Billion HomePlug technology - any opions?

[AylenS]

hi all,

I've struggled for ages with coming up with an accceptalbe networking solution for linking up a couple of laptops, a desptop, printer, and possibly an xbox/wii, so as to share a broadband connection and printer. The kit is in various rooms, as well as an outside study, acrooss an area of max 100m diameter, so wifi has never worked properly. Before actually running some physical cables, I thooguht of trying the Billion BiPAC P106 HomePlug AV 200 Wall Plug Ethernet Adapter Starter Kit, that I saw advertised. Does anyone have expereince of using this sort of equipment that works off the house's power wiring, and what do you think of it as a solution? I would have thought it would be more widely used if it worked as advertised! thanks.

 

[Guantanamo]

Problem is your main router and the billion have to be on the same breaker. So for smal houses its not a real problem but then in small houses neither is wifi coverage.

 

[AylenS]

Thanks a lot, that saves a bit of aggravation! Back to the cable option then I guess <sigh>......

 

[Guantanamo]

Do what I did, get two Netgear rangemax routers link one to your current router and and hook on up to a power supply then set them up to bounce the signal. Works great in my house. There are probably cheaper routers to do it but then it might be a case of quality vs quantity.

 

[AylenS]

mmm, that might be the best! I've got a Dovado wireless router that I would attach to the usb modem (or whatever) to, and then I would set the 2 netgears to pass the signal along or as the other two points on the triangle? I'll try that, thanks for the suggestion.

 

[dragonflyer]

Hi Aylen

Just to clarify, does your house have one phase electric cabling or three phase cabling. if it has one phase then the Homeplugs will work perfectly and you dont have to worry about wireless for the printer and XBOX/WII since each homeplug comes with and ethernet port. for the wireless you could get the wireless homeplug which will distribute the wireless signal from your router.

 

[AylenS]

A dumb answer I'm afraid: I have no clue how ot tell if I have "one phase electric cabling or three phase cabling". Its a pretty standard 3 bed house w outside study/ Is there something Io check on the mains board?

 

[pjjdp]

I remember years ago. This "new" technology was an April fools joke.

Just shows.

 

[mountain_lion]

For single phase the main circuit breaker normally has 2 levers (Live & Neutral) connect with a bar so that both are switched together.
For three phase the main circuit breaker normally has 4 levers (Red, Yellow/White, Blue & Neutral).
Three phase is the exception for residential use. A 3 bed house will most likely be single phase.

I have never used the home plug technology so cannot comment from experience, but from an electrical point of view it should work as long as all the socket outlets you want to use are directly connected, i.e. without any transformer in between.
Thus all the socket outlet circuits in a single phase house will work. Does not matter if they are on different circuit breakers as long as all circuit breakers are switched on.
There will also be a restriction on the length of wire between devices, but should not be a problem in a 3 bed house (might even work to another house on the same phase supplied from the same transformer).

 

[AylenS]

Thanks, so your by your comment " I have never used the home plug technology so cannot comment from experience, but from an electrical point of view it should work as long as all the socket outlets you want to use are directly connected, i.e. without any transformer in between.
Thus all the socket outlet circuits in a single phase house will work. Does not matter if they are on different circuit breakers as long as all circuit breakers are switched on.
There will also be a restriction on the length of wire between devices, but should not be a problem in a 3 bed house (might even work to another house on the same phase supplied from the same transformer).

" I take it that sit is technically quite feasible for its use to extend to outside rooms, provided its all single phase and the disctacnes aren't too great? Well, now it starts to sound like a reasonable option again. I just need to find a way to test it so that if it does't work I can give it back!