Need help regarding some home networking.

Sgro

Hey guys, have recently switched to UPC. Love it, is great. However, due to the connection coming through the TV wall thingiewotsit, and the router being there, I have to re-arrange something.
My XBOX360 currently connects to Xbox LIVE by using a really long Ethernet cable, it runs from my bedroom (on the landing) down the stairs to the phonetable, and plugs into the Eircom router.
However the cable is not long enough to get into the sitting room, and I can imagine the hassle for arranging the cable up and around the frontdoor and whatnot is more hassle than its worth.
So I basically have 2 options; get the Wireless Adapter for Xbox 360, or get a powerline adapter.
I just want to ask which you would consider to be better? I've had problems in the past with gaming online (which I put down to Eircom tbh) so I want to get the best possible option. Unfortunately, as I've said direct Ethernet cabling is not an option. I considered using my laptop as a wireless adapter, but have first and second hand stories of it making the connection very unstable and prone to cutting out (only takes a second of a cut connection to disconnect you from Xbox live.)

Have also heard Wireless in general is a lot less stable than wired connections (obviously) but I want to know if this applies to Powerline adapters (the things that let me put an ethernet cable from my Xbox to wall socket, and the connections are linked thru the electrical mains in the house).

So is a wired powerline connection more stable than just getting a wireless adapter? Or is the loss of stability with the wireless adapter outweighed by its convenience?
Thanks in advance for the opinions guys.

JDxtra

PowerLine devices are generally better than wireless.

What about this option : pay UPC €50 to move the broadband upstairs?

Sgro

JDxtra wrote: »

PowerLine devices are generally better than wireless.

What about this option : pay UPC €50 to move the broadband upstairs?

You mean get a multi-room thing? We were considering that.

So PowerLine IS better? Any reccomendations on which brand adapter to buy? Thanks again.

JDxtra

Not multroom - just tell them you want the broadband moved to a new location as it's not convenient next to the TV. Should be a €50 once off charge. Or do it yourself - maybe you have UPC points upstairs already??

Regarding PowerLine devices - I have tried Netgear, Belkin and Devolo. Only the Devolo units worked well - good, consistent speeds and no disconnects.

Sgro

JDxtra wrote: »

Not multroom - just tell them you want the broadband moved to a new location as it's not convenient next to the TV. Should be a €50 once off charge. Or do it yourself - maybe you have UPC points upstairs already??

Regarding PowerLine devices - I have tried Netgear, Belkin and Devolo. Only the Devolo units worked well - good, consistent speeds and no disconnects.

Yea I've heard Devolo mentioned somewhere before too.

Are they easy to find? Looked at their website and it seemed a bit pricey tbh
The 'faster' option (up to 85Mbits) was 90 euro from their own online shop, is it cheaper to buy elsewhere?
Know if PC World or anything like that will have them cheap?

Again, thanks, appreciate it.

Knasher

If you are doing any sort of multimedia streaming at all I'd recommend you get the 200Mbps ones. I've used the 85Mbps ones and even having two of them plugged into the same sockets won't get to 85Mbps. Hell the 200Mbps only have 100Mbps sockets so clearly they never expected to get close to the stated limit.

As to which one is better really depends on your house. I've notice that if you can get a good connection via wireless then it tends to introduce less latency into your connection, which is obviously an important consideration for gaming. Though obviously if its a weak connection then it can be pretty bad with drops. Similarly you can get some houses which are absolutely terrible for homeplugs and you can get the same instabilities. Personally I would probably try the homeplugs first, unless you have a mate who has a xbox wifi adapter that you can borrow for a little bit.

Kristopherus

A triple pack of the Devolo ones are around £75 on amazon.co.ok. Have a look at the HomePlug FAQ at http://www.avforums.com/forums/networking-nas/
HoePlug units are the same as Powerline ones.