is Powerline Networking a good solution to wireless

[wheels]

Right now I use wireless G, but I want to switch to wired, before I drill through my block wall and run cat6 to the room with router/modem, is using home plug a good solution? What I am concerned about is will it be reliable and just as good as wired ethernet, particulary in gaming and downloads/torrents? I know I wont get fast gigabit transfer over the lan, I just want a good connection to the internet. My house was built in 1996 if that means anything. Also, does cat6 work with these types of devices?

This one is just an example. Mabey you can suggest me a decent one in the range of $50 to $200

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833314036

 

[JackMDS]

POE is Not Power Line, it is Power Over Ethernet it is a way to suplly the 12VDC (or 5V) to a Network device through the Ethernet cable.

PowerLine (Aka Home Plug Network) is an iffy Network conduit, it might do what you want, or Not.

If you want to try, treat it carefully so you can return it.

 

[Emulex]

the newest mesh technology might play a bdrip on a quiet (ceiling fans) no vacuum day. they require more than 2 to mesh.

the old style 200mbps are not nearly as stable.

think how wifi achieves multi antenna - can do the same with mesh nodes of powerline

 

[puffywulf]

Back then for me, the problem with powerline networking was that for old houses, the power inside the walls may be routed differently. So, for example it may work perfectly upstairs, but when configured downstairs, it ceased to work. Stick with wireless, it's just better overall.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Depending on your home wiring I have seen it be much better, and in other cases much worse. Do as suggested and be sure you can return it if it doenst work with your wiriring

 

[VirtualLarry]

I bought two of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...338&Tpk=XAV101
And they are working, in a house that has had additions put onto it, running from upstairs near the cablemodem and wireless router, to downstairs. There was a cable that was run, but it seemed to be flaking out, and the wireless can't cover the entire house (although it reaches out to the backyard fine). There must be something in the walls that is blocking the signal in some of the rooms.

They're cheap enough to experiment with. I don't know if this model will do mesh or not, haven't tried it with more than two.

It does support multiple PCs behind the link though, thankfully.

 

[ScottMac]

I've used the Linksys "200 Mbps" (marketing math) units (one end has one port, the other has four ports), and the TrendNet "200Mbos" product in new houses and (very) old with good success.

The issue in some houses is that more than one phase feeds the house; it is rare to have standard wiring in the house such that signal from one phase would make its way over to the other phase. It is possible to bridge the phases, but it would be unusual and inter-phase noise is also (usually) passed ... which is a drawback most of the time.

This is also required for X10 control modules to get signal from phase to phase.

Older houses *tend* to be less of a problem, especially if they are low-current feeds (I just set up a friend that only had 60 Amp service), because they are fed from only one phase (all wiring is on the same feed circuit).

I've had great luck with them, and when they work (all of mine have) they work really well.

Good Luck, Happy Holidays

 

[Blain]

Powerline network adapters are a good alternative to wireless or wired (if you can't or won't go into the walls to run cable).
Like Larry, I've used the recertified Netgear XAV101-100NAR and the recertified XE104-100NAR units.
They don't operate through transformers. But you can't have everything.

 

[Emulex]

get some 1mm flatwire and throw out of the window upstairs to downstairs. gigabit solid - done.

 

[Gustavus]

For several years I ran a LinkSys powerline LAN with very dependable results for a LAN with four computers on it on two floors of my home. Mentioned in one of the posts above is a problem you must be aware of if you set up a powerline LAN. The power coming into your home is 220v AC -- two hot lines and a neutral. The voltage between the hot lines is 220v -- which is what goes to your hot water heaters (if they are 220v), to your oven, range etc. The neutral is 110 v from either of the hot lines -- i.e. they are out of phase, one reaching 110 v at one polarity at the same instant the other reaches 110v at the other with respect to the neutral line. Your powerline adapters will be 110v so they must be on the same hot line to work. The problem is that an electrician goes to some length to balance the loads on each hot line when laying out the wiring for a house so you will have some outlets in your house that are on one side of neutral and some on the other. It would be easy to tell which was which if the color code was carried throughout the house -- red for one hot side and black for the other and white for neutral, but almost always your 110v wiring will simply be coded black for hot and white for neutral -- and a green bare wire for ground. That's the way Romex is color coded for example.

When people set up a powerling LAN and report that some of the adapters are communicating with others and some are not, it is almost always due to some being on one side of neutral and some on the other. If you are savy about electricity you can open the distribution panel -- where your circuit breakers are located -- and see at a glance which circuits are wired to which bus. A few minutes effort and a few notes and you are all set.

By the way, the RF signals that the powerline adapters put on the AC wiring to communicate with each other is stopped by the pole transformer, so the signals from your LAN do not get to the powerline beyond your pole transformer -- plus which the LinkSys adapters use DES encryption so the signals on the line are encrypted

 

[rolodomo]

Since you're using a router/modem, you probably have a broadband connection. If you have a broadband connection, you're probably using a "cable" modem and thus have some coax infrastructure. Why not use a MOCA adapter (or two) to take advantage of much better transmission properties?

This product is excellent, plus it will probably interface with your router if the router supports MOCA channels (i.e., you will only need to install one adapter).

http://www.actiontec.com/products/product.php?pid=192

http://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Ethe...2296490&sr=8-1

 

[RebateMonger]

I hadn't looked at MOCA for a while and didn't know they were now for sale at Amazon. Tempting. Anybody know if they'll work with a 150-ft run of RG59 (the old standard cable TV cabling)? Or do they require RG6?

Edit: Ah, nevermind. I saw the 260 Mbps and assumed they'd support Gigabit Ethernet. Since the ports are only Fast Ethernet, I guess I'll stick with my run of CAT5 over my roof that I've been using for 13 years.

 

[Engineer]

Zyxel kit including adapter and powerline router (wireless b/g) + 4 port built in switch - $48 shipped from Newegg

Throw in another adapter with built in 4 port switch for $18.99 + shipping.

Adapter + switch @ Newegg

Rated 200Mbps...YMMV of course.

 

[wheels]

Since you're using a router/modem, you probably have a broadband connection. If you have a broadband connection, you're probably using a "cable" modem and thus have some coax infrastructure. Why not use a MOCA adapter (or two) to take advantage of much better transmission properties?

This product is excellent, plus it will probably interface with your router if the router supports MOCA channels (i.e., you will only need to install one adapter).

http://www.actiontec.com/products/product.php?pid=192

http://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Ethe...2296490&sr=8-1

This looks even better than powerline. I am wondering if it would be okay to use a splitter cause I have one coax in my room which is in use for the Tv. I would use a 2nd splitter as well cause theres only 1 coax by in the room with the router and cable modem which is of course connected to the modem. Would a splitter degrade signal by much?

 

[rolodomo]

This looks even better than powerline. I am wondering if it would be okay to use a splitter cause I have one coax in my room which is in use for the Tv. I would use a 2nd splitter as well cause theres only 1 coax by in the room with the router and cable modem which is of course connected to the modem. Would a splitter degrade signal by much?

The actiontec adapter has a passthrough connection for cable tv, no splitter is required, unless you're using a STB. If you're using a STB, I'm not sure. Some reports seem to indicate it still works, but other reports indicate interactive services (e.g., on-demand) would no longer work. I'm using a splitter to feed my: 1) STB and 2) MoCA adapter/XBOX. I haven't noticed any signal problems either with the television or streaming HD netflix to the XBOX.

Check whether your cable modem (i.e., cable provider) suports MoCA. If so, no second splitter/adapter is necessary. I'm not sure whether a second splitter at your cable modem would cause a problem. I would log onto the modem and see what the signal levels are like before and after adding splitter.

I'm using FIOS and it works great. I can plug the adapter into any of my coax outlets, which technically places the adapter upstream of my firewall/router. Yet the device connected to the adapter automatically gets recognized by the firewall/router as a downstream (firewalled) device connected to the same subnet as my home network. Pretty neat and painless.

I think netgear also makes a good model with more bells and whistles. Actiontec however is used by the providers, so it probably is a better product based upon the feedback from commercial use.

All the suggestions in the thread seem interesting. Hey, it is just fun playing with this stuff regardless whether it is the "optimum" solution.

 

[rolodomo]

Edit: Ah, nevermind. I saw the 260 Mbps and assumed they'd support Gigabit Ethernet. Since the ports are only Fast Ethernet, I guess I'll stick with my run of CAT5 over my roof that I've been using for 13 years.

Wow, if you're getting Gigabit ethernet over a cat5 exterior "roof" run, that's a good solution!

 

[Emulex]

those coax modulation techniques are incompatible with all dish and most digital systems since they essentially chew up their own portion of bandwidth. that analog tv would not use. pretty simple math there. it is not very good technology when i tried it. only worked with NTSC (2 years ago).

the mesh network powerline is the best bet for the next few years.

 

[dmw16]

Sorry to question your premise, but why do you want to switch from wireless? There are alternatives such as MOCA and the power line systems, but those both seem like fall-back options.

If you are having wireless range issues there are options to help extend that without changing your entire infrastructure. Things like repeaters and such may help correct your issues.

Are there specific reasons you want to get rid of wireless?

Now, to your initial question; I haven't used the power line stuff, but I do have experience with the MOCA-type options. In my previous condo we used NIM devices which I bought off of ebay to get internet at a few COAX locations. The problem was it killed the on-screen guide on my FIOS "cable" box. So if you have FIOS/digital cable MOCA may be a bad option.

That said, a friend of mine now has my NIM devices and they work fairly well in his home and I don't think he has issues with his Comcast On-Screen guide. The NIM's do require reboots on occasion which can be a pain.

 

[MrMom]

I have two NETGEAR XAV101-100NAR's. What I was wondering is if two of these can be run to the same router port. So 3 XAV-101's with one on the router and 2 computers? At first I was thinking the units would do ip allocation, but it seems that is not the case. I would actually need 4 XAV-100's to run 2 computers?
Thanks

 

[rolodomo]

those coax modulation techniques are incompatible with all dish and most digital systems since they essentially chew up their own portion of bandwidth. that analog tv would not use. pretty simple math there. it is not very good technology when i tried it. only worked with NTSC (2 years ago).

the mesh network powerline is the best bet for the next few years.

Good point about satellite networks (even though DirectTV is a member of MOCA), but I disagree about "most digital systems" being incompatible. The MOCA standard, for example, was a standard agreed to by broadband service providers, like Cox, Comcast, Verizon, TimeWarner, etc. The Actiontec model I listed is compatible with most broadband service providers. Verizon FIOS in particular is highly compatible with MOCA, examples of which I provided in my prior post.

Coax has a lot of available bandwidtdh, carving out a 250 Mbps data channel is not a problem at all, even if analog video is being passed over the same coax. I think MOCA does limit the number of broadband channels that can be allocated though.

I'm not sure what the situation is outside North America, although MOCA is supposed to be a worlwide standard. Sorry if that is what you were referring to.