max_b Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 Anybody using one of these or have any recommendations? Are they better than wifi boosters? I need to get a broadband signal in my seperate from house garage and looking at the best way of achieving a decent speed without spending a fortune! The power feeds in the garage come from the house so presumably the Powerline adapters should work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuprabob Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 (edited) I've used Comtrend ones for years and they've been spot on. Although I use them between rooms so a relatively short distance. Edited January 27, 2016 by Cuprabob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 Depends on whether the garage is on the same circuit as the downstairs/upstairs (depending where your router is) of the house. It may work on a different circuit but they are supposed to stay on the same. I asked the same question on here before, MrMe and a couple of others I think recommended a BT homeplug, it's been flawless, I fitted it in my parents house as it's a very large house and the signal doesn't reach from one side to the other, strategically placed they now get full signal everywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 I asked the same question on here before, MrMe and a couple of others I think recommended a BT homeplug, it's been flawless, I fitted it in my parents house as it's a very large house and the signal doesn't reach from one side to the other, strategically placed they now get full signal everywhere. Yep, mine still working well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calm Chris Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 As long as all the circuits go to the same board it shouldn't be an issue. Really anything on the same supply as long as the earth, neutral and live are from the same head. I've not heard of units that must be on the same ring or radial, and since most houses have separate rings for each floor an item restricted to the same circuit would be shite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max_b Posted January 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 Does the fact that the garage has its own fuse box board mean supply there is a likely to be completely independant of the house, meaning the power lines won't function as need be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-bmw Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 No, it would need to be a separate meter for that to make a difference. Otherwise it comes from the house to get to the garage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max_b Posted January 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Super, thanks all. Time to start googling Comtrend and BT homeplugs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00LHV9E0I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_StNQwbDE32G1Q These are the ones I got, I think they do a dual band version too but parents don't have a dual band router so I didn't bother with those. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calm Chris Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 No, it would need to be a separate meter for that to make a difference. Otherwise it comes from the house to get to the garage. There have been security issues on very early units. They didn't require a unique hand shake with your kit and it allowed flats next door or on the same floor supply, to buy a receiver and just tap in to a neighbours net access. All units now need a signature to sync and that's unique to your network so isn't a problem anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max_b Posted January 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 It will be these - http://www.amazon.co.uk/BT-Wi-Fi-Hotspot-Powerline-Multi-Adapter/dp/B00LHV9DXG/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1454181368&sr=1-1&keywords=Bt+powerline+Multi Or similiar that I will probably end up purchasing. I'll update as soon as I get around to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted January 30, 2016 Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 Yup, that's them. They tend to do deals on them at least once a month so you'll get them at a lower price if you keep watching them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted January 30, 2016 Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 You missed a trick, when I linked to the ones I bought (the same but with only one hot spot rather than two) it was £29, you could have bought two sets if you need two hotspots and still paid less! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max_b Posted January 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 It looks like the prices for all of them have changed T. The ones I linked were 49 or 59 and are now up to 89? I'm sure they will all come down again. It also seems BT have introduced 600 versions although I'm still trying to figure what extra they will provide over 500s if using a Ethernet connection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted January 30, 2016 Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 The 600 range is I believe, dual band, so whatever benefit that provides I guess. We have a dual band BT infinity router, can't honestly say it makes the slightest bit of difference being connected to either/both bands. Oddly enough, if I switch off 2.4 ghz on the router, my old laptop which isn't dual band still connects via the 5ghz connection, and some older non dual band devices such as old iPhones or tablets can also connect to the 5ghz connection? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chasdrury Posted January 30, 2016 Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 The 500-600 is just the bandwidth it pushes through the 'networks' ie your electric wiring. I bought two sets of the BT extenders (non wifi - Ethernet only). A set of 600's and a set of 1000's. I ran a series of tests - copying files (small files and huge single files etc), and the 1000's were close to 1gbps but not quite and the 600s were nearer 500mbps. Not sure how this all helps wit you wifi repeater stuff but I am very pleased and surprised by how good these BT units are (wired only) so I guess the WiFi ones are good stuff too! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calm Chris Posted February 4, 2016 Report Share Posted February 4, 2016 Might be of interest. I've bought a 1 sender, 2 receiver set of AV 500 TP link units. We have a virgin service. Direct plug in to Router / modem speeds (all via speed test) DL 110 Mbps, UL 9 Mbps Wifi 5g direct from router to iPads or iPhone about 90 Mbps, 7 Mbps Wifi indirect 2g via net gear wifi extender 70 Mbps, 6 Mbps Wifi over 230v cabling- On same ring circuit 65 Mbps, 5 Mbps On a different ring, different floor 50 Mbps, 5 Mbps In the near house shed 40 Mbps, 4 Mbps In the man shed (55m cable to house) 8 Mbps, 2 Mbps. The test prove the over 230v cable extenders work anywhere within a domestic situation, and clearly show that signal / speed of service drops substantially depending on the distance the signals have to cover over 230v copper. Not very happy with the man shed levels- although testing it gave a fine picture for Netflix, BBC I-player and YouTube. When I ran the supply feed to the man shed I did run a Cat 5e cable which is coiled up on the house boundary, so I'll get on with feeding that under the floors, up my riser and terminate back on the router. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max_b Posted February 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2016 Thanks for the feedback Chris. Ironically I purchased the equivalent BT (as linked above) set up yesterday. I'll get round to sorting over the weekend but if you are getting decent picture in your man shed then I should be okay for my garage which is not as far away I'm also VM so I'll see what I get Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopsta Posted February 5, 2016 Report Share Posted February 5, 2016 I had issues with using WPS with the BT units but had a replacement VM Superhub 2 yesterday and it linked up first time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busby Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 Thread resurrection in order to ask a quick question on these...... I have the BT Hotspot kit at home. The SSID of the main router is XXXXX and the SSID of the hotspots is YYYYY. Therefore I have to physically reconnect from XXXXX to YYYYY as I move around to get the best signal. I have tried to clone the main router using the WPS buttons but this seems not to work. Questions: If the WPS link/clone process works correctly should teh SSID of the hotspots change to replicate the main router? I can log-in to the hotspots using the IP address they have been assigned - if I do that and just change their SSID's and passwords to match the main router would that 'extend' the same network around the house or would a device just stay attached to the main router with a weak signal rather than switching to the hotspot that was right next to it depsite the SSID and password being the same? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max_b Posted March 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 Try manually resetting the devices and clone again mate. 1. The hotspots will replicate the main router automatically, so you won't need to physically reconnect, they will start to carry the same SSIS. 2. Not sure on question 2! I trialled running separate SSID points but then cloned them all to the main router without too much issue - just thought it was easier. I get your point about changing th SSID to match via the IP address of each device but unsure what sort of speeds you would get? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busby Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Cheers Max. I'll unplug and reset the whole lot today and try linking them again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 I might be misreading this. Our BT Hotspots have different networks names to the main Virgin Vivid router. On any device, I connect to the BT Hotspot once immediately after it was installed. The devices (Macbook's, iPhones, iPad's, etc) then automatically connect depending on signal strength. i.e. If a Hotspot is closest and strongest, they'll connect to that. Because I've previously connected to the Hotspot (upon initial configuration), I don't have to do anything. The same applies if the router is the strongest/closest. I can still select another network if I wish to simply by doing so on screen. I won't have to enter any login/password. I prefer it this way as it means I know what I'm connected to. If they all had the same network name, I wouldn't know which I was using and that would make any troubleshooting a little more tricky (i.e. when MrsMe switches one of the hotspots off occasionally, in error!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busby Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 My problem was that my devices weren't selecting the hotspots based only on the signal being stronger. E.g. I walk into the house and the phone connects to the main router with a full signal. I then go upstairs where the phone stays connected to the main router with a very weak signal despite being next to a hotspot with a full signal. If the signal to the main router drops out then it connects to the hotspot but doesn't automatically switch due to the hotspot signal being better, I have now managed to reset all of the power line/hotspot plug and the WPS link has worked this time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipex Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 I thought I was missing something too, same as MrMe stuff just connects to whatever has the best signal, don't even think about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now