Using hmeplugs and switchers to improve home network

newbie2

Hey all,

i'm a complete novice when it comes to networking so bear with me.

I'm attempting to improve my home network with as minimum effort as possible. I was just wondering will this set up work?

Any suggestions on decent homeplugs or switchers? Am i even using the right terminology?

Cheers

degsie

Your setup should work fine. One thing I might change is to connect the homeplug on the left directly to the router, so as to maximise data transfers from the router to the equipment on the right (but your proposed setup will work either way). As regards homeplugs and switches, to futureproof a bit I'd use 500mbps homeplugs and gigabit switches. TP-link and Devolo homeplugs are reliable, check out amazon. 8 port gigabit switchs would be useful for expansion etc.

ED E

Yep, thats a good start. As degsie said moving the homeplug may improve things but also may not depending on the wiring of the ring mains inside the house. They may work fine between some rooms and not at all between others so you'll have to test out yourself and see.

Put in gigabit switches but be aware that homeplugs max out at 80-100Mbps throughput even if you buy 500Mbs versions. That potentially could starve the right side of the topology if usage there was heavy.

newbie2

Hey all.

thanks for your replies. I bought a coupl eopf tp-link homeplugs and a couple of 5 port switchers (space restricted me). they were only cheap and work great. I'm getting max speeds from my UPC BB over teth homeplugs and switchers - I'm very happ.

a quick question though. I have an old WiFi Belkin N router which i was hoping to use to boost my signal upstairs and out in the garden. Can I just cat-5 into one of the ports at the back of the router and off i go? Or does it need to be wired into the WAN port?

Also do I name the SSID the same as my wifi downstairs? What about the password? Obviously I would need seemless transitions from one wifi to another?

i hope I'm not coming acroos as too much of a donkey. I'm nearly there I think.....

ED E

newbie2 wrote: »

Hey all.

thanks for your replies. I bought a coupl eopf tp-link homeplugs and a couple of 5 port switchers (space restricted me). they were only cheap and work great. I'm getting max speeds from my UPC BB over teth homeplugs and switchers - I'm very happ.

a quick question though. I have an old WiFi Belkin N router which i was hoping to use to boost my signal upstairs and out in the garden. Can I just cat-5 into one of the ports at the back of the router and off i go? Or does it need to be wired into the WAN port?

Also do I name the SSID the same as my wifi downstairs? What about the password? Obviously I would need seemless transitions from one wifi to another?

i hope I'm not coming acroos as too much of a donkey. I'm nearly there I think.....

Steps you need:
Connect to Belkin with a cable with a laptop
Set its SSID to the same as downstairs
Set its WPA2 key to the same as downstairs
Set it to a wireless channel(different to the main one!)
Set it to AP mode(you dont want two routers) and give it a static IP(eg my lan is on 192.168.2.0 so I set my access points to .2.201 and .2.202)
Connect belkin to swtich or powerline using one of the 4 regular network ports.

Job done.

degsie

newbie2 wrote: »

.

a quick question though. I have an old WiFi Belkin N router which i was hoping to use to boost my signal upstairs and out in the garden. Can I just cat-5 into one of the ports at the back of the router and off i go? Or does it need to be wired into the Wan port...

Use the 'lan' ports on both routers.