Powerline Adapter Advice

[jamesn123]

@huwd85 

Router > Ethernet cable to Extended house > Powerline adapter > Other powerline adapters should work as essentially you are just extending the ethernet cable run on the first unit from the router.

[huwd85]

Hi James, many thanks for the reply.

That looks good to me, and will give it a go.

Thanks again

[BurtyB]

Hi all, looking for some similar advice to what also appears to be a Powerline issue. For context, I recently switched over from BT Fibre to Sky ultrafast (with Openreach installing new line/socket as part of the upgrade). I work from my summerhouse in the garden (approx. 50ft from the main house/router). For a number of years now my set-up has been router in the main house, with ethernet connections to Sky Q box and a TP Link (1000mbps) powerline adaptor kit, to then give me connectivity in the summerhouse which includes my laptop and mini-Q box. This was partly on the recommendation of the Sky engineer when I originally went with Sky Q to ensure the most reliable streaming for the mini-Q.

Previously with BT broadband both streaming to the mini-Q and working (video calls etc) in the summerhouse was reliable and I was getting good speeds (~60mb, similar to the main house). Now with Sky, my speed off the router is ~120mb (so all good in the main house), however the speed at the end of the Powerline in the summerhouse is barely 5mb... The mini-Q box can no longer stream properly from the main Q box and obviously remote working is now rather challenging on video calls! 

I can only think it's the powerline issue I've seen noted on other threads, but not sure what I can do to solve or what my alternative options are given distance from the house to stream on Q and work remotely? Appreciate any advice.

[TimmyBGood]

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@BurtyB wrote:

For context, I recently switched over from BT Fibre to Sky ultrafast (with Openreach installing new line/socket as part of the upgrade).

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If that's Ultrafast 1 over G.fast (with the connection coming into the property over copper wire and a master socket rather than optical cable and an ONT) then it's been observed that G.fast doesn't necessarily play nicely with Powerline use at the same address.

[Mini+Mo]

One problem with powerline adaptors is  the lost of your speed with GFast.

There was a thread on here last year.

https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Broadband/Ultrafast-GFast-halves-speed-on-powerlines/m-p/4085908

[BurtyB]

Thanks, sounds like this might be the case then. Annoyingly seems like it's turned a perfectly good network setup into a fairly redundant one now that I'm struggling to get any speed out to the summerhouse. Any suggestions for what an alternative setup could be if powerline adaptors aren't going to play ball? I wasn't sure if wifi boosters would carry the signal far enough or well enough to the mini-Q and for working on my laptop (roughly 50ft from the house)

[jamesn123]

@BurtyB 

You'll need to run an ethernet cable to the summer house for a reliable connection. I highly doubt boosters will get the job done 

[BurtyB]

Thanks for the reply. I'll have to see if I can find a sensible route through the main house (from the router) and outside. I originally went with the powerline kit to avoid this, ironically! Presumably I'll then need a new wifi access point in the summerhouse to receive the ethernet?

[jamesn123]

@BurtyB 

Yeah you will, ideally you'll want to use  Sky booster as it will seamlessly integrate with your network and use the same SSID & Password as your main router in the house. If you cant get hold of a Sky booster or wish to go another way just get a decent AP or router with AP mode. 

[Mini+Mo]

@BurtyB  Lay some external ethernet cable to summerhouse is the best option.

Speaking from past experience, if your house has suspended ground floor & you have access to crawl space, it's a easy way to get a ethernet cable from front to back of house & through the wall into garden & then dig a trench to summer house.

Tried a booster here & it struggle to get a decent signal 40'-50' down the garden to workshop,ended up laying exterior cat 6 cable to depth of 350mm to avoid hitting it with a spade.

[zakcameron]

Hi there,

I am having the exact same issue, I have had bt powerline adaptors for years and they have been brand new and all of a sudden last night i am unable to get a data light to work to send signal to my outbuilding with a sky mini which has worked before. What is the advice you would give ?

[TimmyBGood]

@zakcameron 

Bring both into the house and try them close together.  If there's still no life then assume they are ex-hardware: such things can be broken by current imbalance and surges.

[zakcameron]

Yes i've tried bringing in and plugged into router isn't working swapped adaptors cables etc. 

Since they are Bt adaptors do sky offer there own ones out or is there any that are recommended?

[TimmyBGood]

@zakcameron 

Sky doesn't have any own-brand hardware of that kind, or supply other brands.

[Dusan2]

Hi,

I know this is an old discusson, however, I found it when searching for anything related to my problem. Somebody might find it usefull my findings.

In a nutshell, I got my Skybox SR203 and I suspect that its power supply (switched PSU) emites a lot of interference to the mains electricity network.

As a result, when my power line adapter (LAN over mains as discussed here) is connected to the same extension lead it does not work. When I connect it to a different mains socket it works.

I also connected it to a separate short extension lead (1m) and I got connectivity but very low throughput. Clearly the bigger distance from the SKybox PSU the better connectivity.

Also as soon as I unplag the Sky PSU the connectivity between the two remote adapter is established.

The ultimate proof will be to change the PSU to a completly different type but need to get one with the same votage and connector type.

Note: my power line adaptor is very old but prevoiusly worked well sitting next a Virgin hub PSU and many other PSUs.

Kind regards

D.