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Using Powerline Adaptors

plan7
Newbie
Posts: 1
Registered: ‎16-11-2012

Using Powerline Adaptors

Hi,
I'm using Extra.  When I connect my computer to the router with a direct Ethernet cable the download speed is about 65 Mbps.  Fine.
However, when i use a pair of Solwise powerline adaptors the best download speed is 35 Mbps.  The technician on the Solwise help desk said
that this could be caused by a dirty power supply for the modem.
Plusnet have told me that they can't replace the power supply.  Apparently it was supplied by BT.
Has anyone else had this problem?
Can anyone suggest powerline adaptors that can cope with the noise?
Can anyone suggest where I can buy a cleaner power supply for the modem?
Thank you in advance.
Regards,
Mick
11 REPLIES 11
adamwalker
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 16,871
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Registered: ‎27-04-2007

Re: Using Powerline Adaptors

It is true that poor wiring or interference could cause issues with powerline adapters but I've never heard the term "dirty power supply" before.
Have you checked the specifications to see what the maximum speed your powerline adapters are capable of?
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 Plusnet Help Team
glloyd
Rising Star
Posts: 1,670
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Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Using Powerline Adaptors

I would imagine that if you had a dirty power supply to the modem it would affect your broadband connection (What ever is meant by dirty power supply, never heard of the expression).
Dan_the_Van
Aspiring Hero
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Registered: ‎25-06-2007

Re: Using Powerline Adaptors

A dirty power supply would suggest the output voltage is not a pure DC voltage, has noise spikes, not a steady voltage and many more defects. Mains hum on a audio amplifier would be an example of a dirty power supply.
Dan.
Palmski
Grafter
Posts: 84
Registered: ‎21-01-2010

Re: Using Powerline Adaptors

I understand that the performance of powerline adapters drops off markedly if they are plugged into sockets which are on different ring mains, could this be the problem? Also don't plug them in to extension cables, plug directly into the socket if you can.
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
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Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Using Powerline Adaptors

I'd suggest a speed test with the two power line adapters plugged in side by side on a trailing extension lead. Whatever background noise they should perform like that - if they don't I'd be inclined to return them as faulty.
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
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Routefinder
Grafter
Posts: 453
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Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: Using Powerline Adaptors

Not heard the expression "dirty power supply" for yonks.  It was always my understanding that this was only applicable to AC power and it was considered dirty if the synosoidal waveform of the supply was not even & regular in both Hz and voltage regulatory.
During WW Two many mil kit radios were powered in the field by 'vibrating' invertors and they produced a "saw wave" pattern and were very dirty.............................but back to the point the little power bricks we all are stuck with being DC output I thought cannot be a so called source of dirty power not least of which the circuitry in the powered device(Router in this instance) should smooth any minor variances that might exist???  So maybe the Solwise guy was blowing smoke up your proverbial  Shocked
Strat
Community Veteran
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Registered: ‎14-04-2007

Re: Using Powerline Adaptors

Just out of interest I plugged my pair of 500Mbs homeplugs side by side into a triple wall socket and the supplied PC app announced they were connected at 504Mbs.
Moving one to a wall socket 4 metres away across the room dropped the reported connection speed to 294Mbs.
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quelquod
Pro
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Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: Using Powerline Adaptors

High speed powerline connectors use a broad frequency spectum to get their bandwidth. Noise of any sort (SMPSs say, but any noisy equipment - not necessarily the modem itself of course) tends to eat into this reducing the speed they can achieve. Also their performance is very much determined by the wiring in your home, the routes it takes, the various equipment plugged into it including whether it is switched on or not. and (as mentioned above) whether 2 units are on the same ring or not. Its not a very exact science and rather like wifi it's easy for manufacturers to specify a maximum speed but much harder to guarantee what you'll get in any particular installation.
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maximod
Grafter
Posts: 139
Registered: ‎15-08-2010

Re: Using Powerline Adaptors

As mains supplies become more rf contaminated with switched mode power supplies and energy saving bulbs, this reduces the effectiveness of powerline adapters at distance.
Also powerline adapters suffer more when used across different ring circuits as mcb and especially rcbo breakers attenuate the rf energy more than a straight fuse !
Paul.
shuffle
Dabbler
Posts: 16
Registered: ‎02-12-2011

Re: Using Powerline Adaptors

Quote from: Strat
Just out of interest I plugged my pair of 500Mbs homeplugs side by side into a triple wall socket and the supplied PC app announced they were connected at 504Mbs.
Moving one to a wall socket 4 metres away across the room dropped the reported connection speed to 294Mbs.

thanks for that link, they are ones I'm looking at getting. Although I only get 11mb speed on fibre.. do you think they are still worth the extra over say 200mb? I currently use and ethernet cable, so I want the best possible speed.
Strat
Community Veteran
Posts: 31,320
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Registered: ‎14-04-2007

Re: Using Powerline Adaptors

It's more for moving stuff around a network at the moment until gigabit fibre becomes readily available.
However when moving files across a network more factors come into play than the speed of a homeplug link.
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