Power Line Adapater/WiFi/Ethernet

[Yamitoko]

Hello Everyone,

So, I recently needed to relocate my PC, and I'm having a hell of a time with throttled speeds on my current Wifi adapter. I am currently using an Archer T9E Wifi Adapater with a PCI. My current issue, is that I due quite a large amount of gaming across various games and platforms and I'm being throttled on download.

My current internet plan is a 150/125MBs plan and I am losing a very large amount of performance, particularly on download currently with the T9E. I am tossing around the idea of buying/running a drop cable for Ethernet across the distance required, but recently, a buddy mentioned Power Line adapters to me and I've been doing quite a bit of reading on them.

My main concern with Power line is they seem to be a hit or miss technology across the multiple brands/manufacturers/models, and even more so with the capacity for impact caused by internal wiring within the home when using Power Line.

Overall, I'm just curious as to what you lot would recommend when it comes to this situation. I'd be running my first ever drop cable for Ethernet, and in a domestic setting with the router being in a living room, and the PC being located in a bedroom/office area about 50 feet away. I'm open to any suggestions, comments, or questions.

Thank you Kindly,
Yami

 

[Evilsizer]

well im running some powerline 1200 from netgear, dont seem to have any issue. some adapters are able to tell you the connection speed between two powerline adapters, mine does not. all i know is that my nic connection to the adapter is 1gbps. only issue if one at all, is that every so often the adapters need to reconnect to each other. i lose network connection for maybe at most 5mins, sometimes less, not sure why. others say the same thing it seems to be most of them. now my internet hasnt been upgraded in a while so its a 12mbit connection right now, getting 100mbs on the 17th. this will let me better test my current powerline adapter since they are suppose to be rated for 1.2gbps from adapter to adapter.

if you want to test out the powerline adapters i would suggest looking at your local bestbuy or wallmart, some targets have them too. i would look at what models they have near you and that would help with a suggestion on powerline. now if you dont mind ordering from newegg, in the order i would personally buy. this is really since i dont have a problem with my Netgear PL adapters. all these suggestions are dual kits so you get two adapters vs just one in some cases. first up NETGEAR PL1000, next D-Link DHP-701AV, last D-Link PowerLine DHP-601AV. lastly when looking at PL adapters make sure they list they use MIMO, since it will use more then one frequency for a connection. similar or exactly like wireless adapters but no signal problems. another thing, if your two outlets are on different fuses. signal can be slightly effected as well. also dont plug these into multi outlet or outlet splitters, they need to be plugged directly into the wall outlet. the house im using mine in was built in 1986 and even at my low 12mbit connection downloading games from steam. i max out the connection speed of my 12mbits, actually get a bit higher then 12mbit. speedtest.net says im around 15-17mbits down. in steam for downloading it shows 1.8mb/s to 1.9mb/s maxed out,it goes back and forth between those two.

other option is if the router has faster wireless connection speed or already has the fastest out there. maybe use a wireless signal booster maybe that will help?

others then dropping your own cable and installing wall jacks, i dont know what else to tell you.

 

[Yamitoko]

I greatly appreciate the input, I have read quite a bit about the Power Line as I had said, but I hadn't really had first hand accounts from individuals that would sway me one way or another, some Amazon reviews and Tech website comparisons but I don't trust the average consumer and I don't really care for most small review websites due to sponsoring making results bias at times.

How often would you say those connection drops happen? I've read in a few places that some people think it's something related to a power saving mode on the devices enabling in some cases.

 

[Evilsizer]

cant be a power savings since it happens while im gaming, seems more like some kind of auto reconnection between the two. is what i think is going on, since i dont lose power at all in the house, its while im gaming sometimes. it is random when it happens, some times during the day while im on or at night while im gaming. its random on when it happens a few times a week from what i notice. could be more since im not on the pc 24/7.

my only other thought on the losing connection, is the signal quality drops over time. once it gets to some preset-reconnect quality level, is what im thinking is going on. however i dont see much info on more detail about PL adapters.

 

[Yamitoko]

cant be a power savings since it happens while im gaming, seems more like some kind of auto reconnection between the two. is what i think is going on, since i dont lose power at all in the house, its while im gaming sometimes. it is random when it happens, some times during the day while im on or at night while im gaming. its random on when it happens a few times a week from what i notice. could be more since im not on the pc 24/7.

my only other thought on the losing connection, is the signal quality drops over time. once it gets to some preset-reconnect quality level, is what im thinking is going on. however i dont see much info on more detail about PL adapters.

I can see that being incredibly frustrating, especially depending on what game you're playing at the time. I'm honestly at this point tempted to pick up some Power Line and try them out and see how things go. If anything, if I get them from a Best Buy or Walmart I could probably return them easily enough down the road if I felt that they weren't performing adequately.

 

[Evilsizer]

for some it can be frustrating if your more into playing comp multilayer in say csgo or some other fps game. i gave up being completive in those kind of games long ago, i dont have the reaction time i use to for such games. i play mostly smite now for any kind of competitive play on line but im not that really competitive being like on a pro team or anything. i cant even get into a clan for more competitive play vs me just playing solo with random people i get in the group.

like i said though, look into the models they have at bestbuy and wallmart first before you buy, imo. otherwise go with the first one i suggested, if i was buying again, i would get that one.