Broadband distribution using Powerline (domestic wiring)

I'd be interested in any comments from people that have first hand
experience of networking their PC's using the domestic wiring.

I'm currently looking at this kit:

http://www.zyxel.co.uk/web/product_f...No=PDCA2006017

In my particular situation, I want to supply broadband to a refurbished
barn, which is about 100m away from the main house. The barn takes it's
electrical supply from the house.

Since there is no land line to the barn, I would like to rely on VoIP.

I like the solution in principle, but have concerns that every time you
use an electrical appliance there will be some degradation of the
quality of service?

"Bypass" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:coG_g.5725$(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'd be interested in any comments from people that have first hand
> experience of networking their PC's using the domestic wiring.
>
> I'm currently looking at this kit:
>
> http://www.zyxel.co.uk/web/product_f...No=PDCA2006017
>
> In my particular situation, I want to supply broadband to a refurbished
> barn, which is about 100m away from the main house. The barn takes it's
> electrical supply from the house.
>
> Since there is no land line to the barn, I would like to rely on VoIP.
>
> I like the solution in principle, but have concerns that every time you
> use an electrical appliance there will be some degradation of the quality
> of service?


http://www.solwise.co.uk/net-powerline.htm
I bought three Solwise gadgets (85Mbps) a few days ago as per link and had
plugged in and working within minutes.
For years I had wireless with no problems then about one year ago started
getting regular disconnections, tried four different routers, two separate
PC engineers and a number of calls to router tech support. No one could
solve the problems and thought I would need to go wired until on this NG
someone suggested these gadgets. For me now to be able to go through each
and every day with no problem is a real luxury.

Ken

Ken wrote:


> http://www.solwise.co.uk/net-powerline.htm
> I bought three Solwise gadgets (85Mbps) a few days ago as per link and had
> plugged in and working within minutes.
> For years I had wireless with no problems then about one year ago started
> getting regular disconnections, tried four different routers, two separate
> PC engineers and a number of calls to router tech support. No one could
> solve the problems and thought I would need to go wired until on this NG
> someone suggested these gadgets. For me now to be able to go through each
> and every day with no problem is a real luxury.
>

Ken, that's really helpful.

Are you using VoIP with these units, and if so, how is it connected up?
Can you simply plug a switch box into the Solwise adapter?

Bypass wrote:
> Ken wrote:
>
>
>> http://www.solwise.co.uk/net-powerline.htm
>> I bought three Solwise gadgets (85Mbps) a few days ago as per link and
>> had plugged in and working within minutes.
>> For years I had wireless with no problems then about one year ago
>> started getting regular disconnections, tried four different routers,
>> two separate PC engineers and a number of calls to router tech
>> support. No one could solve the problems and thought I would need to
>> go wired until on this NG someone suggested these gadgets. For me now
>> to be able to go through each and every day with no problem is a real
>> luxury.
>>
>
> Ken, that's really helpful.
>
> Are you using VoIP with these units, and if so, how is it connected up?
> Can you simply plug a switch box into the Solwise adapter?

Oops, bad form I know to reply to your own post, but I've now found
typical setups on Solwise's website showing the use of ethernet switches.

I'm now just looking for comments using VoIP on this type of networking.

Bypass wrote:
> Bypass wrote:
>> Ken wrote:
>>
>>
>>> http://www.solwise.co.uk/net-powerline.htm
>>> I bought three Solwise gadgets (85Mbps) a few days ago as per link
>>> and had plugged in and working within minutes.
>>> For years I had wireless with no problems then about one year ago
>>> started getting regular disconnections, tried four different routers,
>>> two separate PC engineers and a number of calls to router tech
>>> support. No one could solve the problems and thought I would need to
>>> go wired until on this NG someone suggested these gadgets. For me now
>>> to be able to go through each and every day with no problem is a real
>>> luxury.
>>>
>>
>> Ken, that's really helpful.
>>
>> Are you using VoIP with these units, and if so, how is it connected
>> up? Can you simply plug a switch box into the Solwise adapter?
>
> Oops, bad form I know to reply to your own post, but I've now found
> typical setups on Solwise's website showing the use of ethernet switches.
>
> I'm now just looking for comments using VoIP on this type of networking.

No problem, we have two. One is in our first floor home office hooked
upto an ethernet switch and broadband connection. The second is in our
ground floor lounge and is plugged into a wireless access point and
networked Tivo.

A VOIP connection from my work laptop via wireless back to the work PABX
(IAX using Idefisk soft phone) has no degradation of quality and no
drop-outs. The powerline networking adapters do just simply work
plug-n-play.

Best regards
David Cook

David Cook wrote:

>
> No problem, we have two. One is in our first floor home office hooked
> upto an ethernet switch and broadband connection. The second is in our
> ground floor lounge and is plugged into a wireless access point and
> networked Tivo.
>
> A VOIP connection from my work laptop via wireless back to the work PABX
> (IAX using Idefisk soft phone) has no degradation of quality and no
> drop-outs. The powerline networking adapters do just simply work
> plug-n-play.
>

David, are you using the Solwise adapters? What speed are they?

If UK broadband is 'maxed out' at 8Mbps is there any need to get
adapters greater than 14Mbps?

Bypass <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote on Sun, 22 Oct 2006 at 08:57:44:
>In my particular situation, I want to supply broadband to a refurbished
>barn, which is about 100m away from the main house. The barn takes
>it's electrical supply from the house.

I'm successfully using the 14Mb/s Solwise units. My only concern is that
you should check whether there is any sort of inductive unit between a
socket in the house and a socket in the barn. A separate meter? A
Residual Current Device (RCD)? Anything with inductance in series with
the mains wiring will attenuate the Powerline signal. In my tests, they
worked well between 2 mains rings, so only a couple of Miniature Circuit
Breakers (MCBs) in between, but they failed with 2 RCBs in between.
Otherwise, I thoroughly recommend them.
--
Tony

"Bypass" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:ruH_g.50507$(E-Mail Removed)...
> David Cook wrote:
>
>>
>> No problem, we have two. One is in our first floor home office hooked
>> upto an ethernet switch and broadband connection. The second is in our
>> ground floor lounge and is plugged into a wireless access point and
>> networked Tivo.
>>
>> A VOIP connection from my work laptop via wireless back to the work PABX
>> (IAX using Idefisk soft phone) has no degradation of quality and no
>> drop-outs. The powerline networking adapters do just simply work
>> plug-n-play.
>>
>
> David, are you using the Solwise adapters? What speed are they?
>
> If UK broadband is 'maxed out' at 8Mbps is there any need to get adapters
> greater than 14Mbps?

The reason I got the 85Mbps is moving files from PC to PC in my small office
environment otherwise the guy from Solwise tech support said the 14Mbps
would of been fine for my usage. I also felt I needed to be as future proof
as possible.

Ken

"Bypass" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:hLG_g.1232$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Ken wrote:
>
>
>> http://www.solwise.co.uk/net-powerline.htm
>> I bought three Solwise gadgets (85Mbps) a few days ago as per link and
>> had plugged in and working within minutes.
>> For years I had wireless with no problems then about one year ago started
>> getting regular disconnections, tried four different routers, two
>> separate PC engineers and a number of calls to router tech support. No
>> one could solve the problems and thought I would need to go wired until
>> on this NG someone suggested these gadgets. For me now to be able to go
>> through each and every day with no problem is a real luxury.
>>
>
> Ken, that's really helpful.
>
> Are you using VoIP with these units, and if so, how is it connected up?
> Can you simply plug a switch box into the Solwise adapter?

No not using VoIP but others on the NG may help. Why not call the Tech
support. I did before I bought with Solwise and they were helpful.

Ken

"Bypass" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:ruH_g.50507$(E-Mail Removed)...
> David Cook wrote:
>
>>
>> No problem, we have two. One is in our first floor home office hooked
>> upto an ethernet switch and broadband connection. The second is in our
>> ground floor lounge and is plugged into a wireless access point and
>> networked Tivo.
>>
>> A VOIP connection from my work laptop via wireless back to the work PABX
>> (IAX using Idefisk soft phone) has no degradation of quality and no
>> drop-outs. The powerline networking adapters do just simply work
>> plug-n-play.
>>
>
> David, are you using the Solwise adapters? What speed are they?
>
> If UK broadband is 'maxed out' at 8Mbps is there any need to get adapters
> greater than 14Mbps?

BE currently supplies "upto" 24Meg via their LLU sites ;-)
I think the 14Mbps kit is being succeeded by the 85 and higher, so may as
well go for the 85's.

P.