Homeplug problem

Hate you guys. My setup was working fine until I read this thread yesterday evening. Wife just called me from home to complain that the internet is dropping intermittently, yes I am using TP-LINK AV500 :(

Gutted......
 
Using the following -

2 x TP-LINK TL-PA451KIT AV500

Plug 1 - Directly into the wall socket in living room and into the Ethernet port on my AC66U router

Plug 2 - Directly into wall socket upstairs and then connected to Netgear GS608 gigabit switch which then feeds out network connectivity to laptop and a PC that is used for streaming sometimes.

1 x TP-Link TL-PA411 AV500

Connected directly into wall socket behind TV and is in the same room as the router. Normally used for streaming via laptop connected to TV. Not got a smart TV yet so no DLNA.

Streaming wise this plug works flawlessly but haven't tried it with regular net browsing.
 
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This is something that I genuinely don't understand. How are these adapters supposed to reach speeds of up to 500Mbps if they only have 10/100 ports?
 
The 500Mbps quoted is the PHY rate. By the time all of the overheads are taken into account you'd be lucky to even get 100Mbps.

It's the same with wireless. The rate quoted isn't the actual rate you'll see in use.
 
I was just about to post about how reliable are home plugs but this thread answers it.

I was going to buy the TP powerline ones also since they have been going on special offers for £15-20 various places ie hotukdeals etc.

But I am hearing around the net how unreliable they are... it gets worse I hear power-line adapters in general are very poor and unreliable and disconnections are a common occurrence.

I checked even the top/most highest rated ones made by Zyxel that are costly even the best models £50-60 per plug can also disconnect randomly.

I think its down to your electrical wiring and electricity load and connection but also the technology is not quite 100% reliable.

Not to mention most of these plugs are half duplex so a 200meg adaptor gets you 100meg and even then you may only hit 20meg once the washing machine goes on !
I see some silly plugs also 500meg adaptors yet they use 10/100meg ports !

I think as many net working gurus said it before stick with Cat5/6 cabling around the house and a switch or more cables. Sure you may not hit gigabit performance but its down to broadband speeds but it will have far greater speeds and reliability and not drain electricity further and its cheaper... its just headache and hassle to lay cables around the house !
 
R3X said:
I was just about to post about how reliable are home plugs but this thread answers it.

I was going to buy the TP powerline ones also since they have been going on special offers for £15-20 various places ie hotukdeals etc.

But I am hearing around the net how unreliable they are... it gets worse I hear power-line adapters in general are very poor and unreliable and disconnections are a common occurrence.

I checked even the top/most highest rated ones made by Zyxel that are costly even the best models £50-60 per plug can also disconnect randomly.

I think its down to your electrical wiring and electricity load and connection but also the technology is not quite 100% reliable.

Not to mention most of these plugs are half duplex so a 200meg adaptor gets you 100meg and even then you may only hit 20meg once the washing machine goes on !
I see some silly plugs also 500meg adaptors yet they use 10/100meg ports !

I think as many net working gurus said it before stick with Cat5/6 cabling around the house and a switch or more cables. Sure you may not hit gigabit performance but its down to broadband speeds but it will have far greater speeds and reliability and not drain electricity further and its cheaper... its just headache and hassle to lay cables around the house !
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Not my experience at all.

Like I said, previous to this pair I've had a pair that worked flawlessly for best part of two years without a single reset needed, the pair of Netgear ones I've just bought to replace the dodgy pair have so far been flawless.

It's just a bad model from the looks of it, for me powerlines are a god send and complete fit and forget.
 
Telecaster said:
Not my experience at all.

Like I said, previous to this pair I've had a pair that worked flawlessly for best part of two years without a single reset needed, the pair of Netgear ones I've just bought to replace the dodgy pair have so far been flawless.

It's just a bad model from the looks of it, for me powerlines are a god send and complete fit and forget.
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That is actually very reliable then if you have not needed to disconnect for 2 years, I guess people are having mixed experiences some good and some bad.

What type of broadband connection do you have?

I am still considering attempting power plugs but Cat6 cable around the house sounds a bit of a chore:p
 
I am getting disconnects again randomly but nowhere near as much as with the tp-link ones.

I wouldn't mind but we are in a house that has just been totally rewired with the latest equipment!

There is something causing this interference but I cannot think it is anything inside the house... I have literally spent a day with Everything turned off except the pc and the router ( even the heating ) and it still dropped out a couple of times. I guess I will have to live with it but god help me next year when the Elder scrolls online comes out! :eek:
 
They are dependent on your home wiring. If all the home plugs are on the same loop then you will get good speeds, if there's seperate loops (i.e. rings per floors) then they slow down. Having a fridge on the same loop may cause them to drop out from time to time.
 
Been surfing ok since I got home 2 hours ago. Missus did say that the washing machine was switched on when she experienced dropout earlier.
 
yeah this was the issue I was referring to earlier, I have heard how if the washing machine or vacuum cleaner are switched on it can cause drop outs or speed drops.

I think overall the power plugs are nicer and cleaner and easier, but ill stick to Cabling network cable from top of house to bottom. At least this way I get the same reliable and faster speeds like my router was next to my pc without drop outs, should help with networking and higher bb speeds no doubt.
 
AtreuS said:
I am getting disconnects again randomly but nowhere near as much as with the tp-link ones.
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Just for balance, I don't think tp-link adapters are inherently bad. I have four of them running in my house across three floors, and I've never experienced a single drop-out. One of them has a four-port switch plugged into it, and hanging off the switch is a PS3 used constantly for streaming Netflix. Never seen any pauses, bufferings, drop-outs or loss of quality. All in all, I've found the units incredibly reliable (including the tp-link homeplug wi-fi extender that I use to push the wi-fi coverage out into the garden).
 
schnoodles said:
Just for balance, I don't think tp-link adapters are inherently bad. I have four of them running in my house across three floors, and I've never experienced a single drop-out. One of them has a four-port switch plugged into it, and hanging off the switch is a PS3 used constantly for streaming Netflix. Never seen any pauses, bufferings, drop-outs or loss of quality. All in all, I've found the units incredibly reliable (including the tp-link homeplug wi-fi extender that I use to push the wi-fi coverage out into the garden).
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The model I had, I researched and the tp-link official forums had a thread full of people having the exact same issues with that model so its safe to assume there was an issue. Tp-link had not responded and there was no firmware update either.... so I had no choice but to try another brand really. The new ( bt ) ones are a lot more stable... maybe one reset a day now instead of a dozen.
 
Got a pair of D-Link home plugs for a family member about 18 months ago and they work flawlessly. They have a BT Home Hub router situated in the kitchen on the ground floor, while the study is in a converted loft on the 2nd floor. Works great and they have no complaints, saved them a lot of hassle as Wifi was also poor up there and they can reach max speeds. They haven't had a single issue (touch wood) just as a +1 to home plugs!

Me and my missus are moving into a new build house in about 6 months. I fully intend on using home plugs, I've been eyeing up the TP-Link TL-PA6010 twin kit. :)
 
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