Why is my power-line connection slower than my WiFi connection?

[WelshDdraig]

Hey everyone,

 

I'm a bit curious about something and was wandering is you could share your enlightenment on the issue.

 

Backstory - recommend you read

When I first built my computer, I was aiming for it to be hackintosh compatible, so I bought one of the few wireless cards that worked out of the box with not additional kexts needed,

the TP-Link N900 WD4800 Dual Band Card.

Needless to say, my hackintosh didn't work - user impatience more like.

 

So over WiFi, I was maxing out my speeds given by my provider, 75mbps down and 15-18mbps up.

My mum then moved the router since she was re-designing downstairs and the signal dropped considerably, I couldn't use WiFi upstairs at all.

I assumed this is because of several concrete walls between me and the router.

 

Solution? 

So I decided to get a power-line kit and that worked fine, (The kit I got was the TP-LINK TL-PA500PKIT - Part name is linked to the product)

Up until the electrician came to fit a new earthing rod for the house.

Since then my power-line ping had more than doubled, and speeds were halved. 

 

So today, I moved the router less than 30 cm so it was in the next room across from where it was and now my WiFi is back up to full strength and even beating my power-line speeds.

 

The Question

Why is my WiFi beating my Power-line in speeds and Ping?

Would the extra earthing fitted by the electrician effect the speeds?

 

I am not using Wireless AC, although my router does combine both the 2.4GHz and the 5GHz band, if that would make any difference.

My router does support WiFi AC but I am not using it, my WiFi card only supports up to the N standard.

 

I would like your input, and thanks for reading the minor essay I had written above.

EDIT: My router is the BT HOMEHUB 5

[techguru]

do you have old alumunum wiriing or knob and tube wiring or wiring older then the mid 80's

[WelshDdraig]

do you have old alumunum wiriing or knob and tube wiring or wiring older then the mid 80's

House was bought late 80's, early 90's 1988-1991, Im not too sure as that was well before my time, by a good 5-7 years.

[techguru]

well...more then likely its some bad wiring causing the speed problem

if you have a laptop..you could try connecting the powerline adapter around the house and see what gives you the best speed...

might just be that socket you are currently connected to

[techguru]

could also be just a crappy powerline adapter ....ive used a few and some are defiantly better then others

[WelshDdraig]

could also be just a crappy powerline adapter ....ive used a few and some are defiantly better then others

I wouldn't say it was a crappy adapter. Its from a reputable brand and was working fine up until the new earthing rod was fitted. I think because even thought the speeds are slower, Ill stick to powerline as its a bit more reliable than the WiFi, and just use the WiFi on my phone as I can now use it upstairs again. 

 

Thanks for all your input though.

[GeekaWhat]

Hey everyone,

 

I'm a bit curious about something and was wandering is you could share your enlightenment on the issue.

 

Backstory - recommend you read

When I first built my computer, I was aiming for it to be hackintosh compatible, so I bought one of the few wireless cards that worked out of the box with not additional kexts needed,

the TP-Link N900 WD4800 Dual Band Card.

Needless to say, my hackintosh didn't work - user impatience more like.

 

So over WiFi, I was maxing out my speeds given by my provider, 75mbps down and 15-18mbps up.

My mum then moved the router since she was re-designing downstairs and the signal dropped considerably, I couldn't use WiFi upstairs at all.

I assumed this is because of several concrete walls between me and the router.

 

Solution? 

So I decided to get a power-line kit and that worked fine, (The kit I got was the TP-LINK TL-PA500PKIT - Part name is linked to the product)

Up until the electrician came to fit a new earthing rod for the house.

Since then my power-line ping had more than doubled, and speeds were halved. 

 

So today, I moved the router less than 30 cm so it was in the next room across from where it was and now my WiFi is back up to full strength and even beating my power-line speeds.

 

The Question

Why is my WiFi beating my Power-line in speeds and Ping?

Would the extra earthing fitted by the electrician effect the speeds?

 

I am not using Wireless AC, although my router does combine both the 2.4GHz and the 5GHz band, if that would make any difference.

My router does support WiFi AC but I am not using it, my WiFi card only supports up to the N standard.

 

I would like your input, and thanks for reading the minor essay I had written above.

EDIT: My router is the BT HOMEHUB 5

 

If the powerlines plugged into an extension lead that would be why, is it? because if so it needs to be in a standalone socket - straight from the wall

[WelshDdraig]

If the powerlines plugged into an extension lead that would be why, is it? because if so it needs to be in a standalone socket - straight from the wall

Plugged straight into the wall on both ends. there is an extension lead plugged into it since it has the AC pass through, I specifically went for that model.

[GeekaWhat]

Plugged straight into the wall on both ends. there is an extension lead plugged into it since it has the AC pass through, I specifically went for that model.

 Oh ok, sorry not too sure

[arronleeds]

hey man, i also have the bt home hub 5 and my speeds were rubbish with my homeplugs, house wiring must be old as hell, the plug sockets don't even have switches to turn them off.

 

all of a sudden theyre better (i think it may be because of the router, have another hub5 in now), not the best but deffo better.

 

new earthing could be stopping the speeds and the best way to find out if that is the case is to turn the power off by the mains for each room and just leave kitchen, room where router is and your rooms electrics on and see if theres a difference.