Mesh system and powerline adapters working together

pilsburypie · 25 Jan 2021 at 10:56

I'm after a bit of advice on how to get a mesh system and powerline adapter working together.

I have a Linksys Velop triband system (3 node) in my house working brilliantly for the last year. Have my Virgin superhub in modem mode feeding the parent node and the other nodes located so my wireless is great throughout the property.

I have just made myself a workshop down the bottom of the garden approx 25m away from the nearwst node in the house. I get wifi in the workshop....just, but as you can imagine it's a bit flakey and drops in and out. Not surprising really! I have an old set of TP-Link AV500 powerline adapters from about 10 years ago I thought Id see if I can get working in my workshop. But I've had no luck getting them up and running. Unsure if a mesh system and powerline are compatible or the old powerline adapters are knackered. Or I'm doing something daft.

I have basically plugged the base powerline adapter into one of the nodes' ethernet ports as opposed to one on the back of the router as I'm told once in modem mode the router only has port 1 working, although I have tried port 2 but have the same non working situation. In my mind, I can't see why I'm not getting the powerline working from plugging into one of the nodes. Surely the node provides internet to the base powerline, then pumps it down the ring main, back to the consumer board, then down the 6mm SWA cable to my workshop..... obviously the powerline internet is not on the same circuit, but they all come from the main consumer unit - does it need to be? The signal would have to be sent round the kitchen ring main, back to the consumer unit then down the radial circuit to the workshop.

Another node in my workshop isn't going to be a great idea as it would only be receiving weak signal. I'm pretty sure a node needs to be in a good signal area to then extend its range.

Hope this makes some sense. I can't fathom why my idea isn't working! Any help appreciated.

TallPaul_S · 25 Jan 2021 at 11:09

The ethernet ports will be for ethernet backhaul, ie feeding network TO the nodes, to improve overall speeds and decrease the reduction in speed the more hops to nodes you have. I doubt very much if they will take the wifi signal they receive and pass this to the ethernet port, it's the other way round.

See here https://www.linksys.com/us/support-article?articleNum=217442

I would try using the powerline adapters in separately (if you have a switch or a spare port, they'll act just like an ethernet network which will have no issues running alongside the mesh) and test on the same circuit to confirm they work, then move one to the workshop. You might get luck and have it work there. If not, I'd suggest another node and maybe play with the placement of the current ones to get good coverage.

pilsburypie · 25 Jan 2021 at 15:03

Cheers for that link TallPaul - that clears up why it wasn't working how I was initially doing it. I stupidly thought the ethernet ports on the child nodes were to get a wired connection to a device..... but it seems they are merely link ups. Still has me wondering if they all have to be connected to the parent node - like a pass through or if I was connecting to the "in" port?

As for using the powerline adapters separately - this seems like the best idea. But it seems I now only have 1 of the ports working on the superhub now it's in modem mode from what I've read. This feeds the velop parent node. How can I get another feed out of the modem for the powerline adapter? Forgive my ignorance!

Edit: Ignore my how to request - google reveals a switch is what I'm after!

TallPaul_S · 25 Jan 2021 at 15:56

Yep, a cheap 5 port gigabit switch is all you need.

And you're correct in saying each node would need to be connected to the main hub by ethernet for the ethernet backhaul to work. Basically it leave the nodes wireless channels free to solely communicate with devices and transmit data to them while the data transfer from the main mode to the other nodes would be done over ethernet.

pilsburypie · 25 Jan 2021 at 16:40

Many thanks - I'm also assuming that my wifi switch will be hooked up to the parent node rather than the back of the super hub?

TallPaul_S · 25 Jan 2021 at 16:56

Plug the superhub into the switch on the one active port, and then you'll have all the other ports being able to provide network to whatever you need, so one port for the Master node, one port into a powerline adapter for a powerline network, any other ports for devices connected directly to the switch.

Or, actually - looking at the mesh wifi you have, they have 2 ports so if you'll only ever need powerline and wifi, plug the superhub into one port on the master node, and the powerline adapter into the 2nd port - effectively the master node will act as a 2 port switch.

If you ever need anything else hard wired by ethernet, you'd need a switch though.

Avalon · 26 Jan 2021 at 02:12

I hate to burst your bubble here, but you don’t plug a switch into a modem (VLAN being an obvious exception), you need to plug the router into the modem and then the switch into the router, if you need more ports. As to powerline, presumably your Worksop is connected on its own isolatable circuit to comply with wiring regs, powerline won’t like jumping breakers, speeds will drop drastically at best and most likely it simply won’t work reliably.