FTTP installed, best power line adaptor solution

Garyj881 · 12 Jan 2022 at 14:30

I have had EE FTTP 500Mbp/s installed today. I'm getting just over the advised speed on the downstairs pc connected through ethernet to the router. My sons pc connected through an old set of tp link AV200's. He is only achieving 58Mbp/s.

I understand ethernet is the best solution here however its not ideal. Has anyone achieved good speeds through any other power line adaptors?

He games quite a lot so want to avoid wireless.

Even 300 to 400Mbp/s would be great.

the-evaluator · 12 Jan 2022 at 14:38

300 to 400Mbps over powerline is a a pipe dream. If he's a gamer then latency and stability will be more important than headline throughout so the current powerline adapters would most likely suffice.

If you want more throughout and can't/won't wire in ethernet then a decent Wi-Fi connection will improve things. I can pull very reasonable figures though an 802.11ac Wi-Fi connection.

Wi-Fi 6 could be even better.

varkanoid · 12 Jan 2022 at 14:45

FTTP with powerline adaptors is a waste. Bite the bullet and get ethernet laid. If you plan the route its doable. Either that or Wi-Fi 6 AP.

MrRockliffe · 12 Jan 2022 at 14:47

As above, go Ethernet.

Over WiFi AC, 4x4 MIMO, I was getting 400 Mb.

I now get 910+, with Ethernet having been run

BigT · 12 Jan 2022 at 14:52

There was me going to say well done in getting 58Mbps (I assume you meant Mega and not milli) - I think I once saw a few hundred Mbps using AV1200 on two sockets next to each other but in real world usage they're just shockingly bad, often temperamental and if you don't use the proper pairing security features then a liability security wise too. Better to improve your WiFi as mentioned if you're not going to do the right thing and cable him up.

the-evaluator · 12 Jan 2022 at 14:55

I've got a set of TP-Link AV1200 Powerlines knocking about here that I pulled out of a friends house. I should set them up and use iperf to see what the real world throughput is. They've got pass through mains power sockets so I could plug one adapter directly into the other which should give an absolute best possible figure as there wouldn't be any house wiring involved.

I'm expecting 200Mbps at the absolute most.

sandys · 12 Jan 2022 at 15:02

MrRockliffe said:
As above, go Ethernet.

Over WiFi AC, 4x4 MIMO, I was getting 400 Mb.

I now get 910+, with Ethernet having been run

all depends on your hardware, I get a lot more on my 2x2 AC but it is wave 2 and I run 160Mhz channels.

Modern wireless can be as good as wired, I match 1Gb over wired and my wifi 6 Mesh, obviously wired is more reliable on the whole, direct connection after all and has scope for more bandwidth.

A note with powerline and this might be specific to G.Fast, I had terrible problems with my broadband speed using Av2000 adaptors, turns out if they are anywhere in the vicinity of the modem or phone wiring they generate enough noise to get the DSLAM (?) to basically throw out most of the broadband signal, moving the adaptors to other side of the room via ethernet fixed it.

Latency and stability of powerline was fine though, much like a wired connection but never full speed, don't think I ever got much more than a quarter of it, though one or two rooms had very fast connection, just not where I needed it between extensions.

the-evaluator said:
I've got a set of TP-Link AV1200 Powerlines knocking about here that I pulled out of a friends house. I should set them up and use iperf to see what the real world throughput is. They've got pass through mains power sockets so I could plug one adapter directly into the other which should give an absolute best possible figure as there wouldn't be any house wiring involved.

I'm expecting 200Mbps at the absolute most.

The pass through is typically a supply filter also, so probably not the thing to do.

the-evaluator · 12 Jan 2022 at 15:05

sandys said:
The pass through is typically a supply filter also, so probably not the thing to do.

Thanks, I hadn't considered that. In that case I'll plug both adapters into the same double socket.

ChrisD. · 12 Jan 2022 at 15:19

sandys said:
Modern wireless can be as good as wired

No, it really cannot.

sandys · 12 Jan 2022 at 15:26

ChrisD. said:
No, it really cannot.

I can get the same latency and bandwidth as a 1Gb ethernet connection, what is not good about that? Sure the bandwidth might fluctuate a bit more on wifi rather than the flatline of an ethernet connection but it is worlds better than powerline if you can't wire.

ChrisD. · 12 Jan 2022 at 15:34

sandys said:
I can get the same latency and bandwidth as a 1Gb ethernet connection, what is not good about that? Sure the bandwidth might fluctuate a bit more on wifi rather than the flatline of an ethernet connection but it is worlds better than powerline if you can't wire.

You get consistent sub 0.5 ms latency between local devices on wireless with consistent bandwidth?

sandys · 12 Jan 2022 at 15:47

Not sure I would even know how to measure less than 1ms, pingtool just give <1ms, mostly just test to the internet game servers, the difference tend to be in the margin of error really of course being on VM doesn;t help

bandwidth is spot on, I am limited by 1Gb ethernet connection on my router, obviously wifi bandwidth is impacted the more clients use it but that is something that can be managed.

EDIT so just tested internal I get 1ms average (2ms max) where ethernet reports 0ms for everything, not the end of the world, considering everyone is home and using, within the scope of powerline or wifi I'd say that is good.

Turn · 12 Jan 2022 at 16:18

You've got to remember if you're getting that latency, you're most likely on 5Ghz and probably close to the router hence why you're able to maintain a steady latency.
Someone who's not able to lay Ethernet is most likely far from the router where only 2.4Ghz would be an option.

Ethernet is the best option, especially if it's something that's likely to be permanent.

sandys · 12 Jan 2022 at 16:28

0007 said:
You've got to remember if you're getting that latency, you're most likely on 5Ghz and probably close to the router hence why you're able to maintain a steady latency.
Someone who's not able to lay Ethernet is most likely far from the router where only 2.4Ghz would be an option.

Ethernet is the best option, especially if it's something that's likely to be permanent.

Make no mistake I agree wired every time if you can, I have spent years in powerline going though all the speed standards not being able to wire for various reasons and then moved to a wifi mesh setup and the difference was superb, as I do work to the house I am slowly wiring the mesh nodes backhaul but it is surprising what my cheap ass wifi6 stuff can do, I do focus on keeping as much wired as I can mind you.

I use wifi between front of house on one floor and rear of house on another floor, a fair distance, yes it is 5Ghz, that is the latency, essentially a wifi bridge with the devices connected to it wired.

MrRockliffe · 12 Jan 2022 at 16:35

The other thing you have to remember with WiFi is that you’re fighting with other devices using WiFi for bandwidth.

If you’ve only got a single device, it’s fine.

Add in multiple devices, other networks and other wireless devices in the house, and they’re then all fighting for the same bandwidth, potentially from the same router.

With added clients, the available interaction time between client and AP decreases.

AFAIK, this isn’t the case with Ethernet. Of course, you still fight for total internet bandwidth, but not local.

ChrisD. · 12 Jan 2022 at 16:43

My point is simple - modern wireless is not as good as wired. It can be very, very good if done right, but it will never match wired setups.

WJA96 · 12 Jan 2022 at 17:00

sandys said:
all depends on your hardware, I get a lot more on my 2x2 AC but it is wave 2 and I run 160Mhz channels.

Are you sure you’re running 160MHz channels on a 2x2 wireless device? What device is it please?

sandys · 12 Jan 2022 at 17:01

AX3 and most definitely 160. Laptop is a Zenbook pro with Intel Wifi Ac 9560 160Mhz card.

WJA96 · 12 Jan 2022 at 17:05

sandys said:
AX3 and most definitely 160. Laptop is a Zenbook pro with Intel Wifi Ac 9560 160Mhz card.

Huawei AX3 is 4x4 is it not? 4 x 40 MHz channels bonded together to give 160MHz - you’d only get 80MHz on a 2x2 I think.

sandys · 12 Jan 2022 at 17:07

Nope, not according to specifications, guess its two 80Mhz channels.

One of the reasons I have not shifted them on for better featured devices is I can pull stuff to and from my NAS very fast on this laptop and a lot of wifi APs don't do 160 on 5Ghz, I have enjoyed the bandwidth bump, looking at getting some APs with 2.5Ghz LAN so I can take full advantage of Wifi 6 on our other hardware giving me reason to upgrade lappy too