Better throughput and how does homeplug actually work??

[kentclar]

Hi!
I'm looking to gain some speed in my homeplug network. I only use homeplug as a means to get a cabled connection to my TV and Apple TV which both reside in an area where I can't run a proper twisted pair ethernet cable. Oh yes and for my heat pump but the bandwidth demands of that device are miniscule .

I'm using Devolo DLAN 1200 products but I'm only getting some 200/80mbit to the TV but 400/300mbit to the heat pump which is much closer to the adapter connected to my router.

Devolo has a product that connects in your electrical junction box. Brilliant! You can't get any closer to all adapters than to be right in the middle. So I'm thinking I should get me one of those. BUT I can't get an ethernet cable to the junction box either and the way I understand it this adapter is meant to be the "primary" one.
Link: https://www.devolo.global/dlan-pro-1200-dinrail-bs

So my question now is if I'd see a higher throughput between my router connected homeplug adapter and the TV one if I had one of those junction connected adapters in the middle?

I've read through all the standards and white papers on homeplug networking but I can't seem to work out what the topology actually looks like. Does all traffic go through one central node like a switch or a router or does it work more like a wifi network where all nodes receive all signals and the one it is addressed to pick it up and the rest disgard it?

Thanks,
Kent

 

[degrub]

Are you looking for a problem to solve or is the existing working well enough ?

 

[dosborne]

What's your wifi situation? Would a media bridge solution be feasible as it would potentially give you better throughput.

 

[krkaufman]

Are you looking for a problem to solve or is the existing working well enough ?

Seems like they’d like better speeds to the TV (and consistency across all segments).

I'm using Devolo DLAN 1200 products but I'm only getting some 200/80mbit to the TV but 400/300mbit to the heat pump which is much closer to the adapter connected to my router.

 

[krkaufman]

… to my TV and Apple TV which both reside in an area where I can't run a proper twisted pair ethernet cable

What about coax cabling/outlet availability?

 

[kentclar]

What's your wifi situation? Would a media bridge solution be feasible as it would potentially give you better throughput.

Mm I have considered that. Problem with that is that the Samsung OneConnect box and Apple TV resides in a storage room underneath a heavy wooden staircase. When I ran wifi I only got about 30mbit throughput and that's with the access point only a few meters away

It's so taunting to see that I can achieve high speeds on one homeplug and only a fifth on another!

I currently run 100mbit on my internet fibre connection but that is to be upgraded to 500mbit next year, so thats the kind of throughput I'm aiming for.

 

[kentclar]

What about coax cabling/outlet availability?

Do you mean 75 ohm coax for antennae? No we only use iptv, local storage and streaming services.

No further cabling possible in to the TV area. There's a conduit for power but obviously I can't run network cables in the same conduit as 240 volts

 

[thiggins]

To actually answer your question, HomePlug is a shared medium and uses OFDM technology similar to what's used in 802.11ac Wi-Fi.

You can't "boost" range by adding an adapter between other adapters.

This article contains tips for troubleshooting HomePlug throughput.

How To Troubleshoot Your Powerline Network - SmallNetBuilder

Is your powerline network running too slowly? Use these powerline troubleshooting tips to get the throughput you need!

www.smallnetbuilder.com

 

[ColinTaylor]

Can I ask what country you are in? The reason being that domestic wiring in the US is very different to the UK (where I am) for example. There can also differences in mains wiring depending on how old your house is, or when it was last rewired.

 

[kentclar]

Thanks @thiggins you had the answer Also @ColinTaylor you had me try what turned out to be the solution.

I ended up rewiring the outlet and ran dedicated wires to the junction box and there I discovered they were actually on different phases.

After rewire I'm getting 600mbit. Woo-hoo!!

 

[ColinTaylor]

Thanks for the update @kentclar. I experienced a similar thing back when I was using powerline adapters. One of the wall sockets in the room was on a different circuit to another socket in the same room. Just switching over to that other socket doubled the throughput.

 

[sfx2000]

So my question now is if I'd see a higher throughput between my router connected homeplug adapter and the TV one if I had one of those junction connected adapters in the middle?

HomePlug doesn't work that way...

I've read through all the standards and white papers on homeplug networking but I can't seem to work out what the topology actually looks like. Does all traffic go through one central node like a switch or a router or does it work more like a wifi network where all nodes receive all signals and the one it is addressed to pick it up and the rest disgard it?

I would compare it to a ring bus topo - each client station is on a loop, and there is a token mechanism that says when each station can transmit on to the loop.