Powerline or USB Wireless?

byron_hinson · 19 Jan 2009 at 07:12

Can't decide between a Netgear HDX101 or a USB Wireless Adapater such as the WN111. Are the speeds from a powerline decent enough?

jasonmorris · 19 Jan 2009 at 13:28

I've got 4 HDX101's in the house and they vary between 90mbps and 40mbps across 2 ring's. The best thing about them is they don't drop out. Mine have been on 24/7 for 2 years with no problems.

bigredshark · 19 Jan 2009 at 14:35

Depends on your use to be honest, obviously powerline is no use for connecting a laptop but wireless isn't the best choice for connecting a desktop which never moves to a router at the other end of the house.

cje · 19 Jan 2009 at 15:17

I toyed with the idea of a powerline, but I've got a "dirty" electricity circuit in my house. My speakers (which aren't shielded very good) gives off massive crackles when the tumble dryer changes its spin cycle for example.

Would this affect a powerline circuit?

Because I'm currently using USB wireless for my desktop, and it's constantly losing connection as the walls and roof of this room is thick concrete.

Andre · 19 Jan 2009 at 15:23

bigredshark said:
Depends on your use to be honest, obviously powerline is no use for connecting a laptop but wireless isn't the best choice for connecting a desktop which never moves to a router at the other end of the house.

If you plug your laptop into the mains, then you can use a powerline adapter as well, and gain from the excellent connectivity

bigredshark · 19 Jan 2009 at 15:27

Andre said:
If you plug your laptop into the mains, then you can use a powerline adapter as well, and gain from the excellent connectivity

Still a complete mess to be honest, if anybody ever integrated powerline into the charger then maybe, otherwise it's something else to plug in, an ethernet lead to connect as well as power. Hardly just a grab it and go sit in the lounge solution...

errata · 20 Jan 2009 at 13:40

Laptops can be accomodated with a powerline terminal with ethernet and wifi AP built in. Some are big plugs, others have normal plugs and leads to a neat separate box like my Zyxel nbg318s (very cheap if you pick up the right special offer!)

The nbg-318s is usually a cable wifi router with homeplug AV built in but it has a simple option to put it into Access point mode that leaves the wifi and 4 port switch working and a homeplug 200 connection via its mains lead to a router with its own homeplug..

At the moment one of these is providing internet/network ethernet access for the living room HTPC and xbox with wifi for the Wii. As they are all close together this option is mcuh better than the previous clutter of adapters i'd tried.