Network Question - Powerline - Steam Streaming-- Stuck :(.

Ryancope123

Ryancope123

Ryancope123

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15 Apr 2016
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Hi guys,

Really confused and spent hours trying to solve this one.


i am trying to stream from my 4k gaming rig to a laptop down stairs (Alienware m18x r2).

I have got high end power lines which are registering a transfer rate between the pair at over 900mbps.

The problem is whenever i try to use the powerlines my stream speed on steams diagnostic goes from nearly 1,000mbps to 2mbps, making it unplayable and rubbish.

What have i tested?
-All cables.
- direct connection to router - no issues and runs at 2,500 mbps.

The reason i am puzzled is because the power lines are communicating at nearly 1GBPS ? I am not very good with routers and the whole setup etc, but could my router be automatically be adjusting settings when it detects a powerline ? i have an Asus N66U router, so not a cheap freebie.

The computer upstairs is connected via a powerline directly to the router downstairs via a second powerline,, the laptop has been tested via WiFi and also ethernet into router
Any help would be appreciated.
 
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Are both powerline adapters plugged directly into a wall socket? They don't like surge protectors/extension cables.

Try doing a file transfer (ideally one large file) between the two machines and watch the transfer rate. The likelihood is though that there's something else connected (to the mains) that's causing interference.
 
Hi mate, yes. both plugged directly into the wall sockets every other plug in the house removed including every extension lead, same problem :(

I would expect if there was interference for a low transmitting rate but its perfect, nearly 1.0GBPS.

Could it be anything the router is doing , IP wise etc? i am not very good with networking?
 
Showing as being connected at 1GBP and the actual speed of the throughput are two different things.

Streaming a 4k Video will need almost perfect conditions and I am sure powerline adapters never actually throughput at their max speed.

When you transfer a file between both machines what rate does it transfer at?? for instance when I transfer between my PC and NAS down stairs for which both machines are on 1GBP network cards I can max my transfer rate out at about 105 meg.
 
What make and model powerline adapters do you have also as most state these amazing speeds yet still only have 10/100 fast ethernet ports.
 
Have you tried connecting into adjacent sockets, even on a multi-adapter - so really a best case .
Otherwise if the sockets are on different rings in the house RCD device in fuse box could interfere
 
That's just the nature of powerline.

It creates a connection, but not a good one.

Wire it up directly with ethernet.
 
Before you do anything you need to transfer those files and let us know what transfer speeds your getting.

This could simply be down to a misunderstanding of Connection speed vs throughput speed and there is no problem as such.

to stream a 4K film across a network depending on bit rate you will need a minimum of 25 meg throughput on those adapters for it to be lag free.. any other activity on the network will obviously have an effect on this.

Just because your adapters have a 1gp port does not mean you have that throughput between the two machines. you also have to take into account the read and write speeds of both discs in the two machines that could also be a limiting factor.
 
Hi all,

The speeds were terrible, ranging from 2mbps to 9 then back to 2, varying non stop.

Have i misunderstood how they work then ? i thought if they are 1200mbps that is the best theoretical speed they can achieve between powerline A and powerline B ( i know they never will normally 50% etc) ? and then the port which transfers through at either 100mb or 1gb depending on spec?

I wouldn't mind Wifi but i am doing all of this to achieve a WOL desktop upstairs so i can stream my games to a laptop downstairs without any hassle, also i have a steamlink and the WiFi is terrible on that device so needs a hard wire.. ethernet wiring is out of the question :(
 
That's sounds terribly slow and could point too a problem with internal wiring.

Are the power lines situated down stairs and upstairs? if so it could be a case your down stairs sockets and upstairs sockets are on two different rings from the fuse box which can hinder speeds quite a bit...

just as a test it might be worth moving the adapters so both are either down stairs or upstairs and trying another test.. this will at least eliminate the wiring problem.

Wifi will only work with 4k streaming if you have the max attainable signal and speed. its all simply based on the bit rate of 4k and how much data needs to be send between machines and at what speed to keep it judder free. even on my system at home i struggle sometimes to send 1080p files to my amazon stick in the conservatory over wifi lag free as the signal is not that good.
 
Check everything, Do you have any other powerlines to try?
I had an issue with streaming content (buffering every second) from my upstairs server to my downstairs living room. Turned out that it was a faulty unit that failed to pair to the network correctly.
Replaced this and it works flawlessly.
 
Hi All,

Thanks for the suggestions, i had already tested all upstairs and all downstairs. Also tested 2 other units, and tested them in another house and it works.

An electrician has just been out and told me basically there is a open circuit on the earth wire somewhere on a power socket... I am guessing this could be the culprit , do the powerlines utilize the earth ?
 
I'm not sure about the latest V1200 and above adapters, but the older ones don't use the earth. There are many adapters with USA style 2 pin plugs on them that don't even have an earth pin.

I doubt the earth would be an issue, but it should be fixed. I'm surprised the electrician left it in that state.

Edit: AV2-MIMO adapters use the earth, AV2-SISO (and earlier) adapters don't use the earth.
 
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