Do powerline adapters work?

PostRe: Do powerline adapters work? by **rinks** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 4:53 pm

I used one for a few years, but I used to get frequent disconnections. Very frustrating. Speed-wise it was fine, but I was only on copper-cable broadband.

Everything is massively better since I switched to a mesh setup (after upgrading to FTTC). With Series X connected by wire to the nearest node, it gets the full speed (still a lowly 45Mb) and never drops. Or it did, until BT disconnected me. It’s currently getting the full speed of a tethered iPhone on 4G. Painful.

I’m waiting for upgrade to FTTH, so I might need to reconfigure. I’m getting the box installed close enough to the Xbox so I can wire direct from the hub.

Moggy’s idea is the best in terms of outright speed and reliability. Routing the cable might be a hassle, but once it’s done you can get an Ethernet switch and wire up everything.

PostRe: Do powerline adapters work? by **Moggy** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 4:57 pm

rinks wrote:
Moggy’s idea is the best

Saving this to quote in every thread.

PostRe: Do powerline adapters work? by **rinks** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 4:58 pm

Heh, I knew I was asking for trouble as I typed it.

Peter Crisp wrote:
kazanova_Frankenstein wrote:
Mommy wrote:If you are lucky to have a WiFi 6 router there is capability to get fantastic speeds over WiFi. Like 500-600meg.

I am, but the Series X does not support it.

My Phone gets about 850meg on the top floor of the (town) house (router is in a broom cupboard on ground floor). Annoyingly though non of my consoles (PS5, Series X, Switch, Steam Deck) can utilise it.

And no, I am not buying an OLED Steam Deck

Ah, waiting for the Steam Deck 2 then.
Sensible.

“Sensible”

Moggy wrote:I hate it when you ask a question and then rather than answering people come up with other solutions.

But...have you thought of running Ethernet cables from the router to the TV/Xbox? It's probably far more hassle than you can be arsed with, especially if the router is far away from those rooms, but would be the way to get a fast wired connection.

Thanks for the idea - it’s the route (heh) I would like to take, however it’s really not practical as I would have to drill through 2 walls, take up the carpets and somehow route the cables through the (currently non existent) void under the stairs after the cupboard finishes.

I think I will just live with what I have - it’s reliable and “good enough”. It just frustrates me as I know it could be better.

Alternatively I could get a 10 meter Ethernet cable and just run it across the rooms in question when I want to download something big. Not exactly elegant, but very much me.

PostRe: Do powerline adapters work? by **LewisD** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 6:52 pm

I have 900/900 fibre connection and only get 290-340mbs download on my series X with a cat7e ethernet cable straight into the router.

Is there anything I can do to improve it or is it an Xbox issue?

LewisD wrote:I have 900/900 fibre connection and only get 290-340mbs download on my series X with a cat7e ethernet cable straight into the router.

Is there anything I can do to improve it or is it an Xbox issue?

My PS5 is even worse.
When I link the XSX i can get 300 but the PS5 manages a paltry 150 when plugged into the exact same cable.
I have no idea why.

Peter Crisp wrote:
LewisD wrote:I have 900/900 fibre connection and only get 290-340mbs download on my series X with a cat7e ethernet cable straight into the router.

Is there anything I can do to improve it or is it an Xbox issue?

My PS5 is even worse.
When I link the XSX i can get 300 but the PS5 manages a paltry 150 when plugged into the exact same cable.
I have no idea why.

Out of interest surely 300 or 150 is just fine for gaming. There shouldn't be any noticeable difference between the two should there as both are way above what's needed?

I've just got gigabit fibre a couple days ago and been doing a few speed tests. I can get 997Mb/s on my laptop with ethernet connection. Through a fairly average access point we get 500Mb/s over WiFi in the same room and that drops to 250Mb/s going upstairs.

For faster speeds use 5GHz and set it to 80MHz width (default is usually 40).
For devices further away you might get a better result using 2.4Ghz, and try setting that to 40MHz width (default is 20).

Some devices won't ever give you 1000Mb/s. E.g. an LG OLED TV still only comes with a 100Mb ethernet port. Not that it matters much as the streaming services won't use anywhere near that.

I used a power line adapter many years ago and it didn't work so never tried them again but for some people they do the job.

Return_of_the_STAR wrote:Out of interest surely 300 or 150 is just fine for gaming. There shouldn't be any noticeable difference between the two should there as both are way above what's needed?

I'm happy with both.
I just have the PS5 wired as it's the only console I use for online multiplayer and the xbox is wireless.

I could most likely get better, more expensive powerline adapters but I'm by no means a pro gamer and don't have reactions to need super split second responses.
I'd still be rubbish at fortnite even if I had the worlds fastest internet.

It was more to boost download speeds that appealed to me. I never play online.

PostRe: Do powerline adapters work? by **mcjihge2** » Sun Jan 21, 2024 12:52 pm

How did you get on with this? Im thinking of getting a powerlien adaptor, something like this,

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4661847 ... g:24:448:2

PostRe: Do powerline adapters work? by **aayl1** » Sun Jan 21, 2024 12:54 pm

mcjihge2 wrote:How did you get on with this? Im thinking of getting a powerlien adaptor, something like this,

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4661847 ... g:24:448:2

I use this one and it works great! You maaay want to get one that also has a plug opening on it if outlets are an issue as it needs to be plugged into the wall.

I actually abandoned the project in the end as a lot of people indicated the dl speed would be a fraction of what it would be with Ethernet or good Wi-Fi connection. I’m not sure if would have been any better off.

PostRe: Do powerline adapters work? by **Qikz** » Sun Jan 21, 2024 5:47 pm

aayl1 wrote:
mcjihge2 wrote:How did you get on with this? Im thinking of getting a powerlien adaptor, something like this,

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4661847 ... g:24:448:2

I use this one and it works great! You maaay want to get one that also has a plug opening on it if outlets are an issue as it needs to be plugged into the wall.

Also the quality highly depends on the wiring in your house, sometimes it works fine and in some houses it's terrible.

I've had good luck with the TP link ones. Our house is quite long and the main bedroom is on the opposite end of where the living room with the phone line is. Was using the BT mesh discs in wifi repeater mode and it was ok but not able to work as well as hoped. Plugged a powerline equipped cable into the back of the disc and get as good wifi in the far bedroom as I do in the living room now.

This is 80/20 FTTC so I guess gigabit would be a greater challenge and yeah your mileage may vary based on your house.

PostRe: Do powerline adapters work? by **Lex-Man** » Mon Jan 22, 2024 12:10 pm

I have one that BT gave me years ago. I find it's slower than the WiFi extender that I have but I only really notice when I do speed tests. You definitely have to put in in the wall but there's a pass through plug so you can stick the power strip into the powerline adapter anyway.

PostRe: Do powerline adapters work? by **aayl1** » Mon Jan 22, 2024 12:37 pm

Lex-Man wrote:I have one that BT gave me years ago. I find it's slower than the WiFi extender that I have but I only really notice when I do speed tests. You definitely have to put in in the wall but there's a pass through plug so you can stick the power strip into the powerline adapter anyway.

Not every model has the pass-through plug - I would recommend the plug one, outlets get gobbled up so quickly.

PostRe: Do powerline adapters work? by **Imrahil** » Mon Jan 22, 2024 1:19 pm

They can be worth it in old houses with very thick walls, where wireless is problematic - you can get a pretty consistent upload/download speed through them for general browsing.

Plus if you have carpets everywhere, I always try to recommend installing flat ethernet cables that run underneath them, they're tough and designed to take the pressure. I've got one running down our hall which I installed myself years ago. Very easy to do, since it requires no drilling holes or anything, you just need to take your time lifting and resetting the carpet afterwards (and the door strips).

Once it's done though, you'll never have to do it again.

Qikz wrote:
aayl1 wrote:
mcjihge2 wrote:How did you get on with this? Im thinking of getting a powerlien adaptor, something like this,

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4661847 ... g:24:448:2

I use this one and it works great! You maaay want to get one that also has a plug opening on it if outlets are an issue as it needs to be plugged into the wall.

Also the quality highly depends on the wiring in your house, sometimes it works fine and in some houses it's terrible.

This could be what's holding me back as this house is well over 50 years old so the wiring is not exactly state of the art.

Do powerline adapters work?

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