Why is Power-line worse than wireless for me

[TheYonderGod]

I moved upstairs in an apartment and had no other network solution for my desktop, I had a random wireless repeater with an Ethernet port that I wasn't using anywhere else anyways. It was working okayish but kinda slow. Then in a recent WAN show, if I remember correctly, someone in my situation asked what wireless card to to get and Linus basically said don't get any wireless, just get cheap powerline ethernet adapters. So I got some, plugged them in...and everything was worse. I can tell in games and browsing the internet. I did a speedtest to be sure and I temporarily ran a long Ethernet cable up the stairs to verify. 

 

Powerline:

 

 

 

Wireless:

 

 

 

Ethernet control test:

 

[Streetguru]

7 minutes ago, TheYonderGod said:

 

The copper in the walls probably just isn't up to the task, could always try a more mid ranged PoE option, but just running a cable through the apartment is likely much preferred.

[DoctorNick]

What powerline adaptors did you use? Many don't have gigabit, only ethernet.

[mariushm]

Make sure the extension cords or whatever you have don't have various protections built in - those can filter or affect the signals the powerline adapters put on the AC wires. Ideally, plug the powerline adapters directly in the wall socket.

 

Also, the performance of these adapters will be much better if they're on same circuit. It's possible the sockets of the room below are on a separate circuit (with their own fuse) and your room above is on another circuit.

As an experiment, you could try to make the connection between two rooms on the same floor, or two sockets in the same room below and see if the speed increases.

 

And yeah, like the guy above me says, some of the cheaper powerline adapters advertise 300-600 mbps but have ethernet ports that can do maximum 100 mbps. The idea is that 300-600 mbps is the maximum amount of data that can move between let's say 5 adapters in the same house, moving through the network. Doesn't necessarily mean you get that maximum transfer speed between two adapters.

You should get 80 mbps or more, if the AC wiring is decent in your house.

 

 

[19_blackie_73]

if wireless works for ya, go for it. Powerline isn't the end of all problems, they have their own.

[homeap5]

2 x 15 meters cat6 cable and some switch between for increase signal should be enough. It's much better solution than powerline or wifi. Don't know why people are so afraid to use long cables - it may looks like not very pretty solution, but if you spend some time (mount cables to the wall, hide behind something etc) effect will be much better than using all that "magic" solution that makes your home prettier but less functional.

 

[mariushm]

Ethernet works up to 100 meters without any losses or degradation of performance.

You don't need a switch between 2 15 meters of cable.

If you can have a cable through the house, then just buy a 30m or 50m spool of cable and use it, it will work fine.

 

I assumed he needs powerline or wireless due to difficulties with routing the cable through the house.

[schwellmo92]

I have a two story house and have the same issue, each story is on it's own circuit, I get about 40Mbps with Powerline.

[TheYonderGod]

1 hour ago, Streetguru said:

The copper in the walls probably just isn't up to the task, could always try a more mid ranged PoE option, but just running a cable through the apartment is likely much preferred.

In what way is PoE used for internet access?

 

1 hour ago, DoctorNick said:

What powerline adaptors did you use? Many don't have gigabit, only ethernet.

 

1 hour ago, mariushm said:

Make sure the extension cords or whatever you have don't have various protections built in - those can filter or affect the signals the powerline adapters put on the AC wires. Ideally, plug the powerline adapters directly in the wall socket.

 

Also, the performance of these adapters will be much better if they're on same circuit. It's possible the sockets of the room below are on a separate circuit (with their own fuse) and your room above is on another circuit.

As an experiment, you could try to make the connection between two rooms on the same floor, or two sockets in the same room below and see if the speed increases.

 

And yeah, like the guy above me says, some of the cheaper powerline adapters advertise 300-600 mbps but have ethernet ports that can do maximum 100 mbps. The idea is that 300-600 mbps is the maximum amount of data that can move between let's say 5 adapters in the same house, moving through the network. Doesn't necessarily mean you get that maximum transfer speed between two adapters.

You should get 80 mbps or more, if the AC wiring is decent in your house.

 

 

Both are plugged directly into wall. If they have to be on the same fuse that pretty much defeats the purpose, but I'm pretty sure I read that shouldn't make a difference. I guess Ill try it out anyways before I try to return these.

80-100 mbps would be okay... I'm getting 30/8.

Oh I forgot to mention the wireless is really old. 2.4ghz N300 (D-Link DAP-1330) and it's the default Comcast modem/router

The powerline is a TP-Link TL-PA4010KIT AV600

1 hour ago, 19_blackie_73 said:

if wireless works for ya, go for it. Powerline isn't the end of all problems, they have their own.

Trying to play games again, and they're lagging. 

53 minutes ago, homeap5 said:

2 x 15 meters cat6 cable and some switch between for increase signal should be enough. It's much better solution than powerline or wifi. Don't know why people are so afraid to use long cables - it may looks like not very pretty solution, but if you spend some time (mount cables to the wall, hide behind something etc) effect will be much better than using all that "magic" solution that makes your home prettier but less functional.

 

Yeah if it was my own house I'd just run cables in the walls. But I have roommates so it's not entirely my decision to have ugly cables through the house. Do you have any suggestions for no holes and no messy adhesive for mounting the cable ?

[DoctorNick]

4 minutes ago, TheYonderGod said:

The powerline is a TP-Link TL-PA4010KIT AV600

100Mbps aka ethernet - That is why you can't even reach +100Mbps

[mariushm]

There is flat ethernet cable, which you could hide under carpets or basically glue it to the wall, make it "hug" the corners as unobtrusively as possible..

IF your walls are white or blue, it could be almost invisible.

Here's an example, 100ft of white or black or blue cable :

 

Amazon.com: Cat 6 Ethernet Cable 100 ft Flat White, Slim Long Internet Network Lan patch cords, Solid Cat6 High Speed Computer wire with clips & Rj45 Connectors for Router, modem, faster than Cat5e/Cat5, 100 feet: Computers & Accessories

Amazon.com: Cat 6 Ethernet Cable 100 ft (at a Cat5e Price but Higher Bandwidth) Flat Internet Network Cable - Cat6 Ethernet Patch Cable Short - Black Computer LAN Cable + Free Cable Clips and Straps: Computers & Accessories

Amazon.com: Cat7 Ethernet Cable 100ft Blue,High Speed 10Gbps 600MHz Computer Networking Cable - Flat LAN Internet Shielded(SPT) Wire Cable with Snagless RJ45 Connectors for PS3 PS4 X-Box Gaming,Hubs, Routers: Computers & Accessories

[TheYonderGod]

4 minutes ago, DoctorNick said:

100Mbps aka ethernet - That is why you can't even reach +100Mbps

But my problem is it cant even reach ancient wireless speeds

[DoctorNick]

5 minutes ago, TheYonderGod said:

But my problem is it cant even reach ancient wireless speeds

Bad power cabling?

[Streetguru]

42 minutes ago, TheYonderGod said:

But my problem is it cant even reach ancient wireless speeds

It's either the adapter that you bought, or more likely the copper inside the walls just kind of sucks for it.

 

Could also always try the Wifi 6 route, but that's a whole other issue.

[homeap5]

2 hours ago, mariushm said:

Ethernet works up to 100 meters without any losses or degradation of performance.

You don't need a switch between 2 15 meters of cable.

That's theory, in practice 20 meters may be the limit for some cables (I had once that crappy cable marked as 5e, but speed lost was high over 15-20 meters), so I just wrote that just in case that if someone needs really long cables, may put switch in the middle.

 

2 hours ago, TheYonderGod said:

Yeah if it was my own house I'd just run cables in the walls. But I have roommates so it's not entirely my decision to have ugly cables through the house. Do you have any suggestions for no holes and no messy adhesive for mounting the cable ?

In fact I have - do not mount them at all or use some existing elements (pipes, other cables) and zip ties. If cables are "ugly" for you and aesthetic is more important to you than functionality - be happy with very clean, cable free house and bad transfers.

 

Everyone has different point of view - for me my flat is not a museum, just place where I live and work. I prefer more cables and better speed than nice looking bottom part of the wall. If I wanted nice view, I can go for a walk to the sea - it's 10 minutes far from home.

 

[Donut417]

2 hours ago, TheYonderGod said:

But my problem is it cant even reach ancient wireless speeds

Newer Powerline adapters use all 3 wires for data transfers from what I read. If your wiring is not new and or not to code, this will cause issues for you. Also the more breakers you have to cross the most interfrence you will have. If you have to cross a phase that will cause even more interfrence. 

[trueCABLE]

Powerline networking can be an issue in structures where the wiring pre-dates the mid 1970s.  It requires relatively modern and CORRECT wiring to run well, or at all.

 

Here is the preferential order of connectivity for a network, starting with best to least best:

 

1.  Wired (Ethernet).

2.  Wired (MoCA).

3.  WiFi

4.  Powerline

 

Note that items #3 and #4 will switch spots depending on your situation.

 

In gaming or 4K/HDR streaming scenarios, you REALLY wanted wired and preferably Ethernet.

 

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Edited December 22, 2019 by LogicalDrm