Will ethernet over powerline work at my house?

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littleheaven

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#154010 15-Oct-2014 11:20

After changing channels on my modem and experiencing a temporary improvement in wireless speeds, today I am back to near ADSL download on my VDSL connection. The issue has been identified as wireless interference, which seems to have sprung up while I was away over the last two weeks. I've not moved anything in my house or added any new electrical devices, yet I've lost around 10mbps of download speed.

So I'm looking for other solutions, given that it's not possible to get my modem close enough to connect by cable. I could try ethernet over powerline, but I'm a little concerned that my electrical wiring setup might preclude this. I'm part of the Vector SunGenie pilot scheme, meaning part of my house is on a "critical load" circuit that is powered by the solar panel battery unit - one of those power points is the one the modem is plugged into. The computer, upstairs, is not on the critical load circuit. Does anyone know if this will prevent an ethernet over power adapter from working? Any other ideas gratefully considered, too.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

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#1154297 15-Oct-2014 11:25

Fairly sure that powerlines work their best when they are on the same circuit.

Your Wifi interference could be from another house using the same channel,

Have you had a sniff with some diagnostics software to see what Channels are being used nearby?

Are you using 2.4 or 5 Ghz?

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#1154303 15-Oct-2014 11:31

wellygary:

Have you had a sniff with some diagnostics software to see what Channels are being used nearby?

+1 Try the free inSSIDer Wi-Fi network discovery tool.

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Dynamic

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#1154306 15-Oct-2014 11:37

Are you sure the wireless is the issue? Have you connected a computer with a network cable to the modem/router and got good speeds?

I'm not familiar with the scheme you are on but it certainly raises doubt about the Ethernet over Power working. I'm in Te Atatu if you want to borrow a set (would want them back same day) to give it a try, but a friendly retailer might let you return them if you buy and have no luck.

Consider the possibility of running a network cable from the modem to upstairs? The cable is about $1 per metre and can be run outside the house and up a drainpipe with cable ties, or run under the floor and up through a closet. You need 8mm holes to push the wire through. Putting a fitting (either a plug or a small wall-mounted socket) onto the end of the cable is a bit fiddly but perfectly achievable for an enthusiast.

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littleheaven

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#1154312 15-Oct-2014 11:40

wellygary: Fairly sure that powerlines work their best when they are on the same circuit.

Your Wifi interference could be from another house using the same channel,

Have you had a sniff with some diagnostics software to see what Channels are being used nearby?

Are you using 2.4 or 5 Ghz?

I've used the Wireless Diagnostics utility that is on my Mac to scan for interference. I am on 2.4 and it recommended channels 11 and 6. I had already tried 11 while on the phone to the Spark broadband team with no success, so I tried 6 and got a temporary improvement, but within an hour that too was going slow again, and had not improved at all this morning.

I can get 35mbps down with a cable, but only 14-16 wireless. Prior to going on holiday it was 22-28 wireless. I am assuming someone in the near vicinity has installed something particularly noisy during the time I was away. Really annoying!

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

littleheaven

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#1154316 15-Oct-2014 11:44

Dynamic: Are you sure the wireless is the issue? Have you connected a computer with a network cable to the modem/router and got good speeds?

I'm not familiar with the scheme you are on but it certainly raises doubt about the Ethernet over Power working. I'm in Te Atatu if you want to borrow a set (would want them back same day) to give it a try, but a friendly retailer might let you return them if you buy and have no luck.

Consider the possibility of running a network cable from the modem to upstairs? The cable is about $1 per metre and can be run outside the house and up a drainpipe with cable ties, or run under the floor and up through a closet. You need 8mm holes to push the wire through. Putting a fitting (either a plug or a small wall-mounted socket) onto the end of the cable is a bit fiddly but perfectly achievable for an enthusiast.

Yes, I got a speed of 35 down while ethernet connected. I guess I could employ someone to run a cable from the modem to the computer - there is a path, although it involves going down through the floor, up the outside of the house, under eaves into the ceiling, and through a wall. It won't fix the speed issue with the iPads unfortunately, but it would make the main computer better.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

xontech

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#1154317 15-Oct-2014 11:46

Agree that you may want to consider the advice already given.

In saying that, I am using 3 x D-Link Powerline adapters at home and I also have Vector SunGenie, spread across critical and non-critical circuits. The connections are rock-solid, though I haven't done any throughput tests on them one of the connections is for a Raspberry PI running XBMC and it is able to stream from various sources on my network (non-powerline) without issue.
In fact, Vector agreed to connect the SunGenie itself to my home network via one.

TL;DR - It should work fine.

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#1154323 15-Oct-2014 11:53

Assuming that wireless really is the issue and that you are in a 2-storey house:

Most WiFi routers broadcast horizontally, and are not good at reaching another floor of a building.
Try re-orienting your aerial array vertically - this will cost nothing, and you have nothing to lose by trying.

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#1154324 15-Oct-2014 11:53

littleheaven:

Yes, I got a speed of 35 down while ethernet connected. I guess I could employ someone to run a cable from the modem to the computer - there is a path, although it involves going down through the floor, up the outside of the house, under eaves into the ceiling, and through a wall. It won't fix the speed issue with the iPads unfortunately, but it would make the main computer better.

It will completely solve the problem if you install an access point in an appropriate location (connected to your cable run). So nothing unfortunate about it really, maybe cable your entire house while your at it.

Spark Max Fibre using Mikrotik CCR1009-8G-1S-1S+, CRS125-24G-1S, Unifi UAP, U6-Pro, UAP-AC-M-Pro, Apple TV 4K (2022), Apple TV 4K (2017), iPad Air 1st gen, iPad Air 4th gen, iPhone 13, SkyNZ3151 (the white box). If it doesn't move then it's data cabled.

littleheaven

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#1154325 15-Oct-2014 11:54

xontech: Agree that you may want to consider the advice already given.

In saying that, I am using 3 x D-Link Powerline adapters at home and I also have Vector SunGenie, spread across critical and non-critical circuits. The connections are rock-solid, though I haven't done any throughput tests on them one of the connections is for a Raspberry PI running XBMC and it is able to stream from various sources on my network (non-powerline) without issue.
In fact, Vector agreed to connect the SunGenie itself to my home network via one.

TL;DR - It should work fine.

This is very reassuring to hear, thank you for letting me know. I wasn't sure if I'd find any other Sun Genie people on here, given there's only a few hundred installed! I shall do a bit more fiddling with my model channel settings to see if I can get a persistent improvement, if not I will try out the powerline adapters, which would be great on the main computer and home theatre system if that can be ethernet connected (will have to check the unit). Failing that I will get someone in to run a cable to the main computer.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

Dynamic

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#1154326 15-Oct-2014 11:55

Hmmmm... 5ghz wireless might be worth a go. You could check the specs of the iPads to see whether your versions support this frequency band. You might be able to buy/beg/borrow an adapter if you don't have an existing laptop with 5GHz support and use something like inSSIDer to check the use of that band in your area.

You can get ethernet over power devices with a built in wireless access point if you hunt around.

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littleheaven

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#1154329 15-Oct-2014 12:00

Sideface: Assuming that wireless really is the issue and that you are in a 2-storey house:

Most WiFi routers broadcast horizontally, and are not good at reaching another floor of a building.
Try re-orienting your aerial array vertically - this will cost nothing, and you have nothing to lose by trying.

Yes, I am in a 2-storey house - the modem is on top of a bookcase in the centre of the lower floor and has always given decent wireless speed until now. Now I can stand right beside it an the speeds are still bad. It's one of the Spark Technicolour ones - I think TG582n? So it doesn't actually have a positionable aerial. I've heard wireless performance on this model is a bit weak and did originally consider purchasing a better one and bridging it. Not sure if that will assist if interference is my problem.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

littleheaven

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#1154332 15-Oct-2014 12:06

Dynamic: Hmmmm... 5ghz wireless might be worth a go. You could check the specs of the iPads to see whether your versions support this frequency band. You might be able to buy/beg/borrow an adapter if you don't have an existing laptop with 5GHz support and use something like inSSIDer to check the use of that band in your area.

You can get ethernet over power devices with a built in wireless access point if you hunt around.

The iPads are a 3 and an Air - a quick Google suggests both would connect to 5Ghz. My Windows laptop is less than 2 years old so I suspect would as well. The only query hangs over my 2008 Mac Pro. Is there a way to get my Technicolour modem to broadcast 5Ghz so I can test them out?

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

Dynamic

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#1154336 15-Oct-2014 12:14

Telecom don't seem to have a router that does 5ghz so you might have to go 3rd party or just get a simple 5ghz wireless router or wireless access point to sit alongside the Telecom one.

Even many new laptops don't have 5ghz wireless support but it is getting more common.

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littleheaven

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#1154338 15-Oct-2014 12:15

Dynamic: Telecom don't seem to have a router that does 5ghz so you might have to go 3rd party or just get a simple 5ghz wireless router or wireless access point to sit alongside the Telecom one.

Even many new laptops don't have 5ghz wireless support but it is getting more common.

Thanks - looks like I have lots of homework to do! Appreciate the help :)

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

Spyware

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#1154362 15-Oct-2014 12:37

http://www.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ap/

Orientate accordingly.

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