Power line network adapters

[simon e]

Has anyone got any experience of using power line adapters for a network connection?

My squeezebox is connected directly to my router but the PC running LMS is in another room on the WiFi. We've just had our broadband upgraded to 50meg but the PC on the wireless g USB adapter is maxing out at about 20meg.

So I'm wondering if a power line adapter would be better than a wireless n PCI card or Ethernet WiFi n adapter.

My concern is the power line adapter will put a load of crap on the ring main which will effect the rest of the Hifi? I saw this a few years ago with a friends bass guitar amp.

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[UV101]

Yuk, they modulate over the mains. I tried for the same reason and took them out immediately!

You'll be hard pushed to get much over 20mb on wifi despite the speed claims. I just live with between 10-20 on the wifi devices depending on where I am in the house but the main server pc is wired and will max out the 60mb connection. recently had downloads maxing out at 7694kB/s which is over 61mb/s.

Shame I'm moving to the only house in the street without VM coverage and going to BT get me a max of 16mb/s :(

[simon e]

Yuk, they modulate over the mains. I tried for the same reason and took them out immediately!

That's what I was expecting people to say.

Shame there is no way I can get a network cable to the PC.

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[UV101]

No way to be creative with a 30m network cable? :)

BTW, how do you find the Cat 5 TNT cables? I made some years ago and was pretty impressed. I ended up giving some nearly finished ones away on DIY Audio (i think!) too.
Have you ever tried cat5 interconnects?

[simon e]

I would have to run a network cable all the way around the 2 rooms.

I think the TNT cat5 cables are very good, mine are biwired made out of 3 lengths of cat 5 braided together.
Although I've not compared them to much else.

I've not tried the interconnects I do have some day silver ones my father made which are really nice but delicate.

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[CageyH]

I have these network adapters in use in my house due to difficulties and practicalities of retrofitting Cat5 cable.
A recent change in my system has resulted in an intermittent buzz from one of the transformers. I guess that the noise that these out on the mains could be responsible, as it has been intermittent.

If this is the case, I guess a mains regenerator would be the simplest (although possibly the most expensive) option of cleaning up the noise and reducing the hum?

The reason I ask is I was hoping to use my PC to stream from Spotify Premium so I need it to be on at the same time as my system.

[Oldpinkman]

I have these network adapters in use in my house due to difficulties and practicalities of retrofitting Cat5 cable.
A recent change in my system has resulted in an intermittent buzz from one of the transformers. I guess that the noise that these out on the mains could be responsible, as it has been intermittent.

If this is the case, I guess a mains regenerator would be the simplest (although possibly the most expensive) option of cleaning up the noise and reducing the hum?

The reason I ask is I was hoping to use my PC to stream from Spotify Premium so I need it to be on at the same time as my system.

Cagey

Stop. Deep breath. Be rational. Stop worrying about mains.

I used some powerline connectors and only stopped using them because the ones I used were unreliable across circuits on the consumer unit (and I had a convenient opportunity to run some CAT 5 to Sues PC instead). In response to a strong assertion that the polluted the mains I got my number one test equipment to check for me. I didn't tell her what I was doing. Just asked her to note when she heard anything different. I was out of the room she was listening to music on. I installed 2 devices on the same ring main - sent masses of data back and forth, left them passively chatting to each other, and disconnected both. 6 times. I got a very exasperated wife complaining she could hear no differences, she was really sorry but she just didnt know what she was supposed to hear etc. Zip, nada - no effect.

The article I linked to on TAS regarding mains noise - noise from the mains getting into the signal - is a good one. It has an excellent rational, systematic approach to noise elimination. I know this is a reference to Balanced Power and not regenerators but the silver bullet bit is equally valid - page 39 http://web.mit.edu/jhawk/tmp/p/EST016_Ground_Loops_handout.pdf


POWER ISOLATION, FILTERS and BALANCED POWER

Because system noises are most frequently coupled from the power line, solutions which "cleanse it" have great intuitive appeal. Generally the most cost effective solution is to identify and eliminate .. the problems which allow noise to couple into signal paths... This approach solves the real problem. Treating the power line to get rid of noise is like using a shotgun instead of a silver bullet to target the problem

[struth]

Just very recently got a set of the tplink ones ...worked very well and give 2 ethernet and wifi at other end.. Woeked first time and my rpi upstairs is fine as is my laptop on ethernet or wifi..quite impressed actually

[CageyH]

I will try turning them off before I do anything drastic, and if it does not solve what is a minor issue (I can't hear it when the music is playing) then I shall not do anything rash....