Mains networking

I have three different makes of mains adapters and none of them work.
I have plugged the 500Mb Netcity into the mains and the BT router but
neither the software nor the utlity I downloaded from the web pick up
the plug. or the 200Mb Asus or Devolo plugs that I have around the
house. I am running Windows 7 SP1. Any suggestions?

On 9/3/2011 8:06 AM, Bill wrote:
> I have three different makes of mains adapters and none of them work.
> I have plugged the 500Mb Netcity into the mains and the BT router but
> neither the software nor the utlity I downloaded from the web pick up
> the plug. or the 200Mb Asus or Devolo plugs that I have around the
> house. I am running Windows 7 SP1. Any suggestions?


As a quick test, try plugging the master unit and one slave plug into a
multiple outlet adapter or extension cord and see if you can get that to
work. If not then it sounds like it is time to read the manuals to make
sure everything is set to the same frequency or channel and verify the
security settings and start over.

Until you can get it to work with everything plugged into the same power
source there is no reason to bounce around the place trying other
outlets and such.

"Bill" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:144424f2-451e-4b8e-8192-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have three different makes of mains adapters and none of them work.
> I have plugged the 500Mb Netcity into the mains and the BT router but
> neither the software nor the utlity I downloaded from the web pick up
> the plug. or the 200Mb Asus or Devolo plugs that I have around the
> house. I am running Windows 7 SP1. Any suggestions?

Must ask, are you happy with knowing how these work?
- Unlikely three sets all faulty (?)

If so, select a matched pair, left to to sync so to speak. Got the required lights on (they're probably different each end)?
- I've often played with these within seeing, walking distance to check all okay first.
- Try them in an extension strip together.

Then, try the ethernet link.

Don't know if W7 is better, but did have hassles with someone else's vista LT once - darn this was 'remembering' and old ip range
took me ages to resolve.

BTW Depends on the router, but (esp. BTs) it may not show as a device or you may only get the 'master' (whether or not it's the
AP).

Thanks. I'll try what is suggested but none of the three pieces of software(Devolo Cockpit, Asus or Netcity[which seem to be the same]) register any of the passwords that are on the plugs. The manuals,such as they are do not desal with chanels etc. to my recollection,just setup. Any resources e.g.onthe 'net that I can explore? Thanks again for the help,I'll keep you posted but give me some ime to work things through.

Bill wrote:

> I have three different makes of mains adapters and none of them work.
> I have plugged the 500Mb Netcity into the mains and the BT router but
> neither the software nor the utlity I downloaded from the web pick up
> the plug. or the 200Mb Asus or Devolo plugs that I have around the
> house. I am running Windows 7 SP1. Any suggestions?

You shouldn't need to mess around with passwords.

As one respondant said, first try the units on an extension lead so you
know they work and are set up correctly. Then try on different
sockets, starting with adjacent sockets and then moving further apart.

I think the problem is that you are trying to communicate between units
on completely separate circuits. As long as the units are on the same
ring main circuit there should be no problem. Communications between
different ring mains may be being interfered with by something.

--

"Andrew Chapman" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:j44h1v$sag$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Bill wrote:
>
>> I have three different makes of mains adapters and none of them work.
>> I have plugged the 500Mb Netcity into the mains and the BT router but
>> neither the software nor the utlity I downloaded from the web pick up
>> the plug. or the 200Mb Asus or Devolo plugs that I have around the
>> house. I am running Windows 7 SP1. Any suggestions?
>
> You shouldn't need to mess around with passwords.
>
> As one respondant said, first try the units on an extension lead so you
> know they work and are set up correctly. Then try on different
> sockets, starting with adjacent sockets and then moving further apart.
>
> I think the problem is that you are trying to communicate between units
> on completely separate circuits. As long as the units are on the same
> ring main circuit there should be no problem. Communications between
> different ring mains may be being interfered with by something.

It's usually said that you can communicate between different ring mains as
long as they are on the same electricity meter (the coils in the meter block
the RF signal). However I've had communication between ring mains on
different meters: a customer of mine lives in a very old house with think
walls that severely limited wireless communication, and it had different
wings which each had its own fuse box and meter (it was several houses that
had been combined into one). Since wireless was a non-starter I tried mains
networking without much confidence and it worked perfectly.

I've tried some of the things suggested and got some of the devices back so that my freesat box is now able to get iPlayer but my Panasonic PVR doesn't connect hrough the Asus plug. Thanks again for all the suggestions I'll keep trying!

"Bill" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:3746961.1997.1316498199826.JavaMail.geo-discussion-forums@yqcd38...
> I've tried some of the things suggested and got some of the devices back
> so that my freesat box is now able to get iPlayer but my Panasonic PVR
> doesn't connect hrough the Asus plug. Thanks again for all the
> suggestions I'll keep trying!


Have you established whether the Asus Homeplug works OK (eg can you ping
other computers, can you access their shared drives, can you browse the web)
with a computer temporarily connected in place of the Panasonic PVR? That
will eliminate/identify problems with the Homeplug. Also, can the PVR
connect if you replace the Homeplug device with a length of Ethernet cable
to the router?

What are the pros and cons of mains networking?