I’ve got about 3000ft of cat 5e cable in the loft, along with patch panels and network port box thingummies, ready to cable the house. For several reasons, one of which is laziness, I’m starting to wonder about powerline adapters.

Reading up on them it sounds like they’re pretty good, so if I were to try them which would you good folks recommend? The devolo ones seem popular but pricey, are they worth the extra?

I have a meter cupboard where I’d like to keep my NAS filestore and backup device (2 units) and a pooter plugged into the tellybox which I’d like to get started with. After that it would probably be one out in the garage for the printer, with a wifi extender for mobile device access out there.

In the next year or two we might extend so things will change and this might provide me with some flexibility, rather than making holes now for cable, then re-doing it later.

Thoughts and recommendations please!

I went with Newlink 200Mbps series a few years ago.

Out of 3 original units, 2 have failed. I think I got one replaced FOC from the retailer.

I may be a bit of a sucker but I recently bought another pair of the newlink 200Mbps ones (only cost £30) so now have 5 working units – one as a wifi repeater, the other 4 as network adaptors.

I dont know quite what speed I get, but the network analysis graph on my Xbox when testing the windows media externder network speed puts the speed between normal TV and HD tv speeds.

When the next unit goes, then I might bite the bullet and go for some better branded ones, and at 500Mbps.

BTW you’ll never hit those kind of speeds, usually something around 30% of that.

Do the cabling, seriously. Powerline adapters are ok when that’s what you’re stuck with, but if you have the opportunity to do it right, then do it. I have some 500Mbps Buffalo ones which work ok, but I lose about 50% of my broadband connection speed through them. I’ve done some mucking about with mains filters, tried different sockets etc, but I just can’t get a decent throughput. It might be my wiring of course, but I don’t think so.

Next time we pull the carpets up, I’ll be running a cable!

This was my original thinking, thanks woody. Perhaps I’ll chastise my lazy ass into doing the work 🙂

I’ve got TP Link ones which work really well but if I were refurbing or rewiring then I’d be putting cables in. I use them because the Virgin Superhub (sic) has such poor wireless performance once you step outside the room it’s in.

I have TP-Link fast ones – “TL-PA511KIT”, get around 250Mbps between two and a lot less to the third due to odd wiring in our place.
They work pretty well TBH, and are pretty cheapo – save all the networking stuff til you do the building work.

7 Dayshop

http://www.7dayshop.com/7dayshop-network-500mbps-mini-homeplug-powerline-ethernet-network-adapter-twin-pack?backUrl=L2NvbXB1dGVyLW5ldHdvcmstd2lmaS9uZXR3b3JrLWFuZC13aWZp

Work brilliantly and noticed no drop in connection speed.

I had TP Link ones but have now cabled the house.

The TP links were good and my dad is still using some but the hard cabling offers much better speeds for shunting backups and huge media files around.

What’s wrong with you guys? I’m currently fitting the entire house out with Cat6.

We’re using TP-Link 500mb with good results. We even have a wireless one on the garage (a separate building) which is handy and powers the internet radio in there

What’s wrong with you guys? I’m currently fitting the entire house out with Cat6.

Pfft, Cat8 will be where it’s soon at old man ;-). 40Gbps

What’s wrong with you guys? I’m currently fitting the entire house out with Cat6.

Pfft, Cat8 will be where it’s soon at old man ;-). 40Gbps

Oh really? And BTW, don’t confuse my user name with my age.

TP-Links working well for me here, basically as range extender over three storey solidly built house.

Oh really? And BTW, don’t confuse my user name with my age.

Don’t worry, it was just a general cheeky comment and not an age or username dig. I spend my days in companies were cat6 is still a dream and cat5e is the bleeding edge.

For most uses, 1Gpbs is more than enough. I don’t think the cost vs benefit is really worth it to go cat8 right now, especially for home.

What amazed me with mine was I get no increase in ping, but my 70ish mbps drops to around 50mbps. I thought it would be the other way round, high speed but more lag.

[/quote]Don’t worry, it was just a general cheeky comment and not an age or username dig. I spend my days in companies were cat6 is still a dream and cat5e is the bleeding edge.

For most uses, 1Gpbs is more than enough. I don’t think the cost vs benefit is really worth it to go cat8 right now, especially for home.

Cheers, mate! 🙂