Powerline vs WiFi

[Pottsey]

I think he's suggesting that it is a security issue if you leave it on defaults i.e. chance of someone being able to connect to your network without entering your property. I don't think it is as big an issue as unsecured WiFi with visible SSID used to be though (most routers seems to come with encryption on by default these days).

I guess if you have an outside plug it could be a problem. But without an outside plug no one could connect outside your property.

 

[morfmedia]

I have heard of people connecting to neighbours power lines if they are on the same phase but not seen it first hand

 

[Pottsey]

I have heard of people connecting to neighbours power lines if they are on the same phase but not seen it first hand

Not heard of that although you made me think that perhaps flats could be a problem? I was always told the powerlines cannot go though the outside mains into other property's. I think if you live in a detached house without outside plugs you should be pretty safe.

 

[bremen1874]

Not heard of that although you made me think that perhaps flats could be a problem? I was always told the powerlines cannot go though the outside mains into other property's. I think if you live in a detached house without outside plugs you should be pretty safe.

It really does happen, even with detached properties.

You aren't likely to get much of a signal, but it can be enough to result in your PCs occasionally picking up an IP from a neighbour's DHCP server instead of yours. This can lead to some strange and difficult to solve network behaviour.

It doesn't take much effort to press a couple of buttons and make them secure.

 

[joeyjojo]

As above, depends on how much filtering there is between internal wiring and outside.

AFAIK power-line works at the 2-200 MHz sort of range, which usually but not always gets attenuated at the boundary between internal and external wiring (not sure if this is in the fuse box or elsewhere).

Plenty of anecdotes around the web if you search. E.g. https://security.stackexchange.com/questions/9725/are-powerline-ethernet-adapters-inherently-secure

 

[Christmas themed thank]

+1 for this especially if you live in a block of flats.

Could've been the dodgy leccy setup of an old place of mine but I managed to get on another person's network with just one Powerline plug.

I've never had any powerline adaptors that you could just "connect" to. You have to click the pairing button on both adaptors which creates a secure connection.

 

[Christmas themed thank]

Well I'm the opposite, I got rid of powerlines and switched to a good AC wifi solution. Even with only 1-2 bars of signal at the opposite end of the house I can max out my 152Mb broadband connection.

Which router?

You'll be told neither, put in cables.
If you say that isn't possible, you'll still be told to do it.
From the choice of two, powerline any day of the week. I run my smart TV, PS3, Sky Box all via powerline adapters and they work perfectly.

bledd is notably absent!