Wifi vs. Powerline adapters?

Trying to find a good networking solution because I am in a long house and the cable/wired router is in the front and I am in the back and worried about range speed of Wifi. I am looking at these Powerline adapters:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Actiontec---500-Mbps-Powerline-Home-Theater-Network-Adapter-Kit/5215483....
or
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Tp-Link+-+TL-PA211+AV200+Mini+Powerline+Starter+Kit/4359873.p?id=1218475...
Anyone use these or Powerline? How is Powerline speed?
Powerline seems cheaper then a good N router and for my house might be more stable, right?
These powerline adapters are homeplug certified, but the non homeplug certified are cheeper, but the homeplug ones seem faster what dose homeplug really mean?
Have Glop, will Glope...

Jimmienomam wrote:
Lex, how do they work for you? I've always been intrigued by this since it hit consumer markets a while ago. Read plenty of good and some bad reviews. Just wanted another opinion.
I reccommend them without hesitation and my entire home network consists of nothing but Netgear Powerline adapters hooked into my router and I don't even run a wireless network anymore. The only reason not to use them is price and that is only because they are very expensive to buy in retail markets because they typically only carry the Netgear kits which are twice the price on average and there were not a lot of alternatives until the past six months. If you can get them cheap online, they are a great buy. The one thing you need to keep in mind is that there are single, double, and multi-connection adapters and you should always go for the one that fits each individual room. If you have an HDTV, some consoles, and a Blu-Ray player in your living room, you get the Powerline A/V kit, which is actually a better deal than the single adapters because you can buy a few of those and end up with a bunch of switches to use in each room as well as a bunch of single connection adapters for moving around as needed. HomePlug stuff can be mixed and matched as needed so you don't have just buy a single brand because they all work together with the same standards.

Similar Messages

Post Moved wifi vs powerline adapters

Post moved to other BB Queries http://community.bt.com/t5/Other-BB-Queries/wifi-vs-powerline-adapters/td-p/565597
If you want to say thanks for a helpful answer,please click on the Ratings star on the left-hand side If the reply answers your question then please mark as ’Mark as Accepted Solution’

Using WiFi may result in a lower quality streaming rate, so you won`t use as much of your allowance.
Connecting via Powerline or Ethernet cable may result in HD streaming rates, which will use up more of your allowance.
There are some useful help pages here, for BT Broadband customers only, on my personal website.
BT Broadband customers - help with broadband, WiFi, networking, e-mail and phones.

Powerline Adapters / wifi

Been getting dropped connections with the wifi of late so have decided to use the powerline adapters (new black ones from BT). I have my home hub 2.0, downstairs with the vision box, my computer (applemac) is upstairs, when i diasable the wifi on my computer i thought that the powerline / ethernet system would kick in but it doesn't, so i have to go back to the wifi ( which sometimes does not connect).
There is no desktop help available for the applemac system, only for windows, which does not help, dreading the India call to reset/switch of/ switch on etc, anyone here any ideas.
Thanks

Sorry i did not make myself clear, I realise that the powerline adapters do not make a WiFi connection, i have 2 ethernet cables from my hub 2 (downstairs), 1 goes to the BT Vision box the other goes into the adapter plugged into the mains socket. Upstairs at the side of my computer i have a mains socket with the other adapter plugged in with an ethernet cable from it to my computer.
Yesterday i followed the instructions for pairing the adapters, supplied by BT, black ones, Comtrend it says in the box.
Thanks

MIxed Wifi and Powerline Network with Airport Express

Can anyone help set up a network using both wifi and ethernet?
I currently have a BT Home Hub ADSL router providing wifi throughout my house and 2 airport expresses to stream music from my iMac. The problem is that the sound occasionally drops out. I've tried most of the common fixes from the discussions but nothing seems to work reliably. My next step is to try and use powerline adapters. If possible I want to use the following configs simultaneously:
1. BT Home Hub (Broadband) to wifi throughout the house inc my iMac.
2. IMac to powerline adapter to powerline adapter(s) to airport express(es). I have 3 200Mbps adapters.
Thanks in advance.

Each AirPort Express that is connected to the network using an Ethernet connection should be configured as follows:
Open AirPort Utility - Click Manual Setup
Click the Base Station tab located just below the row of icons
Assign a separate name to each AirPort Express
Assign a device password for each device
Adjust Time Zone settings
Remove the check mark (if present) next to "allow setup over WAN"
Click the Wireless tab
Wireless Mode = Create a wireless network
Wireless Network Name = Same name as your BT wireless network
No check mark needed next to "Allow this network to be extended"
Radio Mode = 802.11n (802.11b/g compatible) a good choice
Channel = Automatic
Wireless Security = Exact same security setting as the BT wireless network. If settings are not exact, the network will not function correctly.
Wireless Password = Same password as the BT wireless network
Confirm Password
Click the Internet icon
Connect Using = Ethernet
Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode)
Update to save settings and allow the AirPort Express to restart
When all Express devices have been configured, power down the entire network....all devices...order is not important
Start the modem/hub first and let it run a few moments by itself
Start each AirPort Express one at a time about a minute apart
Sart each network device the same way until everything is powered back up

Powerline Adapters- a confusing problem -

So I've got BT infinity, black box, 2 black powerline adapters.
Tv is working fine, so is internet, and phone line too.
but only one of the powerline adapters have 3 lights and the other has one (ethernet) no status etc.
please help ?
is this an issue? or will it just go away its self.
thanks x

No, something is wrong. Use the guide below to reset them.
http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/10666/~/i-have-a-problem-with-my-powerline-adapters--...
There are some useful help pages here, for BT Broadband customers only, on my personal website.
BT Broadband customers - help with broadband, WiFi, networking, e-mail and phones.

Powerline adapters not accessing sleep mode

I've just upgraded to BT Infinity, and since the router and PC are now in different rooms, and my PC doesn't have wireless, I bought some Powerline adapters, one connected to the Hub and one connected to the PC. However, even when the computer is switched off, unplugged and disconnected from powerline, the unit connected to the Hub won't go into sleep mode - it flashes regularly once per second as if it's communicating with the Hub. Is this likely to be the case, and if so, how can I stop it? The units I'm using are TL-PA251KIT.
Thanks in advance for any help and advice
Solved!
Go to Solution.

The home hub will still keep transmitting data as it continually sends broadcast frames to discover new devices and find their MAC addresses, which it then stores.
This will stop the powerline adapters from going into sleep mode. The only way to stop that would be to unplug them from the hub, and eventually they would go into sleep mode.
I doubt very much that they use much power anway.
There are some useful help pages here, for BT Broadband customers only, on my personal website.
BT Broadband customers - help with broadband, WiFi, networking, e-mail and phones.

Powerline Adapters problem

Hi there, my powerline adapters have worked perfectly until today. For some reason I lost internet connection so tried to reset the adapters, which I am sure has now made it worse!
On my adapter connected to my home hub I have all three green lights on (AP, Ethernet (Flashing) and Status) and on my powerline adapter near my computer I only have the Green Status light on.
I have no internet connection and my computer doesnt even seem to be recognising a network.
I have changed all the ethernet cables with no help. Any help and advice would be great.
Cheers,
Adam

That points to a faulty Ethernet connection between the Powerline adapter and your computer.
Have you checked to make sure that both ends of the cable are pushed hard in until they click. They should be held in place by a clip which you squeeze to release.
If the clip is missing or broken, as easily happens, they you will have to replace the cable.
If the cable looks fine, then try another cable.
Also check that the Ethernet adapter on your computer is still enabled. Its quite easy to disable it by mistake from the network properties.
If all else fails then it could be a faulty Ethernet port on the Powerline adapter. You can prove this by swapping them over and seeing whether the Ethernet light works at the other end.
There are some useful help pages here, for BT Broadband customers only, on my personal website.
BT Broadband customers - help with broadband, WiFi, networking, e-mail and phones.

Powerline adapters: IP addresses.

Hi, its not often I post here so hello again. I have been using powerline adapters since BTVision was introduced and now have the black ones. Recently my network has been slow, for all connected devices. The powerline status link is rarely green, mostly amber. So I loggeds into the router and see the dhcp table and the ip's of the adapters. Would I be correct in assuming since they are bridging that their ip adresses should be consecutive. Mine are 192.168.1.66 and .92. When I first installed them im sure they were .66 & .67
I have reset them and still have the same ip's. Could this be causing my general home network to be slow or am I on the wrong track.

The IP address will be allocated by the home hub, so they do not have to be consecutive.
How are your other computers connected to the home hub?
There are some useful help pages here, for BT Broadband customers only, on my personal website.
BT Broadband customers - help with broadband, WiFi, networking, e-mail and phones.

Configuring Airport Express as Roaming Network from a Time Capsule via Powerline Adapters

I am having an issue configuring an Airport Express to extend my WiFi network as a roaming network via powerline adapters. I have configured as other threads have advised
Open AirPort Utility - Select the AirPort Express - Manual Setup
Click the Wireless tab below the icons
Wireless Mode = Create a wireless network
Wireless Network Name = Same name as the TC network
No check mark is needed next to "Allow this network to be extended"
Radio Mode = 802.11n (802.11 b/g compatible)
Channel = Automatic
Wireless Security = Same exact setting as the TC
Wireless Password = Same password as the TC network
Confirm Password
Click the Internet icon, then click the Internet Connection tab
Connect Using = Ethernet
Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode)
Update to save setings and allow 40-45 seconds for the Express to restart
The only difference is I cannot see an option under Connect Using for Ethernet here there is only the usual DHCP etc
After configuring my Apple TV can see the network and says it establishes an internet connection but Home Sharing does not show my iTunes library but will connect to internet radio.
I cannot get any other WiFi device to connect to the Airport Express but they can see it. The TC and Airport Express have been updated to latest firmware.
Any advice appreciated.

Please download and install AirPort Utility 5.6 for Mac OS X Lion
You can have both 6.0 and 5.6 on your Mac and choose the version that you want to use.
6.0 is interesting to look at, but 5.6 has much more functionality.

Re: Powerline adapters for extending wi-fi.

I thought 3 or 4 powerline adapters could be set to work together - various persons on web say it works ok??
Sorry this isn't a solution - more of a problem
My problem is (apart from being daft) - I have a BT3 hub with powerline adapter operating a youview box, but I can't get wi-fi in that room(house extension) Can i use it or another"cloned" adapter to connect some kind of extender. I recently bought a TP link TD-W8961ND to use as a remote access point for wi-fi but it doesn't have WAN port so I guess it's the wrong thing.
I can't locate a normal extender anywhere so I need to use powerline adapters somehow - but what do I need to make it work?? Help please!
Solved!
Go to Solution.

You need to add an Ethernet switch in that room, to give you more than one Ethernet connection. Then a wireless access point like the TP Link TL-WA701ND, and plug that into one of the Ethernet ports on the switch. Another port on that switch would connect to the Youview box. That would give you a couple of spare Ethernet ports to coneect other stuff to.
The TP link TD-W8961ND is not the right device to do this.
Powerline adapter ------- Ethenet Switch -------- TP Link WA701ND
" --------- YouView Box
A suitable Ethernet switch would be the TP Link TL-SF1005D
There is a similar diagram on this link, but with different Powerline adapters.
http://forumhelp.dyndns.info/networking/powerline3.jpg
TP Link setup
http://forumhelp.dyndns.info/hardware/TP_link/wa701nd/wa701nd_v2/wa701nd_v2_wiz.html
There are some useful help pages here, for BT Broadband customers only, on my personal website.
BT Broadband customers - help with broadband, WiFi, networking, e-mail and phones.

Trying to set up Airport Express with Ethernet Powerline adapters

Hello,
Having some problems trying to set up my Airport Express with Netgear ethernet powerline adapters.
I want to set up as follows:
Wireless Belkin router --- powerline <---> powerline --- airport express --- home stereo system
The problem I have is that I can connect the airport x in client mode & wirelessly play music using airtunes (until the sound breaks up) but itunes does not find the airport x when connected via the powerlines.
I have airport admin utility configured as follows:
Airport tab:
Wireless mode: create a wireless network
Wireless network name: same as my wireless router SSID
Allow this network to be extended: unticked
radio mode: 802.11n (802.11b/g compatible)
Channel: automatic
Wireless Security: WPA/WPA2 personal (as per my router)
Wireless Password: as per my router
Verify Password: as per my router
Internet tab:
Connect using: ethernet
Connection sharing: off (bridge mode)
Music tab:
Enable Air Tunes ticket
no password set
In iTunes, I have home sharing on & share entire library selected with no password set.
Using OS 10.6.5 & Airport Express 7.5.2
I can ping the IP address of the airport express when connected via the powerlines but cannot select the speakers in iTunes (they are greyed out).
Any assistance would be appreciated....
Thanks

Hi,
Thanks for the quick response...
As suggested, I connected up the Airport X to the Belkin and plugged in a pair of headphones. It didn't work, still could not select the Airport X as speakers.
Dug out my old Netgear DG834G and connected that up in place of the Belkin - it worked. Next connected in the Netgear powerlines and it still worked.
So, the problem is the relatively new Belkin F7D4401 router.
Looks like I will have to find an alternative 802.11n...
Thanks for your help.
Regards
Simon

Linksys and NetGear Powerline Adapters

I am wanting to improve my powerline adapters and before I purchase I want to make sure if the Linksys Homeplug AV2 Powerline Kit (PLEK500) and the NetGear Powerline 500Mpbs 4-Port Network Adapter Kit (XAVB5004) can be used on with WRT610n router? The Powerlines will be in two different level locations in my home.

Hi, Cowboybutch. The PLEK500 will work with WRT610N as long as you will connect the adapter to the same circuit breaker. I found an article regarding this adapter that might help you get to know more about this device. Here's the link: http://kb.linksys.com/Linksys/ukp.aspx?pid=80&app=vw&vw=1&login=1&json=1&docid=b6c894be283c45c4a9e7f...

Configuring non-BT provided Powerline Adapters

I recently installed BT Vision+. The package came with a BT HomeHub2 router and two COMTREND PG9020 powerline adapters. I chose to replace my Netgear 802.11n router with the BT Home Hub2 - and it all works fine.
To my original Netgear router i had recently connected a pair of ADDON HP2000 powerline adapters which allowed my son more assured access to the router (due to some thick walls wireless was a tad unrelaible).
I now want to know how can I add the two ADDON HP2000 powerline adapters onto the BTHomeHub2 provided network using one of the COMTREND PG9020 as an Access Point (AP) and the other connected to my BT-V box. With the two spare ADDON HP2000 powerline adpaters I should be able to have two more ethernet acccess points.
How do I configure the two ADDON HP2000 devices to work through the COMTREND PG9020 Access Point to the Home Hub2?
I am reasonably IT literate but please don't get too technical.
Cheers
gwato

According to : http://www.addon-tech.com/new/product_info.php?id=104
HP2000 use the following standard for Networking over Mains:
HomePlug AV 1.0, Co-exists with existing HomePlug 1.0
PG-9020 don't (as far as I can read from the specification).
http://www.comtrend-store.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage_book.tpl&product_i...
PG-9030's do.
http://www.comtrend-store.com/store/details/28/6/accessories/homeplug%C2%AE-av-ethernet-adapter---pg...
Good, luck - it might work, but I wouldn't be the farm. Briefly - you need to give them all the same encryption key and encryption type. You need to use a web browser and navigate to the IP address of each adapter. You should be able to identify where they are by using the Attached Devices section of your HomeHub:
http://192.168.1.254/hnet_device.lp?be=1&l2=0&l0=2&l1=3
Once you have identified them, login using their IP address - typing the password (password or admin):
Navigate to Change Configuration (Left Nav)->Mac (Top Nav)
e.g on my Comtrends, the encryption is set here:
http://192.168.1.69/mac.htm
Make sure all adapters have the Same Encrpyption Key and Type.
You can try and get them to work (it's worth a try). Comtrend aren't brilliant at providing the actual standards they use. If you can't get it to work following the instructions, it might be better buying 3 or 4 of the same type of adapter - it is easy to configure them using the guides.
Hope this helps(?)

Powerline adapters not working

On returning from holiday Monday afternoon I found that, although I could flick through the TV channels, there was no program information being displayed. I powered down everything and restarted it. Eventually an error message was displayed (C01).
I think I trcked the problem down to the powerline adapters as no lights came on. I tried them in another socket and still no joy. I also noticed that one of them was making a whistling sound. In fact it has been doing that for the past month.
I logged a fault and received a reference number 110530-004293 but since then I have heard nothing.
How long am I likely to have to wait before I can watch TV again?

Had the same problem. One of the powerline adapters had failed (The one the Vision+ box is connected) , no lights showing. Called BT help line on 08001114567 on Friday 17th and got to talk to an operative pretty quickly. After consulting his supervisor I was advised a new pair of powerline adapters would arrive Monday or Tuesday (20/21). Arrived yesterday Monday. Plugged them in today and the BT Vision box would not connect until I had reset the home hub and the Vision+ box. Now seems to be OK. Excellent service from BT.
MY PROBLEM is I also have a third powerline adapter which connects a computer at the other side of the house, wwfi is no good too much iron in the bricks and there is also a steel girder in the line of the signal. This powerline adapter is of the previous type Comtrend Power Grid 902 and the new ones are Comtrend Powergrid 9020, these appear to be unique to BT.
CAN ANYONE ADVISE ME IF I CAN RESET THE OLD TYPE (POWER GRID 902) TO MATCH THE PG9020 TO KEEP THIS COMPUTER CONNECTED TO THE HOME HUB. I have the instructions 'How to add a new Powerline to your existing network' for the PG902 but do not want to try it in case I mess up the setting on the new Powergrids.
Perhaps the BT Administrator could answer this.

Powerline Adapters included?

Hi there,
I'm expecting delivery of a BT YouView box and was curious to know if a set of powerline adapters are included as standard in the order. The issue of the box's location in relation to the Home Hub wasn't raised by The BT lady that made the sale and online the order refers only to the box...
Anyone had any recent experience that could shed light on this.
Thanks in advance!
Solved!
Go to Solution.

The Email confirmation provides the following information:
What's coming and when
What's coming When Between
Your broadband kit
20 Nov 2013
7am and 6pm
Your set-top box
7am and 6pm
The online order tracking information says:
Equipment ordered:YouView box (Humax)

Wifi vs. Powerline adapters?

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for