Ethernet Connection to Router using Powerline Ethernet

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nzkiwiman

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#173770 5-Jun-2015 13:35

Just ordered fibre for home, which leads me to change my current home networking setup that I use with ADSL.

As of this post, I do not have fibre setup, I do not have the router and do not have a WiFi card so the ability to test anything is not possible.

Current setup - Netcomm ADSL2+ router/modem, connected to the BT phone jack in room.
Ethernet cable from router to Intel NUC (main PC) + Xbox 360
Wireless from the router provides internet connection to rest of house (Nexus 4, iPhone 4 (x2), MacBook Pro, iMac, Apple TV)

Once the fibre is installed at home, the router will be moved to the kitchen removing the ability for my Intel NUC to connect via ethernet (running a 10+ metre cable is possible but not practical)
I have ordered a Intel 7260 AC Mini PCie card for the Intel NUC, however reading some articles there are known issues with the NUC, the WiFi unit the SSD leading to slowness.
On a personal level I would rather be connected via a cable and I got thinking how I could do this and remembered that Powerline Ethernet Adaptors were a thing.

My question - anyone using these?
Would connecting the Fritzbox to an Ethernet Adaptor and then my NUC to the other end of the "circuit" work, delivering a consistent network performance?
Are there things I should be looking out for when picking a pair of adaptors and any general "gotchas" or warning?

Cheers

michaelmurfy

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#1317905 5-Jun-2015 13:37

You'll be able to request the ONT to be installed wherever (doesn't have to be in the kitchen).

I have used powerline adapters but they're not the fastest - I was getting around 60mbit over them from one end of the house to the other. Depending on your router I would say Wireless AC or Wireless N 5GHz will be a bit quicker.

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robjg63

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#1317913 5-Jun-2015 13:52

They work - the speed can vary depending on your house wiring/circuit board etc etc.
Generally a house with modern wiring would be essential.

I would suggest that if you buy - get the ones with plug through ability - ie they plug into the power socket but have a power point. Saves it blocking the power point.
e.g. something like this http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z=p&p=NETEDM5102&name=EDIMAX-HP-5102ACK-500Mbps-Nano-PowerLine-Adapter-K
Ignore the UK socket - you get the idea.

You will not get the sort of theoretical speeds they quote - but I find I can stream HQ video just fine over them.

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wasabi2k

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#1317922 5-Jun-2015 14:18

I get roughly 30-40Mbps through mine - one end of the house to the other in a house built in the 80s.

YMMV.

Fine for the use case (access in that end of the house sometimes), would not be acceptable for main use.

nakedmolerat

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#1317934 5-Jun-2015 14:47

I have the gigabit version, speed is well over 200mbps. netcomm np507

timmmay

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#1317937 5-Jun-2015 14:56

They were pretty slow in my old house, which was rewired haphazardly. Less than a megabit.

michaelmurfy

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#1317941 5-Jun-2015 15:01

robjg63: They work - the speed can vary depending on your house wiring/circuit board etc etc.
Generally a house with modern wiring would be essential.

This is where we had problems - the home had RCD's and these mess with the signals generated by these powerline adapters - at our new house I could only get around 5mbit over the 600mbit Netcomm model.

Really depends on the house - the older houses with the old style fuses are the best since it is essentially a "straight-through" circuit. Newer houses often have RCD's installed.

nzkiwiman

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#1317968 5-Jun-2015 15:18

michaelmurfy: You'll be able to request the ONT to be installed wherever (doesn't have to be in the kitchen).

I have used powerline adapters but they're not the fastest - I was getting around 60mbit over them from one end of the house to the other. Depending on your router I would say Wireless AC or Wireless N 5GHz will be a bit quicker.

Going with the kitchen (just beside) as that has ample room and (probably more importantly) ample unused power jacks.
Behind the TV we only have one power socket, currently housing a 6 way power board to power the TV, Apple TV, BluRay, DVR, Stereo and iMac.

Thanks for the link to the Netcomm Powerline NP507
Looks perfect (though expensive)

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nakedmolerat

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#1317974 5-Jun-2015 15:29

nzkiwiman:
michaelmurfy: You'll be able to request the ONT to be installed wherever (doesn't have to be in the kitchen).

I have used powerline adapters but they're not the fastest - I was getting around 60mbit over them from one end of the house to the other. Depending on your router I would say Wireless AC or Wireless N 5GHz will be a bit quicker.

Going with the kitchen (just beside) as that has ample room and (probably more importantly) ample unused power jacks.
Behind the TV we only have one power socket, currently housing a 6 way power board to power the TV, Apple TV, BluRay, DVR, Stereo and iMac.

Thanks for the link to the Netcomm Powerline NP507
Looks perfect (though expensive)

The main reason I got this is because of too many wifi beaming into our house. I can see half a dozen of network. Occasionally our Amazon TV will drop streaming from HD.

The options I had was to get a new cable run or this. I thought, I will give this a go and quite happy with this. I have a switch at the end - connected to a dedicated skype camera, amazon tv and LG tv.

Aredwood

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#1318003 5-Jun-2015 15:50

Will you still be using the internal phone wiring in the house after you get UFB? If not have a look behind the jackpoints and see what kind of cable has been used. If you are lucky you might have cat5. Otherwise check if it is the "Telecom Homelan" type cable (thin white cable with 2 pairs inside - 4 strands of wire with the pairs being twisted). This cable is suitable for 100Mbit ethernet. You only need to terminate it with network sockets (RJ45) Since the sockets will (most likely) be daisy chained. You will need to either configure a single run by disconnecting unused sections and the incoming line. (and using scotchlock joiners at any intermediate points) Otherwise terminate each cable to it's own socket on each former jackpoint location. And then use lots of 5 port switches to then get the equivalent of a daisy chained ethernet network.

wasabi2k

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#1318024 5-Jun-2015 16:03

nzkiwiman:
michaelmurfy: You'll be able to request the ONT to be installed wherever (doesn't have to be in the kitchen).

I have used powerline adapters but they're not the fastest - I was getting around 60mbit over them from one end of the house to the other. Depending on your router I would say Wireless AC or Wireless N 5GHz will be a bit quicker.

Going with the kitchen (just beside) as that has ample room and (probably more importantly) ample unused power jacks.
Behind the TV we only have one power socket, currently housing a 6 way power board to power the TV, Apple TV, BluRay, DVR, Stereo and iMac.

Thanks for the link to the Netcomm Powerline NP507
Looks perfect (though expensive)

They will almost definitely not work or be massively slower if you try and use them on a power board.

I have some TP-Link 200Mbps ones spare if you want to try them (then buy or return to me)