REQ: Powerline/Homeplug networking kit

Eurorunner

I'm looking for a kit like this ie 2 powerline adapters to the 200Mbps spec.

Does anyone know where the best deal is to be had for this kit (doesnt have to be netgear)? If I buy from the states (due to current weak dollar), would their version simply not work due to different electrical system and would I get hit with customs charges anyways?

quazzy

Have a look on dabs

http://www.dabs.ie/ProductList.aspx?SearchTerms=devolo&SearchMode=All&SearchKey=All&PageMode=3&NavigationKey=0&SearchType=1

bucks73

I bought this a few months ago and did a lot of looking around. Bought it on Dabs in the end. Excellent piece of kit by the way.

http://www.dabs.ie/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=47WZ&SearchType=1&SearchTerms=hdxb101&PageMode=3&SearchKey=All&SearchMode=All&NavigationKey=0

Eurorunner

bucks73 wrote: »

I bought this a few months ago and did a lot of looking around. Bought it on Dabs in the end. Excellent piece of kit by the way.

http://www.dabs.ie/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=47WZ&SearchType=1&SearchTerms=hdxb101&PageMode=3&SearchKey=All&SearchMode=All&NavigationKey=0

Thanks for that bucks. Thats a little bit cheaper than anything i've been able to find. Will order up in the morning.

Dilbert75

Also try www.solwise.co.uk - I have their 85Mbps adaptors, and find them great (though I don't use them for much online gaming).

Zilog

I've been looking out for Homeplug AV adaptors for a few months now.

Read a few comparative reviews on various bits of kit - generally Devolo and Solwise come out fairly well. The Netgear adaptors are not Hompelug compliant, but use a different chipset. Apparently the Netgear AV adaptors work very well over 'quiet' wiring, with the Devolo and Solwise more tolerant of 'noisy' mains.

Things like phone chargers and AC adaptors seem to introduce noise - what house doesn't have these plugged in now-a-days?

Bucks73, have you experienced noise problems?

Pricing for Powerline adaptors is very expensive at the mo, haven't seen anything for less than €150 for a starter kit of 2 adaptors, which will buy some fairly serious Draft-N wireless gear. When the price drops to €100 / pair the Powerline stuff will be hard to resist though! Holding out for this!!

bucks73

Hey Zilog,

Ive experienced no noise problems anyway. Bought it to use with Slingbox and Xbox Live as the room they are in is a converted garage and the signal strength on my wireless lappie is brutal and needed something a lot better.

Can watch the slingbox in work no problem. Streams at about 260Kbps. And havent had a problem with Xbox Live in the 2 months I have it.

Eurorunner

Well, I ordered up the same kit as bucks73 so will let yee know how well it performs. I may finally be able to get rid of the bloody network cable thats meandering across my living room floor!

Zilog

Eurorunner wrote: »

... so will let yee know how well it performs.

Thanks for the feedback Bucks73 - does the Netgear have QoS for streaming video etc. do you know?

Eurorunner, be interested to hear how you get on - did you purchase from Dabs too?

Ta, Deco.

Eurorunner

Zilog wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback Bucks73 - does the Netgear have QoS for streaming video etc. do you know?

From the Spec.:
"Built-in Quality of Service (QoS) ensures high quality, consistent performance for things like real-time HD video and audio streaming for a digital media adapter (DMA) like the NETGEAR Digital Entertainer (EVA700), or for Internet gaming and VoIP calls."

Zilog wrote: »

Eurorunner, be interested to hear how you get on - did you purchase from Dabs too?

Yes, went with Dabs -cheapest i could find. Will post feedback next week.

shanethemofo

what about the devolo ones?
http://www.dabs.ie/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=3RYL&SearchType=1&SearchTerms=devolo&PageMode=3&SearchKey=All&SearchMode=All&NavigationKey=0

Anyone use them?

Sfinn

Yup,

Bought the stater kit last week delivery on friday, XBMC connected, WAN connected, excellent.

Highly recommend then.

Sfinn

Bought from Digital Era Ltd.

Eurorunner

Zilog wrote: »

Eurorunner, be interested to hear how you get on - did you purchase from Dabs too?Ta, Deco.

Arrived yesterday. Streaming video flawlessly. And theres no setup involved - plug in - and it does exactly what it says on the tin.

Its a shame they're not a bit more economical - i'd have them in all rooms in the house (may well do so yet).

Kashkai

Saw these gizmos in pc world and thought they were a gimmick. Very surprised to hear that they actually work - question is, is anyone using them for online gaming via a ps3? If so, do you lose connection at any point or are they as reliable as a hard wired modem? They seem to good to be true but if they work, I'd get them as they would be the ideal solution to my own home networking problems

Zilog

Eurorunner wrote: »

Arrived yesterday. Streaming video flawlessly. And theres no setup involved - plug in - and it does exactly what it says on the tin.

Thanks for the feedback Euorunner, glad they're working well! How far do you have them apart?

Eurorunner wrote: »

Its a shame they're not a bit more economical ...

Agreed! I've been waiting for months for the prices to "crash" on these - still waiting! Very tempted though ...

zod

I use the 85mbps version of them for streaming video xbmc, slingbox and PS3 .. zero issues .. bought from ebay here for about €40 each.

Connect one to a switch beside tv/xbox/whatever and the other to your broadband. Perfect.

Zilog

Zilog wrote: »

Very tempted though ...

Feck it, couldn't hold off any longer, just bought these from elara:
ZyXEL PLA-401 Twin Pack Powerline Homeplug AV

Works out about €155 delivered incl. VAT.

bucks73

Have to agree. As I said earlier a great piece of kit and so simple to set up. Use it for Xbox Live and Slingbox.

farmergiles

I've read that some makes of homeplug can get very hot so you must read the reviews before you decide.

Zilog

The ZyXel PLA-401's run quite cool, so seem safe enough. Work well, haven't really "stressed" them yet though! MKV files stream well enough though, these were quite sensitive with the 802.11g wireless.

Have to say, another interesting product is ZyXel P660HWP HomePlug AV router. This could get rid of a few cables with my current setup!

aidankk

DID in killkenny were selling a set of 2 Devolo homeplus adaptors for 100e earlier on this week..

banchang

Interested to understand how this compares with a wifi network around the house.

Does this make a material difference ? Is this only needed if you dont have a wifi router ?

Any links to this type of analysis ?

bucks73

I have a wifi router and also have a pair of these. I use Xbox Live and my Xbox is a couple of rooms away from the router through two solid walls. The signal strength on my laptop is crap in that room so that why I dont use a wireless adaptor for Xbox Live.

I also use it with a slingbox which needs to be connected by ethernet to the router and seeing as the slingbox is in the same room as Xbox this is the only way to sort that out.

farmergiles

I'd think if you have an old house with thick walls or you have a house say on three floors the Homeplugs might be better that trying to get a wireless signal from your router.

Kashkai

I bought the Netgear HDX101's to use with my PS3. As I live in a long bungalow, with the PC/router at one end of the house and the PS3 at the other, wireles wasn't an option for me as the signal would have to go through numerous walls that have thick foil back insulation in them that would have affected the wifi signal.

The HDX101's have worked flawlessly since I installed them 2 weeks ago. The only slightly negative thing I'd say about them is that they do tend to get a little hot so I turn them off at night to let them cool down. Perhaps I'm overly cautious though. When they are turned back on, they re-establish a signal in about 30 seconds. On the whole, I'd recommend them if you don't require the ability to wander from room to room with your laptop while surfing the net:rolleyes:

bucks73

Yeah mine also get a little warm but havent turned them off since I first plugged them in a few months ago. House still standing.

Youve got me thinking now...probably will start turning them off at night.

farmergiles

A hot plug does get a little worrying. I had an electric convector fire plugged in for a day and when I unplugged it at night one of the plug prongs was hot and burned my finger.


Scareeeeeeeeee.



Would want a Homeplug for internet that can be left on for weeks without the outer casing getting too hot.

bucks73

Just touched mine there and I wouldnt say it is dangerously hot. Its a little more than warm and thats only on the front of it. The sides, top and bottom are fine.

Mine have been on since I got them apart from a few power outages.

mickoneill30

farmergiles wrote: »

Would want a Homeplug for internet that can be left on for weeks without the outer casing getting too hot.

I've been using the Devlo 85Mb/s plugs linked to above for about a year now. I've 3 of them plugged in at my house. They get slightly warm (about the same temperature as a plug for my cordless phone). I've had zero issues and for me they've been as reliable and required as much effort as using a normal network cable.

Eurorunner

Has anyone mixed products eg. devolo kit & netgear, etc. ?

I got two HD standard plugs for streaming video. For my next project, I want to use the cheapest plugs available (just need a steady connection - won't be used for streaming) - to connect up to the router via the HD Netgear powerline plug thats attached to it.

Is mixing kit problematic or straightforward?

Sponge Bob

banchang wrote: »

Interested to understand how this compares with a wifi network around the house.

Pro

Faster than wifi , 60mbits or so
no security problems


Cons

RF pollution
Only serves ONE point in the house unlike wireless which serves the back garden and all
Pings iffier than a good wireless router.

sunnysoutheast

Hi

I got the Devolo Homeplug 200 AV starter kit yesterday - have a weird problem though. They work very well for about 5 minutes then the connection is dropped. Turning the socket on and off solves the problem but it's got me stumped.

Anyone experienced this? For those of you have them working are you running it over a single consumer unit/RCD etc.? - I suspect the problem might be that we have two consumer units.

Thanks
SSE