Reply to: Getting Wifi in dead-zones at home

[VectraMan]

Anyone measured the speed over these power line devices? I've got a client PC to connect up that's going to be nowhere near the router, so I either need to buy it a WiFi card or get a pair of these. My other PC connects at 300Mb/s on WiFi - I'm not sure if powerline is going to be better or worse.

The answer is 324Mb/s, so about the same. That's from downstairs to upstairs so on a different ring - i.e via the fuse box which is what people always say is a problem.

Pretty good really.

[d000hg]

Turn of DHCP on all the local WiFi's, they should all connect back to the main router through the home plugs so this will handle everything for you, you will then have one network with multiple access points

Might look into that, thanks.

[Chuck]

Anyone measured the speed over these power line devices? I've got a client PC to connect up that's going to be nowhere near the router, so I either need to buy it a WiFi card or get a pair of these. My other PC connects at 300Mb/s on WiFi - I'm not sure if powerline is going to be better or worse.

The software tool that came with my homeplugs (rated at up to 200mbps) reports a connection speed of anything from about 30mbps upto about 80mbps.

The speed will be dependant on the quality of the wiring, the distance, and the proximity to "noisy" devices. I've never tried to measure the actual speed across the network rather than that reported by the vendor tool.

See here for more information.

[SimonMac]

Ah. Mine set up a local WiFi on each plug rather than working as access points. At least I think they do. I'm not sure how they would communicate with the router that they're part of the same WiFi network although maybe they can - this is not my area at all

Turn of DHCP on all the local WiFi's, they should all connect back to the main router through the home plugs so this will handle everything for you, you will then have one network with multiple access points

[d000hg]

If its is purely an Access Point I assume they will all be on the same LAN, same DNS, same DHCP

Ah. Mine set up a local WiFi on each plug rather than working as access points. At least I think they do. I'm not sure how they would communicate with the router that they're part of the same WiFi network although maybe they can - this is not my area at all

[VectraMan]

Then you'd need to create entries for each network and password on each device. This is probably ok for just you or a few of devices. If you have guests, or many devices, it's a pain to keep all that maintained. One network, with one password, covering the whole property works just fine.

So you set the same SSID and same password on each access point and it all works as one? That sounds like a happy accident - a design flaw that worked out for the better.

Anyone measured the speed over these power line devices? I've got a client PC to connect up that's going to be nowhere near the router, so I either need to buy it a WiFi card or get a pair of these. My other PC connects at 300Mb/s on WiFi - I'm not sure if powerline is going to be better or worse.

[Chuck]

Does the same SSID mean they both show up as one network in the OS?

I don't see why you need to do that. Surely the devices can switch between networks with different SSIDs.

Yes.

Then you'd need to create entries for each network and password on each device. This is probably ok for just you or a few of devices. If you have guests, or many devices, it's a pain to keep all that maintained. One network, with one password, covering the whole property works just fine.

[VectraMan]

Does the same SSID mean they both show up as one network in the OS?

I don't see why you need to do that. Surely the devices can switch between networks with different SSIDs.

[Chuck]

For those using WiFi extenders, if you set the SSID and password the same as the main router I assume it seamlessly moves from one to the other, however are devices smart enough to drop a weak connection for a stronger one where they over lap?

That's how I've got my wifi homeplugs set up. All on the same SSID but each at different frequency. The change between them is seemless and, yes, my devices do automatically switch from a weaker signal to a stronger one.

I didn't set them all at the same frequency as I assumed they would conflict with each other. Perhaps something to try on another day.

[SimonMac]

I wasn't sure what this would do so I have 3 WiFi networks with differing names. Devices do flick from one to another but there is some 'stickiness' - they only seem to swap when one is really weak/lost.

How would same-name networks work, given that you can edit DNS settings, etc, per connection?

If its is purely an Access Point I assume they will all be on the same LAN, same DNS, same DHCP

[d000hg]

I wasn't sure what this would do so I have 3 WiFi networks with differing names. Devices do flick from one to another but there is some 'stickiness' - they only seem to swap when one is really weak/lost.

How would same-name networks work, given that you can edit DNS settings, etc, per connection?

[SimonMac]

For those using WiFi extenders, if you set the SSID and password the same as the main router I assume it seamlessly moves from one to the other, however are devices smart enough to drop a weak connection for a stronger one where they over lap?

[d000hg]

I've used Solwise ones, including those with WiFi, and they're pretty good. Those with WiFi and more than 1 ethernet port do tend to come at a cost premium.

[ChimpMaster]

These are great little gadgets. I have Powerline/Homeplug throughout the house and have one of these upstairs and one downstairs, in spots where the router signal is weak, so I have 100% strong coverage everywhere in the house.

Price seems reasonable too, compared to the ones I have HomePlug AV with 11n WiFi and 2 ethernet ports - NET-PLV-HL113EW

Just an update in that I bought the BT Wifi powerline / hotspot kit and it's working pretty good. Would say great except that I find that I have to stop/start the wifi signal on my mobile phone every so often because it just stops seeing the wifi even though it's showing full strength. I think this happens when I move from one room to another where the other hotspot is. Otherwise it's OK.

[Snooky]

Hi all. Looking to buy the product below to powerline my broadband to rooms upstairs and Wifi it out. Has anyone used this product or is there any other product you can recommend?

BT Mini Wi-Fi 500 Home Hotspot Power Adapter Kit - (Pack of 2): Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories


FYI a Wifi repeater wouldn't work because the wireless signal is already too weak upstairs.

These are great little gadgets. I have Powerline/Homeplug throughout the house and have one of these upstairs and one downstairs, in spots where the router signal is weak, so I have 100% strong coverage everywhere in the house.

Price seems reasonable too, compared to the ones I have HomePlug AV with 11n WiFi and 2 ethernet ports - NET-PLV-HL113EW