Since you're getting the Devolo units free, it's a no brainer, plug 'em in and see how you get on. I have had various problems with Devolo units including the wifi units failing and mysterious loss of speed, fixed by replacing the "base", non wifi unit. They also drop out for a minute or two from time to time, easily fixed by cursing silently and waiting patiently. I've even found, on two separate pcs, that the Cockpit software caused pc shutdown to extend enormously, ten minutes or thereabouts. Fortunately you don't need it.

If you get on with them and they don't let you down that's good. If you start to have problems with them then I'll give another vote to wiring between the ceiling and floorboards and maybe use a ceiling mounted WAP powered by PoE.

John

As menmtioned the Ethernet-over-mains stuff can either work or be the spawn of the devil. GIve it a whirl, but it things turn out bad consider this alternative solution: get a couple of Draytek APs which you can manage centrally from the 2860, and maybe a small POE switch to power them, then they can be mounted cleanly.

In reply to a post by NJSS:

Oh dear !

Back to back wifi repeaters are a no-no due to halving the available bandwidth, you suggest AV plugs are unaccceptable, and there is no way I can install any cables on the ground floor.

My house is ancient with solid brick floors, and brick & flint walls, generally no carpets & no skirting boards on the ground floor.

I think I am going to have to go for the "least bad solution", which I assume is AV plugs. Happily my home is fairly remote & I know all the neighbours and there are no amateur radio enthuiasts within at least .5 mile.

NJSS

Just to rule out any potential confusion, I'm not suggesting back-to-back wifi repeaters, just access points connected back to the router via ethernet cabling.

Until recently I lived in a property very similar to yours, and did just that; flat cable from the router upstairs to a switch (for my desktop stuff) and from switch to a TPLink 300mbit AP. A second cabel ran from router to a switch in the front room, for the TV, HTPC and other home AV stuff.

Perhaps round cable running along the floor in the corner between floor and wall?

You correctly state that back-to-back wifi halves bandwidth, you are aware that the bandwidth of home AV networking is half the stated speed, aren't you? ie, a 300Mbps home AV only offers a maximum[/] bandwidth of 150Mbps... and that is subject to wiring. Oh, it is a shared medium, too... be wary if you have more than one device attached to each access point and powered on...