Powerline "Noise" READ FIRST

[nobel_nomar]

From fordem:

"Let me explain something about powerline networking to you ...

You're taking a network of copper wires, designed to transport electrical power, and trying to "piggy back" data across it - this is of course, distinctly different to using an ethernet cable the sole purpose of which is to transport that data.

One of the differences is that the ethernet cable is running from point A directly to point B - from your Xbox to your network switch, whilst the powerline network connects from point A directly to a few other hundred or even thousand other points, some in your home, others in your neighbours' homes, and some of those other points have large power hungry appliances connected to them - refrigerators, water pumps, garbage disposals, washers, dryers, microwave ovens, furnaces, air conditioners, and if you live in an apartment building maybe an elevator or two.

In addition to being power hungry, these appliances also generate EMI (electro magnetic interference) and RFI (radio frequency interference), more commonly referred to as electrical noise - so what you are in fact doing is wiring a few hundred potential sources of electrical noise directly into your network - and that noise means death to your data.

The idea behind testing in the same room is to determine that you can get reasonable throughput in close proximity - how about connected to the same cheap, multiple outlet extension cord - cheap because we don't want any fancy surge strips with EMI filters that pass clean power and strip out your piggyback data.

If you can't get reasonable throughput like that, don't expect to get anything better when you separate them - and if you do get reasonable throughput like that, there is no guarantee that you can achieve the same throughput when you separate them, but, at least it gives you an idea of what to expect.

Now how do you improve throughput? Easier said than done - simply locate and eliminate as many sources of EMI/RFI as you can - unplug/switch off all those appliances (and lights) one by one, until you find the cause, and then fix the offending appliance.

And please remember - that appliance may be in a neighbors' home or apartment.

There is no magic setting to change, no magic command to issue - just tedious, step by step, detective work

Get the idea?

Good luck. "