How does powerline work?

[TopWargamer]

I'm a little confused about how powerline works. I just, kind of don't get it. Could somebody explain it to me?

(I'm asking this because I'm interested in buying a powerline setup.)

[Vitalius]

I'm a little confused about how powerline works. I just, kind of don't get it. Could somebody explain it to me?

(I'm asking this because I'm interested in buying a powerline setup.)

I own one.

Basically, the electricity in your wall is at 50/60Hz (depends). It has a frequency. Then, that frequency is manipulated by the Powerline adapters and other adapters interpret those manipulations as 1's and 0's. Thus making it a data connection. 

It's like WiFi. Through your powerlines. 

That's why it can't work through circuit breakers or surge protectors. They clean the signal thus removing the modulations in the frequency by the adapters.

More in depth:

Electricity flows. That means that although some things use your electricity, it has to technically complete a circuit which means something comes out of it. Powerline adapters use that to alter the frequency. If there's no circuit, electricity can't flow. As it passes through the adapter, the frequency is slightly altered to where it is noticeably different, but not so much that electronics can't use it for power.

Also, wrong subforum. I would've put this question under Networking. 

[TopWargamer]

 

Okay, thanks. Now, how would I set up a powerline?

[Vitalius]

Okay, thanks. Now, how would I set up a powerline?

How would you set it up? Simple.

Buy 2+ adapters of the same speed and manufacturer (it's preferable but not necessary). 

Plug them directly into wall sockets (not in extension cords, surge protectors, or UPS'). 

Press the connect button on one adapter. Press the connect button on another adapter. Repeat the process until all adapters are connected. It's like WPS with Wireless, but for powerline. 

One important caveat with that, do not connect multiple adapters outside a network. Example:

Say I have 4 adapters. I connect Adapter 1 & 2, then I connect Adapters 3 & 4. I've created 2 different powerline networks. That's not going to work because the 1 & 2 network does not see the 3 & 4 network. 

So you'd do 1 & 2, then 1 & 3 or 2 & 3, then 1, 2, or 3 & 4 so they are all part of the same network.

If you have a powerline/WiFi point hybrid, like me, it has a WebGUI like any normal Wireless Router (since that's basically what it is). Log in and set the settings according to your network. 

The reason you want Powerline Adapters of the same speed is because there are 2 general standards. 500 Mb/s and 200 Mb/s. Similar to how Wireless Routers are labeled (i.e. AC1900). If you mix 500 and 200 adapters, the entire powerline network will either be locked into 200 Mb/s (making the 500 Mb/s adapters under utilized), or it will create 2 different powerline networks on your system, one for each standard, so the two different types of adapters won't see each other and will actually interfere with one another making the signal worse. 

If you plan on having multiple devices on your network, make sure the adapter that connects to your primary router/modem has a Gigabit Ethernet port on it. Most Powerline Adapters have 10/100 Ethernet Ports on them limiting them to 12.5 MB/s max. 

That might not matter for your normal internet connection, but consider what happens if you have multiple devices on the Powerline network and they access something through the Router (internet, a NAS, something else, etc). So video streaming from one machine to another through the Router can be limited due to the adapter's port being the bottleneck. Just a thought. 

[TopWargamer]

 

Thanks, but then how do they get Internet connectivity? Like, If I wanted to plug my computer into a powerline. Would one of the powerlines need to be plugged into the router?

[Sors]

Thanks, but then how do they get Internet connectivity? Like, If I wanted to plug my computer into a powerline. Would one of the powerlines need to be plugged into the router?

 

Yes.

[Vitalius]

Thanks, but then how do they get Internet connectivity? Like, If I wanted to plug my computer into a powerline. Would one of the powerlines need to be plugged into the router?

Yes.

That. 

So your network would look like this:

Devices -> Powerline -> Router -> Internet

Your devices shouldn't be able to see each other over the powerline network alone because there's no router (aside from a wireless hybrid but it only handles Wireless stuff). They would use the Router to communicate. Thus the importance of having a Gigabit Ethernet port connected to the router, as it is a very obvious bottleneck. 

[TopWargamer]

Yes.

Just one of them though, right?

[Vitalius]

Just one of them though, right?

Yes. So you'd have one adapter for each device, then one for the connection to the router. Then the other adapters connect to that one which gives them connection to the router/internet.

[Sors]

Just one of them though, right?

Yep.

 

You can picture every one of the adapters as if they were like a single port in an Ethernet switch.   In a switch the ports are interconnected through a circuit board,  in this case the adapters are interconnected using the electric wires of your house, and just pass the data from one to another.

[TopWargamer]

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, thank you both. You guys helped me out a lot.