powerline network question
 

i have a wireless desktop pc but it is to far away from the router so i got some of those powerline network starter kits can anyone give me some advice on setting up etc .how do i tell if it's working ,do i need to disable the wireless card etc thanks for any help

First question - do you have an ethernet socket on the back of your computer ?

http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thu...ble_socket.jpg

http://www.licel.com/net.png

Second question - do you have 2no. ethernet / network cables ?

http://www.usm.maine.edu/resnet/imag...ndardcable.jpg

Part Three

If the answer to both questions is YES, you're ready! I assume the router is located in one room and your computer is located in another.

Setting up the router
1.Insert one Powerline plug into a spare electrical socket near your router
2.Insert ethernet cable between the router and the Powerline plug - make sure you plug into one of the routers ports marked 1 to 4

Setting up the computer
1. Disable your wireless adapter*
2. Insert one Powerline plug into a spare electrical socket near the computer (it'll display a light when it finds the other plug)
3. Insert ethernet cable between the computer and the Powerline plug

*If its the type that plugs externally into your USB socket, just remove it, otherwise....
Click START > CONTROL PANEL > NETWORK CONNECTIONS
Locate the "wireless network adapter" icon, right click and select DISABLE

You may need to reboot the computer and you should be done.

thank you loads i have done what you said and it seems to be working now the only problem is it is losing the internet connection after about half an hour. it is asking me to pull the power cord out of the router and wait 30 seconds and plug it back in . it seem to connect then but aftr about 30 min it does it again ? also when i load a web page it loads about half way then stops and this appears Server not found Firefox can't find the server at Amazon.co.uk: low prices in Electronics, Books, Music, DVDs & more

ok, so this problem is happening since you've used the powerline plugs ? ie. it didn't happen before when you were wireless ?

Added: I just googled, Powerline losing connection and it appears you're not alone. What make and model are the plugs you bought ?
eg. check out the comments from the bloke called Paul Gifford
Amazon.com: IOGear GHPB32W4 PowerLine Networking Kit: Electronics

What I;m trying to figure out is, did your computer equipment exhibit this problem before you installed these plugs, or is it only happening since you put them in ?

Farmer - its suggesting you insert the plug ONLY INTO A WALL SOCKET eg. not an extension or anything.

I have seen this a few times (mainly netgear)
Upgraded the firmware, reset/re-install settings - no change.

Bought a new box, problem fixed.

I have also set up a couple of powerline network extensions, not always following the "rules" (not on extension leads etc) and have found them to be pretty bloomin' reliable.

Can you swap the router you are using to eliminate/prove where the source of the fault lies?

sienar33, its important we isolate WHAT is causing the lost connection, hence wh y I asked if his equipment was exhibiting this behaviour BEFORE he installed the plugs.

I don't really want him to mess with the router firmware, if the router was working perfectly well before he bought these plugs.

it's hard to tell if it was happening before because the signal was so poor. only plugged into the wall socket no extensions as per instructions. it seems to lose the internet if the main pc is idle? should it work when it is switched off i just transferred nearly 50 gig of music from the main pc to this new one no problem
this is how it is set up
desktop pc in kitchen right next to main phone socket with router Ethernet cable to that,Ethernet cable from router to power line adapter, living room power line adapter to Ethernet cable to new desktop pc

Just to confirm , your kitchen PC - it has ethernet cable between it and the router ? Its probably best to test from here on, on the ktichen PC, because then we can rule out the powerline plugs. Tell me if you get a dropped internet connection on the kitchen PC. If you do, then the problem is NOT the powerline plugs.

Otherwise...

Question:Whats the make and model of the router ?
Question: How old is the computer and what version of windows are you running ? eg. Windows XP, Windows 98, Windows 2000
Question: Have you ever used broadband equipment on your phone line before without this lost connection problem ?
Question: When your computer loses the connection do you see a message in the lower right of your screen saying your network connection has been lost? (around the area where the windows clock is)
Question: Have you got a microfilter on your phone socket(s) ?

To answer your question, yes, while the router is on, it *should* stay connected to the internet - doesn't matter if your computers are plugged in or not. Some routers have a setting that can drop the connection after a period of inactivity.

yes somtimes the kitchen pc drops the net but it seems to only do it when idle
router is netgear dg834gt
kitchen pc is windows xp
living room is vista
used broadband for years only problem i used to have is when i answered the phone it sometimes lost the connection
micro filters are fitted to the line etc

Problem is the most likely the router, not the powerline stuff.

834gt is pants pants pants

can you borrow another router for a few days ?

Ok, so everything seems to point to the router OR your phone line.

Make sure you have microfilters on ALL your telephone sockets for that line - not just the main socket (eg. any telephone extensions you have) especially as you had problems in the past when you picked up the telephone and lost your internet connection.

If its the router, then you could always check if its internal software (firmware) is up to date. Manufacturers from time to time release updated firmware which corrects things like losing the connection periodically.

I've checked Netgear's website for you and their firmware is up to 1.02.09 , so I suggest you go into your routers menu's and see what firmware yours is running. Netgear's support page on their website for your router is here:
Support Page

I'm off to bed now!

thanks gents much appreciated