Power-line V.S. Ethernet V.S. Wi-Fi

[Young_Man_Matt]

Is it worth it to run in-wall ethernet or just use powred-line. Also is AC wi-fi an option.

[deafboy]

Depends what you are needed internet for and what your setup is like.

Small open environment: Ethernet > AC > Powerline

Large closed environment: Ethernet > Powerline > AC

[Guest]

I'd always pick Ethernet if I could due to the speeds of it. However if you don't have it installed, here in Australia it'll cost a fortune because a licensed electrician has to install it. The problem with AC is that to get the speeds it provides, your device must support AC, which not many do. And I don't see the industry rushing to add it. Locally for powerline it is only offered at 300 mbps and occasionally 500mbps however those speeds aren't guaranteed. 300mbps is also the current max speed offered by Wifi N so that's also something to think about.

Conclusion: Ethernet if you can afford it, then WiFi N

[deafboy]

Also remember, it's not always about speed. Latency/ping definitely make a difference.

[azeotrope]

I'd always pick Ethernet if I could due to the speeds of it. However if you don't have it installed, here in Australia it'll cost a fortune because a licensed electrician has to install it. The problem with AC is that to get the speeds it provides, your device must support AC, which not many do. And I don't see the industry rushing to add it. Locally for powerline it is only offered at 300 mbps and occasionally 500mbps however those speeds aren't guaranteed. 300mbps is also the current max speed offered by Wifi N so that's also something to think about.

Conclusion: Ethernet if you can afford it, then WiFi N

Pretty sure that's not true. I live in Australia and ran my own ethernet through the house. I know plenty of people who have done the same. It's WAY cheaper to DIY as well.

[Guest]

I'd always pick Ethernet if I could due to the speeds of it. However if you don't have it installed, here in Australia it'll cost a fortune because a licensed electrician has to install it. The problem with AC is that to get the speeds it provides, your device must support AC, which not many do. And I don't see the industry rushing to add it. Locally for powerline it is only offered at 300 mbps and occasionally 500mbps however those speeds aren't guaranteed. 300mbps is also the current max speed offered by Wifi N so that's also something to think about.

Conclusion: Ethernet if you can afford it, then WiFi N

Then if your insurance comapny find out you're in major trouble. I know a couple of sparkies and you must have all networking cable done inside wall cavaties carried out by a licensed electrician. It's not because of the small amount of power that network cable carries, rather accidently moving other things around inside the cavaties such as mains and light fixtures, closer to things like insulation. It's your choice if you want to risk your insurance policy for a couple of hundred.

[LargeGeek]

Preach on, Deafboy!

If wired is at all possible DO IT. You can get creative with it too. My bedrooms and livingroom are wired for gigabit via the ceiling Wire drops in bedroom closet corner then runs out under the accordion door to a surface mount box. Mine ends up right by my desk and my brother's just requires a lengthy patch cable ran behind a bookshelf and such. My livingroom drops in the corner and I don't mind a little bit of an eyesore for zero latency added to my network.

If you can at all test whether powerline even works in your home I would do that before investing. From all the reports I've heard, when it works it can be comparable to wired with maybe a modicum of latency added.

Wireless is will definitely get the job done, but if you are doing any online gaming AT ALL a physical connection wins every time.

[Lycr]

I'd always pick Ethernet if I could due to the speeds of it. However if you don't have it installed, here in Australia it'll cost a fortune because a licensed electrician has to install it. The problem with AC is that to get the speeds it provides, your device must support AC, which not many do. And I don't see the industry rushing to add it. Locally for powerline it is only offered at 300 mbps and occasionally 500mbps however those speeds aren't guaranteed. 300mbps is also the current max speed offered by Wifi N so that's also something to think about.

Conclusion: Ethernet if you can afford it, then WiFi N

You don't have to be a licensed Electrician, you need either an open or restricted cabling registration (depending on where the cables are going to be run), with a structured cabling endorsement in order to run and terminate Cat5 or Cat6 cables. Always use Cat6 where possible as it is a better means of future proofing, and has a lower error rate. Azeotrope, it IS ILLEGAL for you to do that without a license in Australia, in much the same way it is ILLEGAL to carry out your own electrical work.

Windspeed36, the main worry with running data cables is interference and signal loss through things like kinking the cables and the pairs becoming untwisted.

Source:

I just did a 6 month course on this.

[Guest]

I'd always pick Ethernet if I could due to the speeds of it. However if you don't have it installed, here in Australia it'll cost a fortune because a licensed electrician has to install it. The problem with AC is that to get the speeds it provides, your device must support AC, which not many do. And I don't see the industry rushing to add it. Locally for powerline it is only offered at 300 mbps and occasionally 500mbps however those speeds aren't guaranteed. 300mbps is also the current max speed offered by Wifi N so that's also something to think about.

Conclusion: Ethernet if you can afford it, then WiFi N

I merely quoted electrician because there's so many people who fall under that catagory with like data cable companies ect.. anyway..

How much did that course cost you and who did you do it through?