I'm using Devolo HomePlugs (dLan 200 AVmini) & have found them to be very effective!

Certainly they appear to be faster than a WiFi system (The Devolo Plugs come with a handy utility which measures the connection speed between each device - I'm getting 100M+ on all of my connections!)

I can't comment on how they perform on a Fibre Connection (as I'm still on ADSL2+), but I'm getting very good speeds, when running Speed-Tester results.

HTH

No, it is a neat way of getting the cabling to other locations.

Your router has four outputs at present - you are, I believe, using one close by for a PC. The other three can go wherever you want and the neatest/easiest way is to use Cat5e cable which can be hidden away. Rather than buying a patch lead with a connector on each end, which will require 20mm holes to pass through walls, you would use standard Cat5e UTP - which is normally solid conductor. Then terminate this in sockets close to where you need. Then a short patch lead from the socket to device.

If at some time you wanted to put more devices around the house, you install a small Ethernet switch close to teh router and that will increase the number of outputs you have.

There is no power required on these sockets, as the they simply extend whatever is plugged in at each end. So, you might connect like this:
router <= patch cable => RJ45 face plate <= Cat5e/6 cable to far location => RJ45 face plate <= patch cable => device
In effect, it's like one long cable between router and device (all 8-pins are wired straight through).

Typically, I think, solid core CAT5e/6 cable is used for permanent fixings and for making connections in the face plates (which are like 'wire insertion' phone socket connections, i.e. a punch down tool is handy).

Patch cables need to be flexible as they are often moved, so typically they use multicore wires. I'm not sure you can make the connections in the faceplates with multicore wire, so you should use solid wire between the faceplates.

The Homeplugs do appeal for neatness it has to be said. If I was to go down the solid cat5e route between face plates, if I was to get a faceplate with 3 sockets do I need 3 cat5e cables connecting to it? Sorry for asking seemingly simple questions but it's all new to me.

In reply to a post by giggsy1977:

I have a 20m Cat 5 cable and get about 20Mbps through that (was surprised at the drop off to be honest.

I use a 20 metre 26 AWG 100% copper CAT5e ethernet patch cable, bought it from Amazon a few years ago for £6.79, and I get 80Mbps file transfer speeds over a 100Mbps LAN.

I would imagine that that there is an issue with the cable, connectors or setup that you are using. However installing solid core CAT5 and using rj45 sockets would be a better network connection if considering a gigabit LAN and the routing of the cable required it.

I would certainly avoid homeplugs and use a good quality patch cable if installing solid core CAT5 etc. was too much of a problem...

Edited by 4M2 (Mon 27-May-13 15:08:35)

It's also worth considering doubling up on cable runs that may be difficult to get at in future. I would also use some form of conduit (Plastic tube with gently angled bends). that eases any necessary pulling of solid core cable.

The Homeplugs do appeal for neatness it has to be said. If I was to go down the solid cat5e route between face plates, if I was to get a faceplate with 3 sockets do I need 3 cat5e cables connecting to it?

Yes, each end needs a unique connection, they cannot be joined together or split in any way. This is the same for home plugs I believe, they are one to one.

If you want more wired connections at the far end, you will need a simple network switch (or switch with wireless access point). These take in one connection and fan out to multiple connections. A switch is pretty cheap and simple to set up (easier than your broadband router).

In reply to a post by aks:

This is the same for home plugs I believe, they are one to one.

No, Homeplugs are one to many, or even many to many. They form their own radio network.

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

In reply to a post by aks:

This is the same for home plugs I believe, they are one to one.

No, Homeplugs are one to many, or even many to many. They form their own radio network.



An interesting concept - I always thought they used the premises wiring.

Radio network where the medium is the copper mains wiring