every 3rd house on your street is connected or are they not popular enough for it to come up yet?

[bvark]

You build a private LAN with an encryption key on mine - I did some brief testing (I now have 5 of the things) and this seems to work.

They do work via multiway-adaptors but not via some more expensive surge protected adapters (or through UPSes). Some of them have a plug on the back of them if you are plug constrained.

[Tsung]

Here is the Kit I bought..

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=221008 x1 £30
ADSL Wi-Fi Modem Router

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=219378 x1 £40
Powerline 85Mbps 4-Port Switch with Wireless Access Point

Don't be fooled by the low prices this is really good piece of Kit, the ADSL router has as many options as the more expensive home routers from well known brands. My phone line connected into the router, my Wireless access point is plugged in next to my computer, a single network cable between access point and PC for internet connection works a treat.

There are some advantages my setup has.

1. Two boxes, One ADSL box (wireless), One Switch (Also Wireless).
2. 4 Ports available on the back of the switch for additional devices.
3. 2 Wireless points (if you want them switched on) so maximum coverage can be had.
4. Cheaper than buying 2 plugs + adsl router!!

:)

[KingDaveRa]

I saw those in Maplin and wondered what they were like. Glad they work well :)

[AdamR]

hmm this could save me rolling a cat6 outside my house :O

[Tsung]

That kit I have installed now at 3 sites, and it is awesome (for the price).

One site was at home, amazingly the network does work in my neighbours house as well, but easy enough to lock down to prevent it. (Also not many people use or have network over mains kit so it's unlikely to be abused). I don't use wireless because the amount of interference from neighbours wireless networks (I can detect about 8 different ones in my house).

One site was an old abbey (converted to an office) where the walls were so thick wireless networks had a problem going room to room. This solved that problem with easy (allowing me to set-up different wireless networks access points in the two rooms).

One site was a old large farmhouse where the owner wanted his PC in his study and the kids PC's in the games room. Again thick walls and distance prevented wireless from working well, the power line kit worked a treat.

Ok it's only 85mb but so long as you are not copying/streaming large amount of data around it's plenty for normal internet / gaming use. :)

[Rob]

How is the latency through this type of kit, would it be looking at wireless style pings or cable?

[Big Giant Head]

Latency is absolutely, fine, I use mine at home for gaming with no issues at all.

Speed is also good enough to stream from PC onto PS3 without issues. All in all it's a great piece of tech.

[AdamR]

I think I'll try this out, especially as there are 200 megabit ones available now!

[Elkeeed]

But I like cables all over the place! :(

[Rippsy]

At first i was like no.. then I luled - seriously this Ethernet over power stuff works great in houses with one mains ring :)

[Nikumba]

Any idea how well these work going across different spurs/ring mains?

My room I have seperate sockets on a bigger amp trip switch to the rest of the house, how well would they work having on in my ring main, then the other on a seperate one?

[ez64]

Installed this on quite a few people's houses, seems to work very well even over powerbars as long as your internal wiring isnt pre 1960 then chances are you will get near advertised speeds.

[RossMcColl]

as your internal wiring isnt pre 1960 then chances are you will get near advertised speeds.

:(

Curse you victorian house! :fist:

[Elkeeed]

Any idea how well these work going across different spurs/ring mains?

It goes over spurs or anything as long as it isn't filtered. Even with crappy wiring, its hard to get a configuration that won't work.

[AdamR]

^ unlike dsl max :D

[Zatoichi.uK]

I've just moved house and due to the way the front of the house is constructed, Virgin had to install my cable/modem downstairs. After a fair bit of research, since I didnt want to game over wireless due to distance etc. I went with HomePlugAV.

I went with -=These=- (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000HXDG92/ref=nosim/accessleedsco390c-21) ones in the end and they have been flawless since I bought them a few weeks ago. Same pings, speeds etc as if I was connected straight to the modem.

Dont stick 'em behind a surge protector apparently...

[AdamR]

I got ZyXEL (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/132753) ones instead. Will let you know how they are

[AdamR]

Got the ZyXEL things, they are fantastic apart from the 4ms average ping between them.

[KingDaveRa]

Zyxel make good kit! And their support isn't bad either. UK-based, and REAL people who seem to know what they're at!

[ez64]

Good to hear.

[Storm3y]

I've in fact heard some good reviews about this ;) I might give it ago tbh.

[AdamR]

Mate, recommended :)

I've not tried to max out the bandwidth yet, will try that shortly :D ZyXEL claim they can handle 200 megabits/second at peak. Totally transparent too. NO configuration needed, true plug 'n' play. Comes with AES-128 encryption as standard, and 2x 1 metre UTP cables.

4ms, and the adapter itself is a bit chunky, only downsides. Also didn't work through a surge protector. Works on multi-way adapters without surge protectors though :)

Thanks to these I was able to move my ADSL router to my master socket, which now has an ADSL filter faceplate from clarity.it. No other extension needs filtering, and my ADSL speed has now doubled from 2200kbps to 3900kbps. This is still stuck at the 15dB target SNR, which is also being reset by BT soon :D