UPC BB: Are Homeplugs enough to boost signal distance?

Feu

Hi folks,

appreciate any help you can provide.

Just made switch from Eircom to UPC broadband. The UPC BB router has to be attached to the tellybox, which is at one end of a long tall house. The eircom was connected under the stairs, in the 'middle' of the house. Now internet only works in 2 rooms, where eircom reached whole house [up to 3 floors]. The new UPC router is probably 12 metres away from the old eircom one. It is in the furthest corner of the house

Now i've been searching threads here, and to boost signal i see some mention
a, wifi range extender
b, homeplugs
c, a tech support guy from UPC mentioned on the phone that we could get another cable "box" installed, say under the stairs, to which we could connect the router. Any ideas on how much this would cost? if fairly low cost, could be the simplest answer

So my question is, from the description of my house [if i've given enough information!] which should i be looking at? Bearing in mind that I'm the most tech competent person in the house and mention of running cables makes me feel quite ill!!!

also, i'm not sure i've understood the homeplugs way of working completely. Do you simply plug them in and synch, or i think i've seen some posts say that you need another router or modem to work with them?

I realise these questions are simplistic, but I could really do with small word replies! Thanks!

red dave

The homeplugs are very straight forward.

Plug 1 into the wall and have a ethernet cable go from the plug into the router.

Plug another into the socket of the room you want to have signal in with another ethernet cable from that socket into your pc/laptop

I think signal strength depends on the wiring in the house i.e. old wiring might not have as strong a signal as newer wiring.

I use these in my home and it's perfect.

Feu

Clear explanation, thanks Dave! Do you know can they work wirelessly, i'm thinking of smartphones and that?

PogMoThoin

Make sure you buy the homeplugs somewhere you can return them, they do not work well in every house, it depends on the quality and layout of the electrical circuitry. I've seen a situation where they do not work at all even though it was the same circuit board and have more than once found them very laggy beyond being usable.

Feu

Thanks Pog, i wouldn't hold too much hope of returning them on amazon or ebay once i[ve opened them and fiddled around with them, will try to get a bricks n mortar source for them here in Dublin. I dont think the wired version will really suit our needs due to several laptops and smart phones, so will try to source wireless

UPC man has been around in the meantime, moved the router to an upstairs bedroom [where there is also a tv connnection] and the internet now seems to work everywhere except the 2 rooms that were previously the only ones getting it!

Believe we will try to get a further connection in the middle of the house, as i do not know if the homeplugs will ultimately work due to distances and antique wiring

thanks for replies folks

plastik90

Where's the best place to get the homeplugs? Also around how much do they cost?

Feu

i've just seen them on amazon, and i was reluctant to get them if i wasn't sure i could return them.

UPC have proved very helpful and amenable to solving this problem. We have them coming out again this week and that should fix it. What a refreshing change from eircom

PogMoThoin

Feu wrote: »

i've just seen them on amazon, and i was reluctant to get them if i wasn't sure i could return them.

UPC have proved very helpful and amenable to solving this problem. We have them coming out again this week and that should fix it. What a refreshing change from eircom

The beauty of buying things online is that you have more rights than buying in a shop. There is a 7 day cooling off period, you have the right to change your mind if you're not happy. Credit card transactions are easily reversed. Order them on Amazon, open carefully and keep all packaging.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/EUinireland/storyexaminer.aspx?id=87200

Trademark

I got a set of 2 homeplugs in PC World/Currys Blanchardstown last week for €75. I have 30meg UPC and just checked on speedtest out of curiosity. Last week was about 27-39?! download, 2.5-3 upload, ping never higher than 40ms.

My issue was having a pc in converted attic so being 2 floors above the modem, I was getting 1.5meg d/l on wireless if I was lucky, have a look around for the homeplugs, mine are Devolo. Downloaded the recent episode of South Park in just under 2 minutes!! **** ending though

Edit: just checked now on speedtest 23.00 Bad Friday : ping 16ms, download 23.12Mbps, Upload 2.89.

Feu

Thanks for that Trademark, reasonable enough. Are they wireless? I mean i know they plug into the wall, but do you then need to plug your laptop/PC into the plug?

UPC have been very helpful, but it appears that the new modem they provided us with is simply not powerful enough to transmit to the whole house. [although the probably 6 year old eircom one was]

I need to investigate a new modem, but i am not sure where to begin, 2 friends offered me ones they were not using but they only have a phone line jack, not a coaxial "slot" for the white UPC line to go into.

I would be eternally grateful for advice on a more powerful modem that is compatible with UPC?

thanks

Trademark

My ones aren't wireless, basically the theory is you use your household wiring as a wired network so avoid cables running along skirting/upstairs etc, then plug the 2nd one in beside where you use your pc/laptop.
The modems your friends have won't work, they're for internet via phone line hence the jack, it's the cable type you need.

As far as I know, UPC were giving a Thompson router for their 50 and 100MB speeds, this was causing problems so now they give a Cisco EPC3925. As always, opinions are varied on which is better or if both are sh*t.

You might get more answers if you tried a new topic explaining the distance/3 floors, and asking can anyone recommend a cable modem/router that works with upc and gives good range......although people might just recommend homeplugs!

MrJoeSoap

Feu wrote: »

Thanks for that Trademark, reasonable enough. Are they wireless? I mean i know they plug into the wall, but do you then need to plug your laptop/PC into the plug?

UPC have been very helpful, but it appears that the new modem they provided us with is simply not powerful enough to transmit to the whole house. [although the probably 6 year old eircom one was]

I need to investigate a new modem, but i am not sure where to begin, 2 friends offered me ones they were not using but they only have a phone line jack, not a coaxial "slot" for the white UPC line to go into.

I would be eternally grateful for advice on a more powerful modem that is compatible with UPC?

thanks

Did you have any luck in getting this sorted? I'm in a not too dissimilar position myself, although the size of the house isn't the issue for me. I'm looking into homeplugs as a solution for the poor file transfer speeds, but if you have any information on a better modem that would be appreciated!

Edit: Also, to answer your earlier question (for the sake of people like myself who may read back through these threads), you can get Wireless homeplugs to boost signal.

This is an example of one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTxf5aspSxM