Home Networking

[Steve]

I've been struggling for yonks to get a decent wireless signal on my home WiFi when I'm up the end of the garden in my workshop. I've tried moving the router around the house, upstairs and downstairs, wireless range extenders, wireless-n protocol devices and other stuff, none of which have worked any better than just having the router on the upstairs window sill. The connection quality has been at best, very low and drops out regularly.

I was on the verge of considering running a network cable out through the house wall, up the garden, into the workshop and all the hassle that would go with it, when I stumbled across home plugs. You plug one into any 3 pin plug socket in the house near your computer or router, and it transmits the data around your mains electrickery circuit so you can pick it up from another plug socket via an ethernet cable anywhere else.

What a corking idea! :)

Gonna give one a try.... [url=http://www.ebuyer.com/product/150039]Extra Value 85Mbps Powerline Adapter Twin Pack - Ebuyer[/url]

[MartinH]

Wow if it works tidy then fair play.

[Aidi]

Hope it works for you Steve. These have been around for a number of years now, but never caught on for some reason. Often seen them in PC World and wondered how good they are.

Might be worth buying them local to you instead of off the net, because, if it does not do what you need it to do you can at least take it back for a refund.

Ill be intruiged to hear how you get on with them.

Rgds
Aidi

[Weebl]

I have a pair to get signal up to my lads bedroom for his Xbox. Works a treat and he has no issues with lag or latency over and above what you would expect if it was a fully wireless signal.

I got them free with a BT Vision box and when I dropped BT they were cheaper and easier than buying a new wireless dongle for his Xbox.

[Disc]

I have the mains network plugs connecting an eMac to the router upstairs for the exact issue you have.

They are simple to install and work a treat. Some even have USB ports for printers!

You should note though try to place both on the same house circuit if possible.

[5exi]

I had the same problem last weekend so i went out and got these from Currys.

Well worth the money just plug in no setting up and away you go, speeds good also. :)

[url=http://www.currys.co.uk/martprd/store/cur_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0668631348.1263947163@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccffadejglkddfkcflgceggdhhmdgmh.0&page=Product&fm=2&sm=9&tm=10&sku=750088&category_oid=-35180]Currys - Shop for Powerline Home Networking - Devolo 1437 dLAN Highspeed Devolo dLAN Highspeed Starter KIt 3 Pack[/url]

[Malc1]

I`ve got a pair of these stuck in my cupboard under the stairs on top of a BT Vision box.

Never ever used any of it and signed up to Sky HD instead.

They look a handy piece of kit though so maybe I`ll have a use for them sometime or just sell `um along with that BT thing.:)

[0h5h1t]

they work great, installed some for an accountant friend of mine. He had the same issue, his office is at the end of his garden and the wireless was very poor but two of the netgear powerline plugs sorted the problem and his network has been perfect since.

[invasion]

I have Belkin Powerlines they are great best thin I ever got to be honest I have now turned the wirless of on my my router as we all have powerlines on the 4 computers in the house.
Found this review: [url=http://www.testitup.com/2009/10/21/belkin-powerline-review/]Belkin Powerline Review Test It Up[/url]
Great kit go get them if you havent already

[Nicolasgreening]

I think they are a great bit of kit, We moved in to a new rented house it was refitted just before we moved in they have created a study are on the landing and put 2 double sockets on the wall but the phone line is in the living room with no way of gettings a cable through.

So I am using 3 home plugs 1 in the living room 1 in the study\landing and the other in the loft for my server and NAS box.

[matt27]

my dad was going to do this but found that with 5 computers, 1 wii and an xbox it would have been very expensive
(i still think he should have done it tho ;))
glad u got it sorted anyway

[Sieze2]

I had similar problems with my wi-fi. The solution was simply to buy a wifi dongle with a 3dB antenna. They are only £11.50.

[ame=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Edimax-EW-7711UAN-150mbs-Wireless-Adapter/dp/B001KOTDDU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1263981409&sr=8-1]Edimax EW-7711UAN 11n 150mbs Wireless High Gain USB: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo[/ame]

[SRH990]

I've been using a pair of homeplugs for ages and they still work fine, even on different ring-mains, despite the warnings, one is also plugged into a multiplug adapter too! You can also get one of these that's a wireless extender so you can still use wi-fi, a friend has done this after dire warnings from the 'expert' at PC World who sold him various wi-fi routers that they ended up having back as they failed miserably and he's really happy with it.

[invasion]

[quote=SRH990;402704]I've been using a pair of homeplugs for ages and they still work fine, even on different ring-mains, despite the warnings, one is also plugged into a multiplug adapter too! You can also get one of these that's a wireless extender so you can still use wi-fi, a friend has done this after dire warnings from the 'expert' at PC World who sold him various wi-fi routers that they ended up having back as they failed miserably and he's really happy with it.[/quote]
Pc World and expert:smilielol5:I nearly spat my coffee all over the monitor

[EtheAv8r]

I have been using the 200 Mb Devolo Homeplugs (4 of them) for some years now - absolutly brilliant.