Fed up with home plugs! Solutions?

john1000000boy

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Not posted on these forums for a while but needing some advice.
Currently my network is:

BT Infinity Homehub> Synology Ds214 Play> Devolo dlan 500 duo Where the master socket is in the dining room.

In the sitting room

Dlan 500 duo> Apple Time Capsule> Netgear Gigabit Ethernet Switch> Various devices.

In the bedroom

Devolo 500 wifi> ipads/iphones

The problem is recently the speeds and reliability of wifi connection and speed in the other rooms has become inconsistent. I used to get very high speeds in the sitting room and bedroom using the home plugs but now it is very slow. The plug next to the home hub flashes between red and yellow instead of a steady green?

Is there anyway of sorting this or is this what can be expected of this type of network?

I am considering putting in cat 5 or 6 and doing away with the homeplugs

I have tried installing the most recent firmware on cockpit.

Sometimes the duo plugs are not even visible in the cockpit.

This is really frustrating as it used to be a really good network which was solid and fast.

Maybe I am pushing it to its limits with the NAS and Airplay docks etc.

If you were to put ethernet cables in with a 20mB download and 4.03 upload (We are in the sticks)what cables would you use say 20-30 metre runs?

Just to add we are apple users in our house with 5 iPads and 3 iPhones 2 macs and 2 apple tvs as well as the time capsule which is the wifi from the home plug in the sitting room.
 
If you want fast, robust, reliable data networking, you want ethernet. Wi-Fi and Powerline comms are relying on an fundamentally unreliable transmission medium, (radio wave which you share with everyone or the domestic mains which is susceptible to much noise,)

As long as you remain within the 100m lobe length "specification" for ethernet over UTP, (strictly speaking 90m + 2x 5m patchcords each end) you'd have to do a ham fisted job of the install for it not to work at Gigabit and a spectacularly ham fisted job for it not to work at 100mbps using cat5e UTP and socketry.

Ethernet works at the same "speed" whatever the cable length - it doesn't slow down as the lobes get longer - ethernet is the same (10/100/1000) speed at all times.

And of course, the more devices you have competing for any given link in your data network, the more you ask the link to do, the more likely things are to start tripping over each other.
 
Thanks for such a quick reply. I really think I am going to have to lay down the cat 5e.

Will start with 2 cables for the sitting room and bed room. May go to 3 for my eldest sons bed room too, although he does pick up wifi from the sitting room. Will then just have to put in a wifi repeater in the master bedroom. Any ideas for a compact value model? Any benefits to using an apple airport express?

The sale of all the home plugs should pay for the cable..

John
 
Cat 5e would work perfectly and i'll suggest laying a pair of cables to each location as cable is cheap.
If you have an old router consider using it as an access point as opposed to buying a repeater.
Take a look at the FAQ in this section about connecting two routers.
 
Thanks rs6mra.
Why would you need 2 cables at each location?

Is it a simple job terminating the cables yourself? Some specialist tools required but they look quite cheap to buy?

The homeplugs are not getting any better..

Any suggestions as to a specific cable and am I better to buy a complete cable or a roll and plugs? Had a look online last night. The rolls seem to be good value..

Any particular brand?

Thanks in advance.

John
 
As you are going through what might be the painful exercise of running the cables it is best practice to run two as you never know when you might need a second connection. If the first was to fail for any reason then you do not have the replace the whole thing again.
It is easy for terminate Cat5e but what you might want to do is use face plates instead at each end.
With regards to cable you can search on the likes of Blackbox which is usually recommended on here and depending on what quantity you need in relation to cost you might as well buy a reel.
When buying an IDC punch down/insertion tool i would suggest you avoid the all plastic type.
 
Just making up my shopping list just now, 305m roll of cable. More than enough. Crimping tools, fish tape. Plaster saw etc.

Want another wifi router for the master bedroom.

Was thinking about getting an airport express.

Want to run cat 5e to it. Also like the AirPlay functionality too.

Will the "old style" plug do? Or the new Apple TV shaped white one. They both have audio outs. Was looking at eBay for one.

Thanks again

John
 
Just to add another couple of questions, will this play media from my iPad from my synology nas using the ds apps on my iPad to a set of speakers from it? All my iTunes are on my nas and I use Spotify on my iPad. So will Spotify play using AirPlay Tom iPad into ae and into a set of speakers connected to the ae?

Thanks again

John
 
305m? Isn't that a lot for what you are proposing?
Having another wifi router in the bedroom is fine. Do you have an old router you could use instead?
I do not understand what you are referring to by the 'old style' plug etc etc and I am not that familiar with iX products apart from the phones, tablets and Macs.
I am also not sure what you mean about playing media from iPad.
Guessing, do you mean playing media on your iPad from Synology? If so yes as Synology are compatible with Apple products.
 
So.. Ordered all the tools cables and connectors and an airport express off eBay for the master bedroom..

The original aes were like big white plugs that the wifi transmitter was part of the plug. The newer model has a kettle lead going to the unit for putting on a shelf or unit..

The Synology uses ds audio/video etc apps to access media.. It works with synology to ds audio on iPad to Apple TV. Was just wondering if it would be the same with the airport express?

May do some other rooms in the house when I am in the loft running the cable too..

Thanks.

John
 
I try to go wired whenever or wherever i can.
I do not see any reason why your iPad will not work but i have no experience whatsoever of AE.
Have fun running the cables and make sure you have a fine glass of red/white waiting for you........
 
Thanks for your advice.. I may be back for more tips, a project for when the kids are off to bed.. This is all going to be a learning curve terminating cables etc. Watched some videos and it looks like it should be reasonably straight forward.

Going to use this as an exercise for perhaps installing cctv all across my business for monitoring thieves etc.. We shall see though.

Will try and post back when I get the job completed..

Thanks again

John
 
That's what comes in a complete roll/box, about £20 to purchase!

They come in 100m reels also and at that price for 305m I would closely check the quality of cable. You have to ensure it is solid copper and not CCA (copper coated aluminium)
 
They come in 100m reels also and at that price for 305m I would closely check the quality of cable. You have to ensure it is solid copper and not CCA (copper coated aluminium)

I have a reel myself which I cabled my house with! It cost me £18.50 for 305m before postage and is copper.

Edit: Solid copper should I say! Maybe I got lucky..
 
I will check my cable.. Paid £36 from Amazon.

Not had time to get started though..☹️
 
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I have a reel myself which I cabled my house with! It cost me £18.50 for 305m before postage and is copper.

Edit: Solid copper should I say! Maybe I got lucky..

Was that in the uk? Any chance of a link?

Thanks.
 
Just checked, it was from Ebay. Must have got lucky..
 
Right oh. Maybe have to go back to Amazon. Cut a foot off the end to make a "test run". To practice my terminating onto plugs though..!!?
 

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