Powerline adapter or Wi-Fi?

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Jonski

265 posts

Ultimate Geek

#243285 4-Dec-2018 13:26

I have a slightly unusual setup- our ONT is in the garage and I use a powerline adapter to bring the UFB network to our Ftitzbox 7490, which is downstairs in the living room and on an island wall that does not touch any other wall. It goes:

UFB>ONT>Powerline>Router>Wifi/LAN

We have recently put an Xbox in the study which is upstairs and far away from the wifi, and not receiving much signal due to floors, walls and cupboards. Unfortunately, we can't put structured cabling in anywhere.

My question- can I use a single additional powerline adapter to bring wired LAN from the router to the study? Or is the existing adapter on the wrong side of the router? I don't want to trail another network cable to a fourth adapter as the router is not near any other power circuits I can use. I assume there is nothing on the ONT itself I can use either.

Alternately, I have an old N-class router. Could I use that as a bridge, would that be worth my time?

Otherwise, what wifi range extender would be good bang for buck here?

Thanks in advance

Jon

I reject your reality and substitute my own!
- Adam Savage, Mythbuster

davidcole

6029 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#2139260 4-Dec-2018 14:20

So you're not sure if another power line adapter will be on the same electrical circuit? I don't get your reference to using a Single powerline adapter.

or do you want to plug a switch into the power line to split the signal more?

in this config I'd probably try and get the xbox on to it's own power line adapter and hook the into the powerline network. Than can suport more than one...and depending on brand, some will allow for up to 3 network connections off one adapter (I had edimax ones, one of them was a "media" one that had 3 network connections in the back which acted as a switch)

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SirHumphreyAppleby

2844 posts

Uber Geek

#2139266 4-Dec-2018 14:31

My question- can I use a single additional powerline adapter to bring wired LAN from the router to the study? Or is the existing adapter on the wrong side of the router?

The powerline adaptor is on the WAN interface for the router, so no, you couldn't simply add a single adaptor. I would move the router to the ONT, which I assume you haven't done because you're using WiFi.

I'd test it out using the N AP, then buy a dedicated AC AP. Ubiquiti is good. Avoid range extenders.

ONT->router->Powerline->Switch->AP etc.

snnet

1410 posts

Uber Geek

#2139428 4-Dec-2018 21:25

If you want to go the powerline adapter path use a PAIR of them that can be used to create an encrypted network which means they won't divert to the WAN side adapter which is at the ONT and WAN side of the router.

So you'd have one encrypted adapter on a LAN port of the FritzBox and another encrypted adapter on the end of the device you're wanting to run wired -- as well as the original adapters between ONT and WAN port of router. Or for ease of adding extra single powerline adapters you could encrypt the ONT -> WAN ones and have the others just plug and play.

Most will let you do this by holding a button on each one within x time and the LED lights are often a different colour to an unencrypted network.

Jonski

265 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2140355 6-Dec-2018 09:08

SirHumphreyAppleby:

My question- can I use a single additional powerline adapter to bring wired LAN from the router to the study? Or is the existing adapter on the wrong side of the router?

The powerline adaptor is on the WAN interface for the router, so no, you couldn't simply add a single adaptor. I would move the router to the ONT, which I assume you haven't done because you're using WiFi.

I'd test it out using the N AP, then buy a dedicated AC AP. Ubiquiti is good. Avoid range extenders.

ONT->router->Powerline->Switch->AP etc.

Thanks Sir Humphrey. That's what I've ended up doing. Luckily the study is closer to the garage so having the router near the ONT is OKish for most of the house, and I'll put more Wifi near where it used to be if I still need it.

Best regards to the Minister.

I reject your reality and substitute my own!
- Adam Savage, Mythbuster