Home plugs speed query...

[roger06]

Hi

Can someone please enlighten me?

These homeplugs are described as 500 mbps but in the tech spec it states

Interface: 10/100Mbps Ethernet Port

So how can they be faster than 100mbps?

Thanks

 

[davejberry]

They use a 10/100 Mbps ethernet interface to talk to your individual hardware (pc, router, ps3 etc) but can talk to each other at up to 500Mbps. Unless you are using many home plugs on a very busy network, I think you can easily get away with units running at 200 Mbps or less.

 

[roger06]

Thanks Dave

So what's the point of that? You only need 'em for talking to your devices so it's a bit academic isn't it?

Do you know if you can get them with Gigabit ports?

cheers

 

[The_Lhc]

So what's the point of that? You only need 'em for talking to your devices so it's a bit academic isn't it?

If you have many homeplugs they can all talk to each other at full speed, presumably 1 homeplug could talk to 5 others without a problem (in theory).

 

[hammill]

Do you know if you can get them with Gigabit ports?

cheers

Yes, you can

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TL-PA511KIT-Gigabit-Powerline-Adapter/dp/B005FVOKM8/ref=sr_1_sc_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1360590667&sr=8-5-spell

 

[roger06]

So what's the point of that? You only need 'em for talking to your devices so it's a bit academic isn't it?

If you have many homeplugs they can all talk to each other at full speed, presumably 1 homeplug could talk to 5 others without a problem (in theory).

Am I being a bit thick? But what use is that? what traffic can the plugs be carrying between themselves that's not to / from attached devices?

Also - do you know any way of measuring speed around my network? I've got a mix of wired, wi fi & powerline adaptors...

 

[roger06]

Just as a quick update. I've been having terrible problems lately watching catchup TV on YouView (wired ethernet, not home plugs). On reading BT forums there's a suggestion that home plugs inject so much interference into your network it can cripple your broadband.

Sure enough, I removed the home plugs (which were feeding a PC upstairs) and hey presto, problem solved.

I really think these things should be your absolute last resort.

 

[hammill]

Just as a quick update. I've been having terrible problems lately watching catchup TV on YouView (wired ethernet, not home plugs). On reading BT forums there's a suggestion that home plugs inject so much interference into your network it can cripple your broadband.

Sure enough, I removed the home plugs (which were feeding a PC upstairs) and hey presto, problem solved.

I really think these things should be your absolute last resort.

I have 3 home plugs, 2 wireless networks with multiple wireless devices and 3 wired devices. I do not have the problems you describe. I work from home so my network gets a good hammering.

 

[roger06]

Indeed, it's not an absolute... lots of different factors of course.

Interesting reading - http://community.bt.com/t5/BB-Speed-Connection-Issues/Poor-Broadband-speed/m-p/14217#M8397

 

[hammill]

Indeed, it's not an absolute... lots of different factors of course.

Interesting reading - http://community.bt.com/t5/BB-Speed-Connection-Issues/Poor-Broadband-speed/m-p/14217#M8397

Interesting. I have virgin cable, maybe that is not susceptible to home plug generated interference?

 

[MajorFubar]

I did a small amount of research before buying-into the technology. From what I could find out, the only interference that some of the homeplugs generate is local RF interference on the short-wave wave-band, which irritates radio-hams*. Some reports said that if you live next door to a radio-ham and he believes your homeplugs are interfering with his radio, he can ask the police to come round and disconnect them.

I suppose there's every possibility that some routers just don't 'like' homeplugs!

*I thought radio-hamming died-out long before the end of last century, but there you go...

 

[Alantiggger]

I'm going to be buying homeplugs very soon and have to say that I agree with the fellow hammill... Virgin do great with their broadband. I have up to 60mb/s and any time my sons or I have checked it is mostly always above 50mb/s :clap: .

 

[roger06]

Well I've had a week of banging my head against the wall.

I removed the home plugs and all seemed well. Next night I was back to problems, catch up TV refusing to stream and Internet speed and connection up and down like the Assyrian Empire...

So maybe NOT the home plugs to blame. After 3 weeks and 3 phone calls I finally had a call from BT 2nd line who admitted there was a problem on my line they'd sort out.

So, I may have unjustly maligned home plugs. 😳