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Homeplugs-how do they work?

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Old 22 October 2008, 07:20 PM
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Deep Singh
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Default Homeplugs-how do they work?

www.homeplugs.co.uk

How do they work and what sort of applications can you use them for?
Old 22 October 2008, 07:22 PM
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Uurrgghh!
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Are you insane?? this is from your link!

PayPal payments are now available.
HomePlug units enable you to expand your network using the existing electrical wiring within your home. The data travels from one HomePlug to another. No drivers required, operating system independent. Plug any Ethernet device into the HomePlug and away you go - High speed reliable networking.
Old 22 October 2008, 07:22 PM
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HomePlugs Wireless & Up To 200Mbps - Networking News - TrustedReviews
Old 22 October 2008, 07:23 PM
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Not sure how they work but they do, put a couple of netgear plugs in at our CEO's house and they work a treat to extend his wireless range down into his conservatory/garden
Old 22 October 2008, 07:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Nat21
What are they/what do they do?
They take your deepest darkest desires and turn them into icecream cones, fantastic really!
Old 22 October 2008, 07:30 PM
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They are not to add a wireless range, they use the electricity cable in your house to transfer network data/internet etc

Take a look at this

Power line communication - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Last edited by Dedrater; 22 October 2008 at 07:32 PM.

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Old 22 October 2008, 07:43 PM
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Work a treat, I've got Devolo 85s, 200s required if you want to stream HD content, 85 fine for browsing and SD.

The figures given are theoretical maximums, overhead accounts for about 45%
Old 22 October 2008, 08:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Nat21
Sounds like witchcraft to me.


They do work, i have a couple in my house & i watch prawn in any room with a computer
Old 22 October 2008, 08:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Nat21
BURN WITCH BURN!!!
Old 22 October 2008, 08:36 PM
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I have some in quite a large house, works much better than wireless for me.
Old 22 October 2008, 08:42 PM
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Originally Posted by Dedrater
They are not to add a wireless range, they use the electricity cable in your house to transfer network data/internet etc

Take a look at this

Power line communication - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ah right, I had a quick look and thought they were the same as these which I used to extend a wireless range via the ring main

WGX102 - 54 Mbps Wall-Plugged Wireless Range Extender - NETGEAR.com
Old 22 October 2008, 09:39 PM
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They work fine with me (4 x powertrend)- the only problem is interference with wireless mice, especially when their batteries are running low
Old 22 October 2008, 09:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Butty
They work fine with me (4 x powertrend)- the only problem is interference with wireless mice, especially when their batteries are running low
Interesting, do you get any timeout's if you have the microwave on?

Last edited by Dedrater; 22 October 2008 at 10:00 PM. Reason: The food microwave, the spinning one..
Old 22 October 2008, 10:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Dedrater
Interesting, do you get any timeout's if you have the microwave on?
The network has never had any problem at all with timeouts - in fact it has never failed in six months.
Its the effect of poor EM leakage from the Powertrend plugs (well documented) that means I have to place the mice receivers within 30cm of the mice to get them working correctly.

Nick
Old 23 October 2008, 04:33 PM
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These were on special offer a few weeks ago at Maplins:

Powerline 200Mbps AV HomePlug Twin Pack > Maplin

Just £69.99 for the pair... I've got them connecting my server in the study to my cinema room, and they sync/connect at about 122Mbps - so can happily stream HD over them.

Interstingly they don't work well with extension leads - they really like to be direct into the wall socket. With both adaptors on extension leads they synced at 9Mps, with one direct into the wall they were at 34Mps, and direct into the wall 122Mbps... so a huge difference.
Old 23 October 2008, 09:21 PM
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Using one right now to connect !

I bought 4 a few weeks ago and they are brill - fast connection anywhere in house - I have one also connected to my XBox and on-line play is perfect.

If you want connection in any room just unplug and plug in and you are away - really easy.

All mine are plugged direct into wall not on an extension (instructions say not to)

So far so good !
Old 24 October 2008, 04:20 PM
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Can I use one of these to get internet access for my laptop as I have given up on the wireless side of things. I currently only have my PC online

Shaun
Old 24 October 2008, 04:30 PM
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You'll need two
Old 24 October 2008, 11:33 PM
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Hank.......I'm off to bed now as I'm working in Newcastle tomorrow

I'll catch up with you later as this might end my wireless nightmare LOL

Shaun
Old 25 October 2008, 09:34 PM
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Think these use the Earth in your property to pass the signal from one point to another, I would be a bit concerned that the data being sent on the earth (I assume in clear) is travelling beyond the physical boundaries of my house.
Old 25 October 2008, 09:52 PM
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Data transfer takes place by a modulation into the power circuit within the frequency band 4.3 – 20.9 MHz and only a very small proportion of the signal energy (due to unsymmetrical conditions in the electrical wiring) is lost to the environment. Further, the levels of electromagnetic radiation are very low as the ranges are relatively short (200m) and the required signal strength (Watts) is extremely low. The electricity meter is a natural barrier to the outside as it strongly attenuates the signal.

Can also be encrypted (depending on product)
Old 26 October 2008, 12:04 PM
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Been running a pair of these (Devolo dLAN 200 AVeasy Starter Kit) for well over a year now and they are brilliant. Cannot fault them at all and recommend them highly enough. No more dropped connections etc, extremely reliable. These ones can be encrypted and come with a little software utility that show you the transfer speed.
Old 30 October 2008, 10:40 PM
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There is a petition out to ban these things.


These units are used to establish a network within the home, TV and data signals are passed between the adaptors by means of radio frequency energy directly into the mains wiring of that home. The frequency used is 3-30 MHz. The resulting interference extends many 100's of feet from the household using them. This prevents users of the short wave radio spectrum from being able to use their radios. World broadcast stations and many other services are blocked out by the interference. We feel this is an assault on our human rights and freedom, preventing us from hearing world band radio. It is also very dangerous as many safety, military, aviation and shipping services will also suffer! Look on You Tube for powerline adaptors. Current EMC regulations say: the electromagnetic disturbance generated should not exceed a level above which radio and telecommunications equipment or other equipment cannot operate as intended.
Clearly these units do not comply and we want them banned and strong regulations put in place to prevent such technologies from being approved for use within the UK in the future
Old 31 October 2008, 10:23 AM
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Originally Posted by Dedrater
There is a petition out to ban these things.
Better get some ASAP

Got to be a good thing anyway if it stops those nerdy radio ham types talking to their "friends" on the other side of the world
Old 31 October 2008, 11:19 AM
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Originally Posted by Dedrater
There is a petition out to ban these things.
It seems to be BT Vision they are targeting, not Homplugs per se

Geezer
Old 11 November 2008, 02:07 PM
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I've tried running 3 Devolo dLAN 200's, the speed isn't realistic, it's said to be 200MB but it's actually only 100MB each direction up/down.
If you play back 720p x264 mkv 4GB movies from another PC on a network it's fast enough, but if you try 1080p x264 mkv 8GB movies it will stutter.

If nobody understood any of that, it probably won't bother you.

As far as I remember it uses the earth wire, which doesn't normally go beyond your own property... unless some gypo's are in a field behind you running their fridge off your pond lights...
Old 11 November 2008, 04:20 PM
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the figures as sold are theoretical maximums, real life - there is a 40+% overhead.
Good wireless G will get you you higher throughput than 85 homeplugs.


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