Powerline 3port adapters question

masterofp

Hi,

I have not had a chance to mess around with powerline adapters that have > than 1 RJ45 port. I'm looking to upgrade to a 3 port set.

I was looking on TPlink website but the installation diagrams and videos are vague.

Does the 3 port powerline adapter works as switch/hub or does it do 1 port passthrough each?

What I mean is, if I have the 3 port pair, do I need to plug the transmitter close to my switch and connect all 3 ports into it in order for the receiver to have network on all 3 ports? Or do I need to plug in only 1 receiver port to switch and the powerline receiver will split the signal?

The reason I'm asking is I want to know do i need to get 2 sets of 3 port adapters (4 units total) or do I need to get 1 set of 3 port and 1 set of 1 port
adapters to get 6 devices connected in 2 rooms (3 devices per room).

pizzahead77

Do you have a link to the adapters?

Generally there would be one port on the one connected to the router and the other one would have the 3 ports on it.

The adapters wouldn't have a switch built into them - it would be up to your router to do the switching.

ED E

You can just use two switches and three single homeplugs. That'll give more ports for a similar price.

masterofp

@pizzahead77 Here's the link:

https://www.tp-link.com/us/home-networking/powerline/tl-pa8030p-kit/

@ED E

They are good price on Amazon, plus I already have a router that's on the network, I just need to expand the wired connection.

Cuddlesworth

I'd almost think from your diagram that all the devices are in the same area as the router and the powerline adapters are just taking the place of a normal network switch

smuggler.ie

Name says "AV12003-Port Gigabit Passthrough Powerline Starter KitTL-PA8030P KIT"

If am getting it correctly "Passthrough" represented in diagram 1 - three inputs/ three outputs

Diagram 2 indicate that device appear to have switching capacity there - 1 input/ 5 outputs. But its not, is it?

The only explanation for that i could see in tech spec's is: Access Methods: CSMA/CA channel-access schemes . Effectively, in that configuration, Ethernet hub if not mistaking.

masterofp

Pass through refers to the power socket, it actually allows you to connect something via the plug so you don't loose the socket.

smuggler.ie

masterofp wrote: »

Pass through refers to the power socket, it actually allows you to connect something via the plug so you don't loose the socket.

Yeh, noticed note about that later, when viewed "official video".
That leave more Q then A, what tech they use there...

Cuddlesworth

smuggler.ie wrote: »

Name says "AV12003-Port Gigabit Passthrough Powerline Starter KitTL-PA8030P KIT"

If am getting it correctly "Passthrough" represented in diagram 1 - three inputs/ three outputs

Diagram 2 indicate that device appear to have switching capacity there - 1 input/ 5 outputs. But its not, is it?

The only explanation for that i could see in tech spec's is: Access Methods: CSMA/CA channel-access schemes . Effectively, in that configuration, Ethernet hub if not mistaking.

Power line is a HUB between powerline units. On the powerline device, the 3 ports function as a switch.

smuggler.ie

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Power line is a HUB between powerline units. On the powerline device, the 3 ports function as a switch.

Not trying to be smart, but would like to learn something here. How do you determine that?

Cuddlesworth

smuggler.ie wrote: »

Not trying to be smart, but would like to learn something here. How do you determine that?

The underlying technology standard IEEE 1901 laid it out. It has to use a mechanism for collision avoidance because only 1 device can send and 1 can receive. So in a networking sense, it operates like a hub across specific wavelengths, unlike most other wired networks that have separate send and receive signalling.

If you pull a multiport powerline unit apart you would see a ASIC chip, heading into a converter chip for the powerline part.

smuggler.ie

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

The underlying technology standard IEEE 1901 laid it out. It has to use a mechanism for collision avoidance because only 1 device can send and 1 can receive. So in a networking sense, it operates like a hub across specific wavelengths, unlike most other wired networks that have separate send and receive signalling.

If you pull a multiport powerline unit apart you would see a ASIC chip, heading into a converter chip for the powerline part.

Where i was not able to find any info confirming presence(or use) of ASIC chip on HomePlug, potentially there is one. Then, as there is no primary/secondary adapters, all adapters could buid MAC-to-IP tables and only collision domain would be on power line itself, that in turn would potentially be managed by TDMA(part of 1901)

I read some about IEEE Std 1901, it is defining CSMA/CA use, same as 802.11

To handle multiple devices attempting to use the line at the same time, IEEE Std 1901-2010 supports TDMA, but CSMA/CA (also used in WiFi) is most commonly implemented by devices sold

this last part of sentence dragged me back.
I come across this document that also mention

1901 supports TDMA [5], but the default access method used in practice is CSMA/CA, as observed from commercial devices

Same article compare 1901 and 802.11 as they work similar , just with different collision avoidance mechanism.
Interesting...

Cuddlesworth

smuggler.ie wrote: »

Where i was not able to find any info confirming presence(or use) of ASIC chip on HomePlug, potentially there is one. Then, as there is no primary/secondary adapters, all adapters could buid MAC-to-IP tables and only collision domain would be on power line itself, that in turn would potentially be managed by TDMA(part of 1901)

I've seen tear downs of them in the past but regardless, if a device has multiple Ethernet ports intended for communication between multiple devices, it almost certainly has those ports hitting a commercially available ASIC chip. Any other method is basically reinventing the wheel at great cost for a inferior product.

smuggler.ie wrote: »

I come across this document that also mention Same article compare 1901 and 802.11 as they work similar , just with different collision avoidance mechanism.
Interesting...

A ethernet cable is a dedicated line between two devices. Powerline/Wireless are shared mediums. While there are technologies and methods to mitigate that, there will always be some form of collision control required until you put a point to point cable in there.

smuggler.ie

You probably right, 802.3(xx) could have covered that
It would make sense to use that tech, strange that "switching" quality of device would be left unadvertised.