Bright Box and Draytek 700

Sadly my Ethernet over Power adaptors have given up the ghost after only 18 months service but in any event service was degraded over that connection.

As a replacement a USB wireless adaptor was brought into service but unfortunately only one/two bars connectivity appears, often just one and sometimes the connection is lost. The adaptor is connected by a short USB cable but repositioning the receiver doesn't help.

Running a wired connection in the bungalow is not a viable option because the depth of insulation is such that you can't be sure of the location of the rafters. A visible cable run is vetoed by the lady of the house.

So that only leaves two practical alternatives:
1) Moving the master socket with external cabling so that the router can be placed near the computer. I think that will cost £150.

2) To use the Draytek 700 unit which should in theory do a better job of picking up the wireless signal from the Bright box with an onward Ethernet connection to the desktop. But are these two pieces compatible with one another? It seems to be £63.50 from http://www.serversdirect.co.uk/Vigor_AP-700_Wireless...

Option 1 will certainly be OK but is twice the price of option 2. If you were in my shoes, what we you opt for?

Advice, observations and other viable options would be most welcomed.

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

Sadly my Ethernet over Power adaptors have given up the ghost after only 18 months service but in any event service was degraded over that connection.

To use the Draytek 700 unit which should in theory do a better job of picking up the wireless signal from the Bright box with an onward Ethernet connection to the desktop. But are these two pieces compatible with one another? It seems to be £63.50 from
http://www.serversdirect.co.uk/Vigor_AP-700_Wireless...

Advice, observations and other viable options would be most welcomed.

I would not go for a wireless repeater it will slow your wireless network down by half.

http://forums.cnet.com/7723-7589_102-534670/do-repea...

Purchase the top quality make Devolo home plugs for the same price.

http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop/ShopDetail.asp?...

Watch the video http://www.devolo.com/consumer/dlan-mains-supply-net...

Connect an old wireless router the far end configured as the wireless access point and you have 3 Ethernet ports and wireless access.

Edited by deleted (Wed 06-Feb-13 12:34:36)

I know the thread is about FTTC (and therefore VDSL), but you may find this thread about the negative effects of Homeplugs on DSL interesting. There could still be an effect on ADSL, though the overlap in spectrum is far less.

Homeplugs are an appalling technology from an engineering point of view. They inject RF onto mains wiring that is neither twisted pair nor co-ax, so the wiring radiates a significant proportion of the signal, raising the noise floor on HF to the detriment of DSL and radio amateurs looking for weak HF signals. I'd urge you to avoid them if possible.


Hard wiring is the best option - is there really no way to run some Category 5e or Category 6 cabling neatly, possibly with the use of mini trunking? You could ask an electrician about access to the loft - temporary boards would probably provide sufficient access. Ethernet really shouldn't run in outdoor cabling.

If Ethernet is out of the question, a point to point Wi-Fi link on the 5GHz band would be best, assuming you can manage such a link. This avoids putting yet another wireless network on the crowded 2.4GHz band or sharing the available bandwidth on the existing wireless network.

Homeplugs would be the last choice of all for me.

Never seen any evidence for issues with ADSL and ADSL2+ on home plug.

With VDSL the frequency overlap is so much greater than the issue is showing up. 5GHz has the big issue of range and its cliff from working to not working is a lot steeper than for 2.4GHz

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Never seen any evidence for issues with ADSL and ADSL2+ on home plug.

With VDSL the frequency overlap is so much greater than the issue is showing up.

That isn't surprising - though I still believe any RF on mains wiring is best avoided. Problems are more likely to show up following a migration to FTTC.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

5GHz has the big issue of range and its cliff from working to not working is a lot steeper than for 2.4GHz

Unfortunately so - though if it's possible to put a wireless link on 5GHz, it's best to do so. 2.4GHz is getting very crowded.