Powerline Adaptor Max Speed

MiskyBoyy

Hello all,

I've been using TP Link 200mbps powerline network adaptors for about 5 months now with my 50mb UPC connection and was extremely happy with it, as it was providing me with full ethernet speed in my bedroom where I have my PC set up.

Recently, I upgraded to UPC 100mb. Now it seems my powerline network adaptors aren't up to the task of providing me with full ethernet speed in my room. After some research today, I have learnt that the powerline adaptors only work to a max percentage of advertised. So, I upgraded my powerline adaptors to the TP Link 500mbps kit. Thinking, this would solve my problem and give me full ethernet speed.

Unfortunaetly, this is not the case. I'm still only getting max of about 60mb, whilst when I temporarily move my pc to be connected directly to the modem, I get the full 105mb speed. The apartment building I live in is new/modern and was only built in the past 10 years, so that rules out old wiring.

If there is some way of getting the full speed I've been accustomed to, I would appreciate any help or suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

Khannie

A few things here. The cheaper 500's are actually a dirty little swizz. They have a 100Mbps NIC interface (and so they will max out at that). I have them, but I bought them knowing that.

Also, if you have more than 2 powerline adapters, it destroys the max available bandwidth on the network because they use some kind of interrupt system. Have you the 500's and 200's on the same power circuit? If so, try unplugging the 200's, leaving just 2 x 500's and see what you get.

Lastly, what are you using to test speed?

Freddy Smelly

are the powerline adapters plugged directly into the wall socket or into a gang lead?

they dont work well in gang leads

If you're getting 60Mbps then you're not being bottlenecked by the 100Mbps interface so upgrading to the more expensive 500Mbps with gigabit interface probably won't increase your speed much. Those models do perform better with multiple streams though.

Generally the 500Mbps powerline perform well over very short distances but speeds fall very quickly over longer distances to be more or less the same as 200Mbps models. That's why you are not seeing much difference.

They all use just a few chipsets nowadays so switching to a different brand probably won't help.

I would make sure they are not plugged into an extension lead as noted above. And also try to lower the amount of electrical noise in your house by unplugging chargers etc when not in use. There's other appliances like halogen lights and dimmer switches that also put out a lot of RFI.

MiskyBoyy

I upgraded to 500mbps, as in, I got rid of the 200mbps one's altogether. So right now, I just have the 1 TP Link 500mbps one by the modem and the other 500mbps one in my room by my pc. Neither of them are in multi-adaptors. They're directly plugged into the wall. I don't have any dimmer switches, I don't have any chargers plugged into the walls. It's the same when I try it in the same room, but my bedroom is only approx 10 metres or less away from modem anyway.

The speedtest I tried on way UPC official one, magnet & speedtest.com. The UPC one is most accurate and gives me 105mbps down, 9mbps up when plugged directly into modem, then straight down to 60mbps down, 9mbps up when using powerline adaptor.

So, I was just wondering was there anything you could change in the modem, obviously not?

DaLad

DaLad wrote: »

So, I was just wondering was there anything you could change in the modem, obviously not?

No. The speed you are getting is limited by the homeplugs.

60Mbps is in the ballpark of what you will get with 500Mbps homeplugs. Some people will get faster, some will get slower, it is very variable and dependent on distance, wiring, etc.

Its just a limitation of the technology.

dreamers75

Could try an ethernet cable, at this point prolly cheaper than what you spent.

MiskyBoyy

Also should mention, I did a test over the homeplug transferring large files from 1 pc to the other using the 2 homeplugs and transfers at max speed so I really don't understand why it can't transfer internet at full speed?