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Powerline / Homeplugs

kensalriser

pfm Member
Looks as though this is the only practical way I can connect a streamer to my router. I'm not very clued up on the options - is there an advantage to 1300mbps over 600? Likewise, is there a benefit to dual band? Anything else I should be aware of?

I'd quite like to use an additional one to extend wifi signal in another location if that works.
 
Connection speed will be limited to the lesser of your internet speed and the speed of the slowest plug in your setup.

Dunno about dual band though.
 
They basically turn all adjoining wiring into a shortwave transmitter and amplifiers (pre, power and integrated) connected to the immediate adjoining mains wiring frequently pick this up as very audible noise (older Exposure Kit was the worst I found for this). The only kit I've found to be reliably resistant to powerline interference is Linn stuff with SMPSs. Plugging the powerline in on the other side of the room can reduce or stop this interference. I've since moved my kit and installed an ethernet socket nearby. The higher rated devices are definitely faster, but you will get significant degradation in LAN ethernet speed over longer distances in larger houses, far less progressively than on ethernet cables (which should suffer no degradation up to 100m). Different manufacturers can be mixed and matched, but it's a bit hit and miss.

Dual band only applies to the wireless (2.4 & 5ghz) access point on the device and I'd be surprised if any access point available new wasn't dual band. 2.4 has greater penetration, but 5 is quicker. But you'll have both and they should operate seamlessly under the same network name and your devices will auto-negotiate which is better to use, so you won't need to worry about it. I wouldn't buy any device with aspirations to be a wireless access point that wasn't dual band.

Note that some streaming devices aren't great when operated wirelessly - my MacBook works fine, but my Moode-Pi is garbage on wireless and needs a wired connection to work properly. No idea why. I also found that using SPDIF on a Pi with a wired powerline connection created what I assumed was some sort of earthing interference, but switching to Toslink solved this.
 
Well I love the pi concept and all the great DACs and add ons available for them, my only issue has been the flakiness of the wifi function on them.

So I use home plugs and hard wire to the pi now. Great quality, no noise and a perfect streamer/dac solution.
 
I carried out a number of comparative listening tests when I installed Develo Ethernet over mains that include re broadcasted WiFi as well as Ethernet scockets. I could not detect any interference or degradation in sound quality with them connected and active. I have recently changed to Dutch & Dutch 8c speakers that make use of the Ethernet connection. I have not rerun a detailed comparison, but I am not aware of any problems or noise issues even with the volume up (no input) and my ears against the drivers.
 
I've previously used powerline adapters with no problems, but they're unpopular with radio amateurs for a reason... Try them out in your system, if you don't get any interference/noise then that's fine.

Your streamer only needs an average of a couple of Mb/s or so for CD quality streaming.
 
I was using devolo 200mb homeplugs for years with no problems, both with music and video to tv. "Upgraded" recently to tp-link 1300mb as I figured better get with the times and have for the first time experienced dropouts when watching tv. Never had any issues with audio kit interference, and would recommend devolo based on my limited experience. More expensive, but in my sample set of two they are the one that worked faultlessly.
 
I can hear the Homeplug datastream on my loudspeakers if my ear is close and there is no music playing. I guess this is getting through onto the PS of my ancient valve amp. If I stream from iPlayer to my TV through the plugs I can make the interference on the amp start and stop by playing and pausing the TV programme. It isn’t noticeable under normal conditions but just knowing it is there is enough to make me start going back to wifi.
 
I can hear the Homeplug datastream on my loudspeakers if my ear is close and there is no music playing. I guess this is getting through onto the PS of my ancient valve amp. If I stream from iPlayer to my TV through the plugs I can make the interference on the amp start and stop by playing and pausing the TV programme. It isn’t noticeable under normal conditions but just knowing it is there is enough to make me start going back to wifi.
I tried the things once and got rid of them since they played havoc with my phono stage.
I took advantage of the redecoration of the living room to install two ethernet circuits in the wall between the "box" and the hifi.
 
No problems in my house using Homeplugs. I have my AV system pumping out 4k fims in HDR and the hifi system with valve amp in one room, server in another all working fine.
 
Been using devolo homeplugs and wi fi extenders for years with no issues.
 
I used TP link for a while to cable feed a smart TV in a bedroom with poor wireless reception. TV worked ok for the most part with very occasional dropout. However a dumb TV in another room and my PC speakers both picked up interference from the mains. After a couple of months I gave up and ran an ethernet cable from router to smart TV. No more dropouts and no more interference in other equipment.

I don't really understand how these devices can actually be legal since they deliberately put signals onto the mains, whereas CE marking of consumer equipment includes limits on conducted emissions!
 
I don't really understand how these devices can actually be legal since they deliberately put signals onto the mains, whereas CE marking of consumer equipment includes limits on conducted emissions!

They are the same as a BT or other telephone suppliers when using an extra handset. Also Sky uses the mains to get the signal into other rooms.
 
I use them to a tv in my attic and a streamer up there. The rest of the house is wired. The plugs are nowhere near my main system and there is no interference in any of my systems that I can tell.
 
I used TP link for a while to cable feed a smart TV in a bedroom with poor wireless reception. TV worked ok for the most part with very occasional dropout. However a dumb TV in another room and my PC speakers both picked up interference from the mains. After a couple of months I gave up and ran an ethernet cable from router to smart TV. No more dropouts and no more interference in other equipment.

I don't really understand how these devices can actually be legal since they deliberately put signals onto the mains, whereas CE marking of consumer equipment includes limits on conducted emissions!

Many plugs can switch to earth and neutral then live and neutral to minimise mains interference corrupting data packets.
 
I used to use Powerline for my Bedroom system as the router is in the lounge, but was advised by a friend that they inject noise, so decided to stop using thereafter.

To be honest, I did notice a difference, however slight when I stopped using them.
 
I've previously used powerline adapters with no problems, but they're unpopular with radio amateurs for a reason... Try them out in your system, if you don't get any interference/noise then that's fine.

Alas, it isn't always that simple.

Firstly, not encountering problems on initial test doesn't ensure they won't arise later on when you change something else - that may seem totally 'unconnected' (in the general sense of the term) but *is*. e.g Adding or removing some other mains powered item in the house. Or something in your mains wiring and devices developing a nonlinearity it lacked previously.

Secondly, you may be causing interference for a neighbour... and they may do for you, because of the above.

As pointed out already, home mains wiring was *not* designed to convey wideband RF and has all kinds of spurs etc, that make it into an antenna system. For example, conventional wiring to a light hanging from the center of the ceiling tends to act as an unbalanced spur when switched *off*. But less so when switched *on*.

Frankly, these systems should never have been approved in the first place. They only did so because they were considered *without* any house wiring attached! Reason being no-one could properly test for all the likely types of home wiring and device arrays they'd be used with in practice. They got approved for purely commercial reasons, and then public demand for their 'magic' ability to save people having to install something like ethernet wiring.

Fortunately, most well-designed kit these days will have been made by someone who knows what the above means. But in reality it is impossible to cover every possible example.
 
I would never use them. Your home wiring becomes an antenna. My friend is into home radio and we tuned into a neighbour's home plugs, oh what noise.

Also they are causing problems for GCHQ in Cheltenham.
 
I too used them a while back, audible noise came out the speakers. When I had the house re-wired, I had Ethernet cables laid down to each room, much faster, no noise.

No doubt it will vary with each household though.
 
I use 1200meg ones. To run a wired cable in my modern house would be a nightmare. I have tried running an Ethernet cable from my router to the Innuos, and swapping it between the powerline and wire - cannot detect any discernible difference.

Ideally I would run a wired cable, but am not running any more cables under carpets/in walls etc.

PS - I've no intention of quadruple blind testing this. :cool:
 


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