HomePlug FAQ *Part 2*

Surfdude

I recently bought a pair of TP Link TL-PA451 homeplugs, primarily to stream media from my NAS. They're supposed to be 500Mbps but the software is reporting speeds more lile 100-150Mbps and I don't think I'm getting anything like that in actual use.
Streaming music and DVD quality media is okay but the HD files are unwatchable.

Is this likely to be down to the wiring in the flat or might more advanced Homeplugs produce better results?

damianmcr

Do all your devices have a gigabit connection? Maybe 100mbps is correct.

Surfdude

Actually now that I look at it the homeplugs don't have gigabit ports. If it's limited to 100Mbps how can they advertise it as 500Mbps?

Should 100Mbps be fast enough to stream full Blu-ray quality video? I'm not even sure I'm getting that.
I've read reports of people getting similar speeds I'm supposedly getting who apparently have no problems.

damianmcr

Some have gigabit ports. It just depends on all components. If all but one have gigabit ports it will go by the weakest link.

Ive the same as you and they stream my HD files easily. They come in at maximum around 12gb.

Surfdude

Everything but my homeplugs have a gigabit port. If I was to replace them with ones that do would I be likely to see better speeds? If I'm currently getting <100Mbps anyway presumably not.

Do you mean your HD files are 12GB? Mine are more like 20-30GB.

midsomerjambo

Hi,

I have a couple of TP-Link 500Mbit/s homeplugs, one of which is in my study upstairs and one in my downstairs living room. They cost around £25 for the pair so I suspect that although they're advertised as 500Mbit/s, the Ethernet interface is 100Mbit/s as mentioned above. Both are plugged into unshared electrical sockets. They each connect to a 100Mb Ethernet switch (both of which are old Sky routers, 1 Sagem and 1 Netgear) which I use to fan out the network. I have BT Infinity 2 Internet which, if I connect my laptop (Gigabit Ethernet interface) directly to the BT HH5 (Gigabit Ethernet interface), gives me around 55Mbit/s download and 15Mbit/s upload. However, the same laptop connected to the upstairs Ethernet switch only gives me around 15Mbit/s download (although it maintains the 15Mbit/s upload). Taking the homeplugs out of the equation and connecting the switches via a direct Ethernet cable with the laptop connected to one switch and the BT HH5 connected to the other gives me 55Mbit/s download and 15Mbit/s upload (i.e. the same as connecting the laptop directly to the HH5). However, running a Cat 5 cable from my living room to my study is something I'd like to avoid if possible.

Would I derive any benefit from changing my homeplugs and/or switches for ones with Gigabit interfaces (hard to see how, when with a direct connection via the switches I get full speed)? Assuming the answer to that is no, does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can improve on the speeds I'm getting?

Thanks in anticipation, MSJ

timus

In need of some advice i am looking to improve my connection for my PS3 It is currently connected via wi fi which has been OK. But recently i've been having problems with games lagging very badly when other users in the house are online etc... When im gaming with no one else on the net everything is fine.

So ive been looking at Homeplugs to see if this could help take the strain off the wi fi. Would i be then right in thinking that i would in efect have two hard wired connections from the router one being the PC and then the second being the PS3??? I am unable to hardwire the PS3 as the router is downstairs.

Now with regards to speed only my PS3 and maybe a future PS4 will be using the homeplugs, so they have to be able to cope with online gaming that is a must and the only use they will have, any recommendations i currently have a Netgear R6300 router with Virgin Media BB at around 12meg.

This any good??
Netgear Powerline AV  500 Mbps Nano Kit: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

amcluesent

What could cause homeplugs to start slowing down?

I've had a pair of D-Link DHP-306AV/B 200Mbps PowerLine Homeplugs running fine for months, now one is show a red LED all the time and throughput has slumped to virtually nothing.

Not changes sockets or plugged anything new into nearby outlets

mickevh

An old post, but for completeness: The "speed" of the HomePlug (over the mains) link and the ethernet port are unrelated. Think of you HP like a junction in the road network: Each route in/out of the junction can have different speeds, number of lanes, bi-directional versus single alternate working and so on. Likewise HP's - have different speeds for their mains link and their ethernet ink. Worse still, the mains link operates differently to ethernet - it's "half duplex" (to use the technical jargon) which would be like our junction having a route with single alternate working whereas ethernet (these days) is usually one lane in each direction simultaneously. HP's also use error correction (FEC) and ethernet doesn't, but the "speed" quoted doesn't differentiate between error correction bits and "real" data bits. HP's specs. usually cite the "speed" of the mains link rather than their ethernet link as it's a number that differs between one type and another - it's a sexier number for the marketing hype.

mickevh

It's the hop over the mains wiring that's constraining throughput, not the ethenet ports. HP's with GBit ethernet ports will only make a difference if your mains link is outperforming 100mbps ethernet and evidence suggests few people observe such. There's a FAQ in this forum about optimising HP performance, but ultimately, if you want high throughput data networking, you need to get rid of the HP's and use "proper" wired ethernet. It's still the fastest thing in town and isn't looking like it will be surpassed any time soon.