Is wifi now a valid replacement for powerline?

Gimpymoo · 26 Aug 2019 at 13:45

I have been using Powerline in the house for over a decade.

It is a modest 3 bed victorian semi, nothing grand, solid walls granted.

Never had joy with wireless G or N in the past. Powerline delivered 200Mbps+ in some rooms, lower in others. It is consistent but is now the time to bite the bullet on wifi?

Even with range extenders, speeds were never great on wifi previously. Powerline always trumped it.

Is the "ethernet or bust" mindset still valid with current wifi tech (without spending silly money)?

Thanks.

adidan · 26 Aug 2019 at 14:10

I've been happy since i switched to powerline adapters.

I only use wifi on the things that do nothing more than browse and the PS4.

TBH i don't feel any need to change.

Sin_Chase · 26 Aug 2019 at 14:12

Wireless cannot overcome the laws of physics therefore wired ethernet will ALWAYS trump it in every respect except ease of deployment.

I live in a smallish 3 bedroom detached with solid walls and have 2 x Ubiquiti UAPs which are more than fine for web browsing, streaming video etc but would never use for gaming, other latency sensitive applications or transfer to/from NAS of large files.

bremen1874 · 26 Aug 2019 at 14:12

5GHz wireless still doesn't like going through solid walls.

You may find that your wireless solution ends up needing Ethernet for the backhaul.

Use wireless for devices that need it. Anything fixed that has an Ethernet port should be wired (preferably with actual cables, not Powerline).

adidan · 26 Aug 2019 at 14:14

bremen1874 said:
Anything fixed that has an Ethernet port should be wired (preferably with actual cables, not Powerline).

Ideally this, although i'm not trawling an ethernet cable up two flights of stairs to my pc

bremen1874 · 26 Aug 2019 at 14:18

adidan said:
Ideally this, although i'm not trawling an ethernet cable up two flights of stairs to my pc

Why not?

You can often follow the plumbing routes. If that isn't an option, drill the walls and run it externally.

adidan · 26 Aug 2019 at 14:29

bremen1874 said:
Why not?

You can often follow the plumbing routes. If that isn't an option, drill the walls and run it externally.

The work/benefit ratio to me isn't worth it. It's barely any different to being wired in right by the router.

Edit: i should point out we've recently moved in and i have a long list of other things i'm told are a priority

hornetstinger · 26 Aug 2019 at 14:42

Thought about powrrline but cost of cable is nothing and only took couple of hours to route from living from into hall up stairs around landing into switch then back out into next room going around skirting or between carpet and skirting. Less than £40 and 1gigabit cable

Zeebedy · 26 Aug 2019 at 18:06

I use BT WholeHome MESH setup.

Great DL speeds and can play competitive such as CS:GO without any lag/latency issues!