Ethernet over powerline

[matty67]

A friend bought a new condo but they didn't run anything into the bedrooms aside from the master. There's no attic or crawlspace and he's not excited about cutting holes in his new place for the new wires.

So he's stuck with Ethernet over his powerlines. I've seen the adaptors and such but I've had very limited actual experience. Any products you'd recommend? Anything to avoid? The 2 bedrooms are back to back so he'd either need a master and 2 slaves or a master and slave with a router or something else at the slave. He thinks he has a Linksys router right now.

What would you do and what would you use?

Thanks

 

[luv2liv]

i have 2 of these: http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA4...dp/B00AWRUICG/
so that's a total of 4. 1 plugs into the router. the other 3 to raspberry pi around the house. works great!

 

[mmntech]

Ethernet over powerline does work. A general rule of thumb though is to expect only half the advertised speed or less of the advertised speed. Which is fine for most applications as few people have over 100mbps internet. I remember reading somewhere that they should be on the same circuit for optimum performance.

Is WiFi not an option?

 

[matty67]

He needs it for his kid to watch/have access to TV. I thought kids only watched Netflix but this might be the last kid in Canada that doesn't.

The lack of hardlines makes for an already crowded wifi.

 

[soccerballtux]

a 5ghz 11ac wifi might be sufficient

 

[JackMDS]

a 5ghz 11ac wifi might be sufficient

This.

If the Condo is large finding a way to lay one CAT6 line and install an additional AP is Not a "Rocket science" either.

Using Wireless Routers (or Modem/Wireless Router) as a Switch with an Access Point - http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html

 

[matty67]

The TV needs RG6 or CatX.
The premise panel is in the basement. There's no attic or crawlspace. The walls don't line up so the wall we need to be in upstairs is 2' into the kitchen. The ceiling is stippled so it's not just a patch and some paint. It's doable - anything is doable - but he's too cheap do start opening walls and ceilings to do it.

 

[matty67]

If he was using the other cable supplier here wireless would work as their units are wireless. That's not an option as he already purchased the ones he has and wants to use them.

 

[JackMDS]

Powerline is Good only if it works. The Not working well probability is over 50%.

It has to do with the way houses are wired with the 240VAC utility feeds and its split into circuits of 110VAC, plus the heavy usage of high power spiking appliances in the Modern USA Houses.

Private Homes might have better chance to succeed with Powerline than Condos, and Apartment houses. It has to so with the additional sharing and noise generated in the latter two.

Thus if one so inclined, get a returnable set of Powerline Networking gizmos, unpack carefully, try and return if it is Not working well.

-------------
P.S. The powerline and WIFI were introduced to the consumer market at about the same time in 2001.

The fact that WIFI took so many strides forward as oppose to Powerline, tells you something about the difficulties encountered by using Powerline as an Ethernet Network Media.

 

[matty67]

I agree and see your point but wifi is also going to win any comparison due to the fact that it's the laziest. In my experience people are to cheap to correctly wire homes because wireless is their go to. It works without needing to plug anything in.

 

[Emulex]

since there is no negotiation for ssid,wifi password, you just get an ethernet port, this makes powerline AV far simpler to install for most folks.

MOCA is a great transport too ! I use it for bridging my 3 floors via the RG6 built in the house using UVERSE receivers, they have a hub between homepna (RG6,PHonline) and Cat5e port on the back so you can run one PNA and one ethernet segment (bidirectionally) to each floor/room.